Show us Your Harps, Mics, & Amps!

No ways @jeffw you beat me to it! How do you like it? Feel like a Special 20? Here’s the New Song @Dave_Dunn shared.

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Just the one for me at the moment, though I’ve had a couple of different ones previously over the years with my dabbling prior to having a more serious attempt at learning the instrument properly and having some fun too.

It’s a Seydel Session Steel, in Low C tuning.
Really love the lower tuned Harmonicas and how they sound. Am biased towards the low end mind you as I play a little bass guitar too.

And as a bonus entry, my 3.5yr old son has a Hohner Speedy so he can ‘be like papa’ :blush:

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I can’t say I have played it much as yet - nor much else recently - will let you know when I do!

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Love it @MikeyJay ! I have a 3+yr old too, and he loves to play harmonica as well. When he was 2 he’d chase the dog around the house playing the harmonica and laughing. :rofl:

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Well Christmas came early to the Clebsch household!

As you probably know I’ve been a fan of Lee Oskars for most of my 30 years of harmonica playing (except for a brief time in the early 2000’s when I switched to Special 20’s, and then switched back because I was blowing out reeds too quickly on the SP20.)

About 5 years ago I was totally star-struck and humbled when Lee Oskar himself called me up. During that first phone call you could say I was giddy as I thought back 10 years prior, sitting on the side of the road, transcribing licks from Before the Rain, and now here I was talking to the man himself!

I feel very honored now to count Lee as a friend and mentor. As great as a harmonica player he is, he is equally a great person - a humanitarian, and a champion of the harmonica. Even though I don’t legally endorse Lee Oskar harmonicas or vice versa, probably at this point my entire Lee Oskar harmonica collection has come free of charge.

That means so much to me, especially since I’m not a bona fide rock star. (I’m reminded of a video where the bassist Flea from Red Hot Chili Peppers talks about how ironic it is that when you can’t afford it, the companies won’t give you the time of day, and then when you’re rich and famous and can afford it, they give it to you for free!)

Anyways, I’m rambling here. Sorry, just a bit excited really. :wink:

But the purpose of my post is to update you on key offerings from Lee Oskar:
They now make Melody Makers in F, Eb, Bb, and HiC So they make MM in 9 keys now: C /D /E /Eb /F /G /A /Bb /HiC. Remember: Melody Makers are labeled in 2nd position (@Slim- thought you might like checking out the Bb or Eb?)

I’m not sure if they’ve always made Harmonic Minor in all 12 keys, but they do now - 13 in fact. I just picked up a couple more to add to my collection. Harmonic Minor is labeled in 1st position. I enjoy playing these in 2nd position which creates a tonality that might be called Gypsy, Gypsy Major, or Phrygian Major 3rd. (1,b2, 3, 4, 5, b6, b7, 1)

I just got a LOW E Harmonic Minor and it is a lot of fun!!!

In standard tuning they make only 18 keys: The standard 12, High G, and LC / LD / LE / LF# / LF.

Rock on,
Luke

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Is tat Pignose a Hog 20?

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Welcome to the forum @birdmove. Glad to have you here! I’ll have to let @KeefDeBluesHarpRobot respond to your question as I don’t know the answer, which I’m looking forward to hearing as I’m about to start looking into the best battery-powered amp options.

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Who me? Guess you must be looking at a picture of my stuff. Yes, a Pignose Hog 20. It’s great but I’d rather have the Hog 30 as it has separate bass midrange & treble knobs but they made me a really low offer on a new Hog 20.

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Hey @KeefDeBluesHarpRobot - nice to see ya stranger!

Big “THANKS” to @birdmove for getting @KeefDeBluesHarpRobot to make a rare appearance here! :wink:

Do you own other amps? If so I was wondering how you feel the HOG20 compares to “real” amps that “normal” harmonica players use. (AS IF there’s such a thing as a NORMAL harmonica player. Pretty sure we’re all at least half bonkers! :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:)

Reason I ask is that I’m looking at evaluating “Low Cost” battery amps for the purpose of playing harmonica, so the Hog20 (new at $245) and Hog30 (new at $335) are probably outside the purview of the survey, BUT if you LOVE the Hog20 AS MUCH AS amps that plug into outlets, maybe it’s worth including as a feeds two birds with one corn kinda thing?

