Stevelegh
980 posts
Oct 24, 2014
4:31 AM
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Hi Everyone,
After watching the Roly Platt vid of Somewhere Over The Rainbow, I decided to order a Country tuned harp.
Harmonicas-Direct.com had a Special 20 in C, so I ordered yesterday. I've never bought a SP20 and thought it woud be an opportunity to try something new without any expectations of overblow performance.
It arrived 10 minutes ago. Wow! It plays beautifully and is soo loud! I may be a convert!
Thanks to Peter Blyth for such great 24 hour door to door service
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tookatooka
3707 posts
Oct 24, 2014
9:50 AM
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Hey! Stevelegh. Don't shout too loud Eh? The more people that know how good the Sp20 is, the more chance that Hohner will ramp the prices up.
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HarpNinja
3978 posts
Oct 24, 2014
10:24 AM
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These are my favorite harps. I LOVE them!
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Mike
My Website
My Harmonica Effects Blog
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Martic
106 posts
Oct 24, 2014
10:33 AM
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Be careful, Special 20s are great sounding and comfortable, but don't last too long. Play it with love.
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Gnarly
1148 posts
Oct 24, 2014
10:59 AM
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Most of the harps in my kit are SP20s, but my day job at Suzuki includes doing the repairs on their harps--which are also great--and a few of those (Olives and Manjis) have found their way into my big box o' harps.
Welcome to the SP20 fan club!
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Stevelegh
981 posts
Oct 24, 2014
11:32 AM
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The strange thing is that I worked for Hohner retail in the UK back in the 90's and had a shop full of every harp available (I wish I'd snagged a Super 64X back then). I think I was so in love with Lee Oskars that I wouldn't look at anything else.
The SP20 doesn't look all that well built, but it feels great and plays loud and OTB isn't in need of gapping (unless for overblows).
I'm also loving Country tuning. No need for that 5 OB to get 2 octave major scales in cross harp.
I haven't had this much fun in quite a while!
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groyster1
2698 posts
Oct 24, 2014
3:31 PM
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great harps at great value...air tight ootb...replacement reeds available
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Goldbrick
739 posts
Oct 24, 2014
4:19 PM
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I like the sound. I have a few -especially a low D I really like.
I find them a bit more finicky than other harps and I am not a hard player. From Hohner I really dig the MB deluxe
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A440
231 posts
Oct 25, 2014
6:59 AM
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Special 20s are fine instruments, and great value for the money. I have a full set in all 12 keys + 5 keys in country tuning. They are my primary woodshed harps, and some keys are in my gig bag - adding to a mix of crossovers and session steels that I use in concert.
Lately I have been really enjoying the tone of the SP20 higher keys: E, F, and F#, all three of which I use in concert. Yes, they don't stay in tune quite as well as some harps, but for the price I can't complain. I have a few that are still playing very well after 5 or 6 years.
Last Edited by A440 on Oct 25, 2014 7:01 AM
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mlefree
212 posts
Oct 26, 2014
9:47 AM
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It is to my great sadness and frustration that Hohner elected to stop offering SP-20s in low keys. Some of my very favorite harps! Low F, for example, is so much nicer sounding to my ear than a regular F harp. And everyone seems to like to play in the key of C a lot.
Cain't afford Thunderbirds. Hohner left me high and dry when they switched over to T-Birds. I don't care how nice they sound and play, at $127 a pop they've priced me right out of the market. So I am nursing the few low key SP-20s I have. Thank goodness I can fix 'em if they go south on me.
Michelle
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SilverWingLeather.com
email: mlefree@silverwingleather.com
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Thievin' Heathen
417 posts
Oct 26, 2014
9:53 AM
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Michelle,
Lee Oskar has you taken care of in the Low F @ $38.
And, if you can hang on just a little longer, Suzuki will have you taken care of.
I feel your pain. $75 has got to be my cutoff point for 10 hole harps.
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chromaticblues
1610 posts
Oct 27, 2014
6:44 AM
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@ Martic Please explain what you mean by they don't last long?
What problems are you aware of?
They are very easy to play which makes them easier to blow out. The easier any harp is to play the easier it will be for someone to blow it if played to hard.
Last Edited by chromaticblues on Oct 27, 2014 9:09 AM
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The Iceman
2232 posts
Oct 27, 2014
9:01 AM
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If one is blowing out harmonicas, one is using too much force.
I loved Special 20's for years until I switched to Golden Melody.
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The Iceman
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Todd Parrott
1259 posts
Oct 27, 2014
10:21 AM
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I love Special 20's, even more than the Rockets I believe. They just have a certain tone to them that I like, and yes, you are right, A440 - the higher keyed Special 20's are great! I love an Eb Special 20 myself. I have one that has lasted for 5 years of some pretty hard playing, including overbending, and hasn't blew out a reed yet. I remember them being pretty bad in the early to mid 90's, but the ones I've bought in recent years have been much better.
