The Best Harmonica Holder
This is a question that I get asked all the time. From drummers, or guitar, bass, ukulele, or keyboard players, to people who don’t have the use of one or both their hands, many of us want to know:
WHAT’S the BEST harmonica holder ? 
I spent most of my life playing one of those cheap generic silver harmonica holders.
They’re affordable. I’ll give them that. But they’re also uncomfortable to play, and can be incredibly awkward to take on and off.
You can instantly lose cool points struggling with one of those onstage! 
Here’s the main PROBLEMS with the generic silver harmonica holders:
You have to tighten the screws with ALL your might to keep the harmonica in place,
But then, you have to loosen the screws in order to be able to
- See what you’re doing when you remove the harmonica to replace it with a different key
- Or remove the whole thing from your neck
- Both of those
processes can prove very awkward
They’re very uncomfortable
So I searched high and low and discovered these 3 great alternatives.
Which one is the BEST???
Check out my short video review here.
Spoiler alert: The Sidenote is my favorite. But read on to learn what might be the best harmonica holder FOR YOU!
Hohner FlexRack 
~ $70
What I Love
Comfort - the part around the neck is wide, flat and rubber (instead of a little round metal bar poking into you!)
Adjustability of the Harmonica-Holder - Screws allow you to adjust the angle and height of the harmonica.
Screw Design at the Shoulders - Less prone to rusting, easier to tighten and loosen
Bend in the Clamp - you can pull the clamp open more easily with one hand grabbing the bent portion. This makes the switching-harps action less difficult.
Color! It’s black. Why does the harmonica holder have to be silver? Black looks subtle and sleek.
Works with all harmonicas. Not all harmonicas stick to magnets, so the Seydel won’t work for everyone.
What I Don’t Love
My #1 problem is it’s TOO TALL - At its lowest setting, the harmonica is blocking me from being able to sing into the mic. This is the deal-breaker for me and the FlexRack.
The Price. Ouch! That’s more than I have to pay for the harmonica itself.
Awkward - to take the whole thing on and off doesn’t feel any easier. I’m still losing cool points.
Awkward - to remove / replace harps.
I had one of the screws fall off at the harmonica holding section
Not as comfy as it could be. Why didn’t they use softer foam at the base?
If your neck is longer than mine (and/or if you don’t care about being able to sing) then you might love this holder. Lotsa people online love ‘em. But for me, I’d prefer a cheapie to this one.
Seydel Gecko ~ $82
The Seydel Gecko was the first of these holders I tried. I bought it months ago when I was doing my review of the Rackit! 2.0 and (after I recovered from choking on the price tag) I discovered several features that I LOVE about this holder.
What I Love
Quick-Release - Seydel’s design is rather genius, allowing you to release the top part so it lies flat against your chest, making it easy to take on or off without losing any cool points.
Harmonica Magnet - the harmonica holder is a magnet, making it INCREDIBLY easy to change harmonicas (as long as you know to TILT THE HARMONICA BACK to remove it).
Fine-Tuning - there are little screws at the base that bring the harmonica closer to or further from your mouth, making it super easy to make minute adjustments. Once you have it set right, it’s set-it-and-forget-it, thanks to the quick-release feature.
Comfort - Leather padded “feet” on your chest, and a soft rubber cushion where the bar hits the back of your neck. Definitely more comfy than a generic, and more comfy for me than the Hohner FlexRack.
What I Don’t Love
The Price. Ouch! EVEN MORE than the Hohner FlexRack!
Not all harmonica’s stick to the magnet. Notably, the East Top 008k, the Fender Blues Deluxe, and the Hohner Blues Band DO NOT stick to magnets!
Seydel Sidenote ~ $40
What I Love
The Design - one-sided holder means just one screw to loosen, and plenty of space to take the holder on/off without losing cool points - and you can do it one-handed!
Harmonica Magnet - the same harmonica-holder magnet as the Seydel Gecko, making it INCREDIBLY easy to change harmonicas (as long as you know to TILT THE HARMONICA BACK to remove it).
The Price Tag (this one is actually relatively affordable!)
Lightweight - this is by far the lightest of the 3 holders.
What I Don’t Love
I feel like Goldilocks: this one is JUST RIGHT!
EDIT: Not all harmonica’s stick to the magnet. Notably, the East Top 008k, the Fender Blues Deluxe, and the Hohner Blues Band DO NOT stick to magnets!
I tried all 3 holders both at home and on gigs, and my preference is the Sidenote.
The Sidenote for me is just the right height and is the least obtrusive. A harmonica holder is just something we need in order to play harmonica and another instrument at the same time, and Sidenote is the most transparent of the 3 holders (in addition to being the most affordable!)
That’s for me. If you have a long neck, maybe the height wouldn’t be perfect for you, I’m not sure. But for me, Seydel and Farmer Foot Drums have hit a homerun with the Sidenote!