Also, regarding difference between Hog20 and Hog30 - It looks like the Hog20 has some knobs? Not EQ thought?

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts…

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Even though it’s solid state, the Hog 20 is pretty good for amplified harp, not as good as a decent tube amp. It has knobs for volume, tone and “squeal” (distortion). The rechargeable batteries last a long time. I wouldn’t advise buying a used one unless you can check it out first, the batteries may no longer hold a charge.

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It’s been a long time since I posted in this thread, but here’s an update on my harps in my gig bag.
List:
G, C, Db, Eb, and E Hohner Golden Melodies
Ab, A, Bb, B, D, and F# Hohner Special 20s
Bb Golden Bird Parrott Tuned Harmonica (was gifted to me by my teacher)
F Hohner Rocket
High G Lee Oskar Major Diatonic


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Hi, I’m back. Can you believe I got this on eBay for $120 + tax + 10.16 shipping? The shell dates from 1951 - 56. The element is what Greg Heumann calls a “Premium CM”, a bit more output and more ferocious tone than the later ones, often undervalued. Should’ve been at least $200 (without the Switchcraft and VC mods) and the seller does know microphones.

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Looks like a cyberman :slightly_smiling_face:

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The kitty is Robin, a stray that China Doll befriended. She comes inside every night when it gets cold.
From top to bottom left to right.
EastTop Lucky 13 diminished tuning
Hohner Fuego Azul key C
Hohner Crossover key C
Hohner Rocket amp key A
Hohner Rocket amp key C
Hohner Rocket key C
Fender blues deluxe key C
Lee Oskar key C
Wilde Tuned Seydel session steel key C
Hohner Bluesband key C x2

My next two harps will be the EastTop Lucky 13 Richter key C and Rocket amp key Bb

, Asshole

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Hello @HvyMtlHarmonica420,
About 2/3 of them seem very familiar to me… :grin: I have the Rocket Amp in C and A, the G brings me the :santa:. I’m still thinking about the Rocket Amp Bb. I have one from Fender Blues Deluxe in Bb and that’s actually enough for me, but I also like the pitch.

Greetings from Astrid :woman_in_lotus_position:

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@AstridHandbikebee63 I play the Rocket C most. I accidentally bought the Rocket amp in C wanting a backup. There is no noticable difference between playing them though. The amp was about $5 cheaper on Ebay. I bought the amp in A because Jason Ricci’s YouTube lessons are mostly in A. Brendan Power turned me on to the Lucky 13 and I bought the diminished tuning not really understanding what it was. I can’t play it at all yet lol. I really like the Wilde tuned seydel but I took it apart for cleaning and I can’t get it to play right anymore. I need to take it apart again and figure it out. The Lee Oskar is super sweet but the -2 can be tricky for me still.

I mostly practice/play the blues but I appreciate other genres. My favorite song to play right now is Raining in my soul by Guy Davis. My current practice playlist is all over the place.

Tomlin Lecke, 7 easy licks
JP Allen, Fun way to play the blues scale
Jason Ricci, Simple solo plan
Adam Gussow, Smoke stack lightning
Zapp and Roger, Blow that thing.
Los Tigres del Norte, La puerta negra
The Beatles, Love me do
Carlos y Jose, Flor de Capomos
War, Lowrider
Guy Davis, Raining in my soul
War, Cisco Kid
Jackie Green, Gone Wandering
Blues Traveler, Run around
George Jones, Tennessee whiskey
Sonny boy Williamson, 9 below zero

, Asshole

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@HvyMtlHarmonica420, a good playlist! For some songs you already need a broad skill on the harp. It’s a long way, but with a good goal.

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Hi @KeroroRinChou
Are they hohner harmonica cases

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