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nacoran
8070 posts
Oct 27, 2014
10:54 AM
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Hopefully, now that 3 of the 4 big companies are offering low tunings maybe there will be some price competition. (Does Hering offer low tunings?) For the price they charge, maybe a customizer could figure out how to make them?) Yeah, I've got a LLF a LF and a LD Harmonic. I'd love to have a full set down there, but it's price prohibitive. A full set of low and super lows,... that's a cash outlay.
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Nate
Facebook
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First Post- May 8, 2009
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A440
234 posts
Oct 27, 2014
4:15 PM
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Hohner's marketing department seems to have made (yet another) mistake. Presumeably they sought to increase sales of Thunderbird by discontinuing all their other low key harps. But I guess it backfired, and they are driving sales of low key harps to Seydel and Suzuki. Now that the Low Manji is on the streets for roughly half the price of a Thunderbird, maybe they will rethink their strategy.
After reading Michelle's post, I did a quick search to see if Hohner is still selling low key replacement reedplates. The European Hohner site lists low key plates for Marine Band (Will those work in a SP20?). However, it seems ALL replacement reedplates for SP20s have been discontinued - this is confirmed on Rockin Rons website.
Last Edited by A440 on Oct 27, 2014 5:52 PM
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barbequebob
2740 posts
Oct 28, 2014
10:43 AM
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Hering doesn't offer any low tunings other than Low C at this moment, so forget that at this moment.
I've played Hohner MS series of low tunings as well as that of the MB/Sp20 and from my own experience with those is that unless you get them from a top of the line customizer like the Filisko guild or Joe Spiers, they're nowhere near as good as what the Thunderbird, Manji or the Seydel 1847's are OOTB by a 100 country miles, and unlike the Thunderbird, Manji and Seydel, the bottom cover plates aren't reshaped at all to prevent the reeds in holes #1 (and sometimes #2) draw from rattling against the cover plates no matter how hard you play them.
If you looked at the European site for low tuned MB reed plates, did you make sure that it was for the regular MB setup and NOT the MB Thunderbird set up? Why?? The classic MB uses nails to hold them to the comb and the T-Bird uses screws, and even if they're screws, there's a possibility that the screws for a SP20 setup may be lined up differently, which can make that a problem.
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Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
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nacoran
8072 posts
Oct 28, 2014
12:14 PM
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BBQ, shaped or not, the only reed I've ever had rattle at all on my Seydels is the 1 hole on the LLF, so the very lowest reed they make, and that's only I forget myself and really blast at it. As long as I play to keep the proverbial baby asleep in the next room I'm fine. :)
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Nate
Facebook
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First Post- May 8, 2009
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mlefree
216 posts
Oct 28, 2014
1:12 PM
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Thanks, Theavin'. I didn't know that. I'll have to check one out.
Michelle
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SilverWingLeather.com
email: mlefree@silverwingleather.com
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Meaux Jeaux
8 posts
Oct 30, 2014
2:15 PM
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Hohner has indeed discontinued the Special20 reed plates. However, either at the end of this year or
perhaps at the start of the new year Hohner intends to
offer the reedplates that are now standard to the Rocket. And glory be, go tell it on the mountain,
they fit just fine in your Special20 comb (I have confirmed this). I like the new Rocket, and as someone who has worked on his own harmonicas for years I am quite impressed with the tolerances now offered by Hohner in said reeplates. So I plan to retrofit my Special20s with the new reedplates when they become available.
Best Regards,
Peter
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harpwrench
928 posts
Oct 30, 2014
2:57 PM
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Rocket reed plates *are* SP20 reed plates now. When retrofitting you need to be aware that your old screws are larger diameter than the ones used on the new ones, which are the same size as the GM/Crossover/MBD.
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www.spiersharmonicas.com
High performance harmonicas.
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Rarko
131 posts
Oct 31, 2014
12:45 AM
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Harpwrench, new SP20 are new reedplates now, Just like on Rocket? Or Rocket has reedplates just like old SP20...?
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florida-trader
545 posts
Oct 31, 2014
3:52 AM
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Rarko. The "Old" Special 20 reed plates use 2mm screws to secure them the reed plates. The new @ Rocket reed plates use 1.6mm screws which now make all the Hohner reed plates consistent since all their other models - Golden Melody, Marine Band Deluxe or Crossover and the MS-Series harp all use 1.6mm screws. On the Rocket the tines are thinner and the screw holes are smaller than the "old" Special 20 comb (which is designed to accommodate the larger 2mm screws) so the Rocket reed plates will fit on a Special 20 comb but the "old" Special 20 reed plates will not fit on a Rocket comb because the holes are too small. Make sense?
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Tom Halchak
www.BlueMoonHarmonicas.com
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SuperBee
2250 posts
Oct 31, 2014
4:01 AM
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Yes, but will special 20s be made with rocket plates and screws from now on? Or will hohner continue to fit sp20s with original sp20 spec plates and bolts, but only sell rocket plates as replacements?
Questions questions questions, flooding into the mind of the concerned young person today....
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florida-trader
546 posts
Oct 31, 2014
4:46 AM
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I'm guessing that they are doing away with the 2mm screws hence the reed plates moving forward will use 1.6mm screws and will therefore be Rocket plates.
