After reading the recent Little Walter discussion on the Chromatic Harmonica I decided I should finally add one to my arsenal. What would be a good starter chromatic for a intermediate diatonic player? Is the Chrometta 8 Key a decent harp for the money? Is the key of C the best choice? Thanks.
it doesnt have good reviews http://www.amazon.com/Hohner-Chrometta-8-Key-C/product-reviews/B0002F4VEY/ref=cm_cr_dp_see_all_btm?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending
i played some older chromettas the 12 and 14 they do the the groovy 6th position thing ok. but the low 1 note in first isnt as good as the 12 hole super chromonica. the 8 hole has only 2 octaves (i still dont understand octaves) but i had a 10 hole chromonica and the 12-14 holers are better. i havent tried the 16 64 monster yet but i have a feeling it sounds way better than a super chromonica 12 holer the advantage of the super chromonica is it comes in other keys like G and Bb. sonny terry played a Bb chromatic in C 3rd. but mostly blues guys play in D third on the 64 monster. im not arguing lil walter till the cows come home any more. im working on playing "temptation" (bing crosby film) with a koch fake chromatic in fisrt and 6th.
Two suggestions. Swan a chinese harmonica company is making chromatics that aren't bad. They have improved a lot. Their construction is very good and there prices are much cheaper than all the well known brands. The model I bought is their top of the line 12 hole with rounded mouth piece. It's about $80.00.The reason I'm recommending this rounded mouthpiece model is that there is only the slide fitted into the mouthpiece not the standard 3 piece slide package and the slide action is great. The reeds are phosphorus bronze on double thick reed plates. The sound is a little softer with less of an edge and not as bright as a Hohner 270. Amplified it sounds good. This can be bought online from the Swan Music Store in Colorado. The other one I recommend is the Suzuki SCX series. They are more than twice the price as Swan.They make 3 models 12,14, & 16 hole. They also come with the rounded mouthpiece with the slide fitting into it. The construction and look is very similar to the Swan and I wonder if the Suzuki SCX series is in fact being manufactured at the Swan factory. Rockin' Ron carries Suzuki's. There aren't many key choices and it is best to start with the key of C. Eventually you might want other keys because certain positions are laid out better than others with less breath changes. I own about 26 chromatics of different brands and models mostly in the key of C. Both these brands come with a plastic comb and the reed plates are screwed in not nailed. Believe me you don't want to screw around with wooden combs. The chromatic takes a lot of maintenance and you should learn about the plastic valves also known as windsavers on the reed plates and learn how to change them because they rattle, it's not difficult.There is new valve material out there that doesn't stick but that's another subject. By the way I have had no valve problems with the Swan or the Suzuki so far and have had them for a while. I hope all this helps.
I was looking at a couple Swan models on Ebay. They have a gold professional 1664 model 16 hole round phosphor bronze reeds for $84 US. They have a 12 hole that sound like what your discribed Piro for $52 or best price. Is that the model you have? Thanks for the help.
the chrometta models are very easy to play and sound pretty good imho. but if you decide to go that way, i suggest a 12 or even 14 hole model. the 8 sounds good but of course has much less range to fool around with. my first chromatic was a hohner 270 in D. i had no idea about 3rd position and by the time i had made progress in that area i had also ruined that 270 trying some crazy stuff. i use chromatic a good bit of the time. i have a hering 5148-in low C- and it's a good harp but last i knew the wait for one was pretty ridiculous, coming from brazil and all. i moved on to the suzuki chromatix and this is a much better harp for me. i have a middle C and a G and they get frequent use. i was given a hohner 270 in C which is ok but tastes weird.
cautionary note- it's not hard at all to wreck a reed trying to bend notes on a chromatic. or trying to play louder because you don't get as big a volume as with most diatonic harps. so play a bit lighter and focus on technique. use an amp or p.a. if necessary to get the sound out. a chro can be repaired but having to send it off and spend the $$- ouch! or replacing it- BIG ouch!
chromatic to me is made for 3rd position. it's much like playing 3rd on a diatonic, with much more possibility and variety. ---------- http://www.reverbnation.com/jawboneandjolene
rainman: Here is the url for the Swan store http://swanmusicstore.com/ I wouldn't go through e-bay. The Swan site lists all their models so you know what the choices are. I prefer the one piece slide system which seems to be only on the few models with the rounded mouthpiece. As I said in my last post, these are very nicely built chromatics but the sound is softer and a little muffled of course amplified they sound fine.
I really like the Suzuki SCX. Least temperamental chrom I've ever played. Very good compression and not at all "sticky".
There is a book by Bobby Joe Holman, "The Hal Leonard Complete Chromatic Harmonica Method" which has tab for ALL major and minor scales, ALL modes and the blues scale in all 12 keys. VERY useful for learning the instrument.
I would be happy to send you a used CX-12 in A, E or D if you want to get your feet wet for free. I haven't touched a chromatic since I picked up the diatonics, and I don't intend to anytime soon.
@billy shines....Well, Billy, I've had a lot of experience on eBay, about 800 transactions with 100% positive feedback, but I don't want to take responsibility for a used harp in a monetary transaction. If I can help someone out, I'll settle for the good karma. I don't expect to get back to the chromatics before checkout time.
No joke. I also have a couple Chromonica 270s in C and A free to someone who will play them. I don't wanna see them end up on eBay. I would want to be reimbursed for shipping outside the contiguous United States. The alternative is I bite it and the wife sells them at a garage sale for two bucks.
iv been wanting to learn the chromatic after i got given one of my grandads old 10 holers and would be happy to pay for shipping costs. im only starting out so i think a C would be best.
give me an e-mail e-mail and we can discuss cost and see if i have anything you want for a swap.
I'm interested in the D chromatic if you still have it.
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CX-12 was the first chromatic I bought, and they are good first chroms as they are easy to work on. I don't really prefer playing them anymore tho, I think the SCX-48 is a better harp for my purposes--and it is cheaper if you are buying new.
thank you so much woodeye i am really enjoying this thing it doesnt leak at all! ive been jaming to youtube blues tracks in first position. tricks come alot easier on this cx12. oh and im working on bing crosby temptation and some dr zhivago this is gonna ruin me. ;D
@billy_shines...I'm glad it survived the long period of inactivity intact and is being played again. I was partial to Miserlu, better known as the Pulp Fiction song, on the chrom.
you wouldnt take anything so i sent you whate you spent on shipping today thanks again man. i can play summertime now and i could never do it on diatonic
@Billy_shines....yeah, they are truly different instruments, diatonic and chromatic....or maybe they're not. Surely some things are difficult on one that are easier on the other. I started on diatonic when I was trying to play some train sounds on chrom for a parody version of The Ballad of John Henry (I'm big on parodies). I'm still buying diatonics and gear AND taking lessons, but I don't have time to serve two masters at this point.
@billy_shines...in my version, as in that of the Smothers Brothers, John Henry doesn't die, but he loses the race. Dumbass.....thought he could beat a steam drill.
nah thats cool man. but even it all the other versions its become an african american folk tale. and the song may have been totally forgotten if it wasnt for communists and anarchists in the 30s THE HAMMER!
now when you see some waste of life fat schoolteacher on strike because they claim theyre living in a trailer eatin dog food because americans justs dont hold them up on a pedestal like the rockstars they truly are. youre really not thinking about john henry and real workers struggles are you? sounds cool wood id like to hear it.
