A music store in my hometown offers Clarke harmonicas. Diatonic, only in key of C, costs some 30% less than the regular LO´s/S20´s etc. Sold in a can, which is a bit unusual. No info on these guys on the net, as far as I can see, despite that the company have been "making music since 1843". Anyone tried these?
I´m very unwilling to give even smaller amounts of money to crap -- but, as I´ve mentioned here before, there is no absolute correspondence between price and quality in the harmonica world.
There's no mention of Clarke Harmonicas in any of the histories I've read. "Making music" since 1843 could mean anything - a great-great-grandparent who hummed a tune once could qualify.
they're a tin whistle company ( a respected instrument in Irish traditional music). Looks like they got into a harmonica sideline that indeed, does look like a Huang Silvertone.
Even if Huang is no longer around, the Shanghai factory that used to make their harmonicas poibably is, and are just recycling the Silvertone design with new cover stamping.
Huang harps actually did have decent reeds; but the quality control in reed adjustment and deburring left a lot to be desired. Norton Buffalo, a Huang endorser, used to dismiss such problems, feeling that he could easily set a new Huang right, and that such easy preparation was well worth both the low price and the responsiveness of the harp. Madcat was another Huang fan back in the day. =========== Winslow
Yes, some Huangs that I bought were dreadful, but I´ve had others (and still have one) that were excellent and held up to years of abuse. (I play hard.) A pity they don´t continue production in other keyes as well. In D, a problematic harmonoica key, I´ve had several Silvertones that has easily outperformed other brands. They sound a bit thin and tinny when played acoustically but with amplification you can´t tell the difference.
I bought a second hand Silvertone. I don't know if it ever played well, but it didn't when I got it, and the support strut in back was a lousy design, but the cover plate was as comfortable as anything I've ever played.
The Clarke harmonicas show up on Ebay from time to time. It could very well be the same harp as the Huang Silvertone, but it is my understanding that the current Huangs are no longer manufactured by the same factory as they were when Cham-Ber was still running the company. I have also heard that the current Haungs commonly seen on Ebay from Chinese sellers are possibly knock-offs. Lastly, I heard that Frank is still involved with the company, though I'm not sure how accurate that is.
As for Norton Buffalo and others, I can't confirm for sure what they were using, but I used to talk with Cham-Ber Huang by phone all the time in the late 90's and early 2000's. He told me once that Norton Buffalo, Madcat, Stevie Wonder, Sugar Blue, Sonny Terry, etc. were his friends, and that they were provided with superior instruments (which would make sense). I totally agree with Winslow's assessment, as well as Martin's assessment of the old Huangs - some were pretty good, while some were junky. Cham-Ber tuned and set up 2 Huangs for me in the early 2000's before he retired, and they played incredibly well. My very first harmonica was a Silvertone, but I personally loved the Star Performers, which had thicker reed plates - still love them when I can find a good one.
P.S. About a week ago, I talked with a music store owner in NY who has Cham-Ber Huang's original silver prototype of the CBH chromatic which he acquired from Cham-Ber's family. Not sure if any chromatic players would have an interest in purchasing it. If so, send me an e-mail and I can put you in touch with him.
I saw the Clarke booth at NAMM this year, but I don't recall seeing any harmonicas, plenty of tine whistles though. I haven't tried a Clarke all metal instrument yet, I play the ones with the plastic molded fipple.
Thanks for added info, Todd. I recall seeing on records that both Buffalo and Madcat made statements along the lines that they played Huang -- but it certainly makes sense that Mr Huang himself saw to it that the got instruments that had been taken special care of. (The Huang QAS was shaky: I once got a Star Performer where one reed in hole 2 was actually twisted around! Completely impossible to salvage that one.)
I will buy myself a Clarke one of this days, and then from the impressive empirical basis of one (1) harmonica make a judgement on their quality.
The current Huang web site is www.huangharmonicasinc.com
I called the number on the site, and to my surprise, Frank Huang answered the phone! He said he is retired, but helps his son who is now running the company. I asked about the brass-colored Huangs on Ebay, and he said the original Huang harps are chrome colored, and that the only gold-colored harp they manufacture is the Frontier Harp. He seemed to agree that the brass-colored Huangs on Ebay are knock-offs. So, I would assume the brass-colored Clarke harmonicass fall into this category.
I sent an e-mail to Huang to confirm the current status of their harps. I'm curious and have an interest, because I've always liked Huangs. And, as I said earlier, my very first harp was a Huang. That was almost 28 years ago.
I can confirm that Norton Buffalo indeed used Huang Star Performers (they look like Golden Melody's)a long time ago. He played that harp totally in his mouth w/ both cheeks bulging, then spit it out, caught it in mid flight, and played it w/ a Shure 545-S and brought the house down. He on tour w/ Elvin Bishop and Charlie Musselwhite at The Wave in Waikiki, Honolulu, Hi. ---------- Reasonably priced Reed Replacement and tech support on Hand Made Series Hohner Diatonic Harmonicas.
'Making the world a better place, one harmonica at a time. Click MP for more info. Aloha Mark .
I used to play Huang Star Performers for a very short while. They were inexpensive and yes, Frank would answer the phone when my boss at Music Smith called to place me an order. I even bought an MB type Huang called the Back Packer once. It played GREAT for a harp w/ a name that smacks of cheapness. :-) It played better than the MB 1896s of the time period. It was very inexpensive. But somewhere along the way the Huangs got below par by miles. Brother Cham-Ber had a harmonica orchestra in China w/ over a thousand players. His design of the CBH is still brilliant. The slide mechanism is an apex of engineering design for chromatics. ---------- Reasonably priced Reed Replacement and tech support on Hand Made Series Hohner Diatonic Harmonicas.
'Making the world a better place, one harmonica at a time. Click MP for more info. Aloha Mark .
Last Edited by MP on Apr 29, 2017 6:13 PM
When Marine Bands got real bad in the mid 90's, switched to Huangs. Used them for awhile but finally ordered custom marine bands from Richard S. 1995 or so and still play Marine Band. However still use my CHB 2016 for chrom Here is Richards price list from 1995 or so... CUSTOM HARMONICAS
Marine Band - with stock comb $45.00 / with sealed comb $55.00 / with composite comb $65.00 / with composite comb and double thick reed plates $105.00
Special 20's - with composite comb $70 / with composite comb and double thick reed plates $110..
Please include $5 (US orders) or $10.00 (International orders) for shipping and handling.