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Tom Halchak
www.BlueMoonHarmonicas.com
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harpwrench
929 posts
Oct 31, 2014
5:33 AM
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Yes sorry, I should've said SP20 reed plates are now physically the same reed plates as the Rocket, on a "hardware" level, with 1.6mm screws and extra holes to accomodate coverplates. The "software" or attention to reed setup/tuning could still be different, as far as that goes, but I'm not suggesting it is or isn't.
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www.spiersharmonicas.com
High performance harmonicas.
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A440
237 posts
Oct 31, 2014
9:49 AM
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Hohner will likely price the Rocket reedplates higher than the price of a new SP20 harp, so that won't really address the market requirement: replacement reeds for the SP20 player. Also, a lot of players need low keys, at least a Low F.
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Stevelegh
984 posts
Oct 31, 2014
10:15 AM
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It appear Rockin' Ron's has bought up all SP20 reedplates from Hohner.
http://www.rockinronsmusic4less.com/content/harps/accessories/reedplates.php
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Rarko
132 posts
Oct 31, 2014
10:49 AM
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Ok, thanks.
And What about reed plate material? Is it the same on Rocket and SP20?
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Stokes Bay Slim
55 posts
Oct 31, 2014
11:56 AM
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According to Hohner's european website reed plates and indeed all other parts are available in the C-Shop section for the SP20
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A440
244 posts
Nov 11, 2014
8:13 AM
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I just picked up one of the "new" Special 20s. The comb is unchanged. The covers have the new graphics. As harpwrench said: the reedplates use smaller screws, like the Rocket, and are probably the exact same reedplates as on the Rocket. The new SP20 has a white key sticker on the plastic case, instead of yellow, so it's easy to spot them in your dealer's inventory.
I wonder if Hohner will raise the price of the SP20, or will they lower the price of the Rocket? And how will they price replacement reed plates, assuming the SP20 and Rocket will share the same reedplate part number?
Last Edited by A440 on Nov 11, 2014 2:33 PM
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smwoerner
285 posts
Nov 11, 2014
10:09 AM
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I think Hohner is making some great harmonicas right now. I do think one of my customers caught a couple of the new Special 20's off of a bad run. I had two out of seven that had several reeds put in off center enough that the reeds had to be angled in the slot significantly just to play.
The rest were really nice but did need have the usual low end gapping issues. An off center reed is not uncommon but several on two separate harps was a bit odd and these were ordered directly from Hohner. So, just something to watch for if one of your new Sp 20's plays odd. None the less they are still my favorite go to harp.
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Purveyor of Optimized New and Refurbished Harmonicas.
scott@scottwoerner.com
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Steve Harvell
169 posts
Nov 11, 2014
3:21 PM
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You can still get "Bushman" replacement comb/reedplates for $24.95 here at Amazon and the Suzukii HarpMaster cover plates work on them. I like the "Bushman" Low F better than a Special 20 low F.
http://www.amazon.com/Bushman-Delta-Frost-Replacement-Plates/dp/B00GSCTYDS/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1415747599&sr=1-1&keywords=bushman+delta+frost+harmonica
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BluesBrother
18 posts
Nov 12, 2014
2:55 AM
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Special 20's are a good economic choice, quite loud and easy to play. Unfortunately they don't last very long and I don't particularly like their sound. I prefer to invest a little bit more and get a well built and longer lasting Seydel Session Steel.
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jiceblues
326 posts
Nov 12, 2014
9:22 AM
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The Sp20's don't last very long because they are too easy to bend .So people tend to abuse them .A well tweaked Sp20 , played gently , can last a long time .
I have played my Joe Spiers stage 1 in A for 2 years and it's still OK .
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chromaticblues
1618 posts
Nov 12, 2014
9:22 AM
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@BluesBrother
Special 20's are professional harmonicas.
I would say if someone is having problems with the longevity of they special 20's it probably has more to do with the operator than the instrument!
I agree they are very good economical choice for good to great players.
As far as their sound. Stock I think they sound muffled/ unfocused (I'm sure how to describe it).
I open the backs of the coverplates up and it helps a lot!
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jiceblues
327 posts
Nov 12, 2014
10:07 AM
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chromaticblues , i still play the one in Bb you made for me !
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chromaticblues
1619 posts
Nov 12, 2014
10:33 AM
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@jiceblues
Great I'll glad it's working for you!
Let me elaborate on my @BluesBrother post.
I think everyone probably has a harp that they are most comfortable with. I've tried and worked on a lot of different harps. For me there is no other harp that is better. The way the plastic sticks out allows me to put more of the harp in my mouth. With some harps my top lip is right to the edge of the top coverplate and it just doesn't feel right. The Crossover is the one harp that have the problem with. It seems to short front to back. Also the shape of the coverplates and the smoothness of the lettering just feels less restrictive with Sp20 than other harps.
Now with what ever harp you chose to be your favorite we all need to read BqBob's 500 posts about breath control! Because in the end it doesn't matter what you play it is how you play it!
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