Ozzy_Meadows
1 post
Apr 20, 2019
6:05 AM
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Hello. In my country the only Hohner Rocket Amp is in the key of C, but I like it a lot and want to be able to play it in different keys. I heard Special 20 reeds fit in Hohner Rocket amp, is it true? Thank you!
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SuperBee
5889 posts
Apr 20, 2019
6:40 AM
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It’s true.
The Rocket uses special 20 reedplates.
Rocket covers will fit post-2015 Sp20s
Sp20 covers will fit Rockets
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Ozzy_Meadows
2 posts
Apr 20, 2019
10:28 AM
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Thank you a lot, SuperBee! I think I am going to get some post-2015 sp20s to replace their reeds with rockets. All my sp20's are marine band series.
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Gnarly
2655 posts
Apr 20, 2019
12:21 PM
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So what makes the Rocket better than the SP20?
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dougharps
1942 posts
Apr 20, 2019
1:23 PM
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Good question!
As far as I can tell the difference lies mainly in finish issues. The new reed plates for "Progressive" SP20s and Rockets use different smaller screws than the plates on old SP20s. The screws are not included with the reed plates and the old screws won't work. The plates MAY be made to closer tolerances, I can't confirm this.
The comb differences for the Rocket include smoothed corners and the absence of connecting plastic sprues found in SP20 reed slots. The plastic sprues don't bother me and I smooth the corners myself.
The covers on the Rocket have open sides while Rocket Amp covers are closed on the sides. I think that all Rocket covers are more open in back than are SP20s, but can't absolutely confirm it. I have not bothered to open the covers of my SP20s.
I just smooth my SP20 combs and save the cash difference. These days I may buy some plates, as they work fine if you have the correct screws.
For the inflated price of a Rocket, I would buy a more durable Manji. For about the same price they last better through abusive hard playing.
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Doug S.
Last Edited by dougharps on Apr 20, 2019 1:32 PM
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SuperBee
5890 posts
Apr 20, 2019
4:14 PM
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I think it highly unlikely there is any difference in the slot/reed tolerance of pre-Rocket and post-rocket Sp20/Rocket reedplates
It doesn’t make sense to me from a production angle. I think we’d have heard had Hohner made such an upgrade to the plant. They’d make it a selling point.
They did make a change to the drilling of the plates. As Doug mentioned, the reedplate screws for the Rocket are the same as used in the other Hohner handmade harps, and it makes sense to have brought the Sp20 into line. Now they don’t have to hold a separate line of hardware just for the Sp20.
They also drill an extra set of clearance holes to allow the forwards-mounted rocket covers.
At the time there was a lot of fuss about the changes to the Sp20.
I took a keen interest.
Some of the chief witnesses had zero credibility, but many in the jury did not know.
The Rocket’s main difference to the 20 is probably the comb.
It’s slightly flared at the back, and smoother as was already mentioned.
The chambers are larger through making the dividers slightly narrower, and the front of the dividers are tapered.
Is it better engineered for a tighter seal with the reedplates? Perhaps it is; I don’t know.
I have heard that many people don’t like it. I have one Rocket and I certainly notice the comb when I start to play it, but I don’t dislike it.
The covers are nice but actually very similar to the Sp20, at least on the Amp model. The original Rocket has vented covers and I expect it is mainly this which in the early days generated all the remarks about how loud it is.
The Rocket is a nice harp, but I think the difference to the special 20 is a bit too subtle to justify the $ difference for most people.
Maybe the Rockets get a little more attention to setup before they leave the factory. That’s the only thing I can think of which might justify the price. I have worked on a few and have one of my own, which was given me at HCH18.
My personal Rocket was very well playable straight off. I just tweaked the reedshape of 3 blow because it was a little weak in the bend but that’s me being fussy.
Also, all the Rockets which have been sent me for work have been very nice and I think much better setup than the average Sp20.
This could be my fantasy though.
At HCH18, Andrew Zajac was showing off a Bb harp he’d built with Sp20 comb and Rocket covers. I think he called it a Rocket with Sp20 comb. It was a prototype for a new non-custom (I cant remember the terminology he used; maybe it was “basic custom” or “semi custom”)
I played it and it was simply a wonderful harp.
Andrew mentioned that ‘people don’t like the Rocket comb’. That was news to me, but he’s much better placed to know about that.
I expect Hohner may find the ongoing popularity of the Sp20 slightly frustrating, and maybe also the MB1896. At least with the 1896 there were some obvious changes they could make which people see the sense of. With the special 20, it was already such a great product. They probably could have just made the hardware changes and introduced the vented covers as an option and not bothered with an entire other product line. I expect the Low series is a response to the problem.
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jbone
2899 posts
Apr 20, 2019
7:37 PM
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You know, I have a SP20 from way back in my kit to this day. I liked them from the jump but my bad habits caused me to look for "better" instruments. I really don't remember exactly how old this one holdout is but I'd say 16 or 18 years. It's no spring chicken but works well even so.
In the past year I was given cause to re-evaluate the Marine Band, and I got several of the Deluxe, and I like then quite a bit for amped work mostly. Reason I mention this is I wonder how a current SP20 stacks up to the old model 20. I doubt I'd pay more for a harp named Amp. It's NOT an amp, it's a harp. But maybe a SP20.
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Music and travel destroy prejudice.
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Gnarly
2657 posts
Apr 20, 2019
8:33 PM
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I like the SP20 plenty, and there are easily a dozen or more in my gig kit. Probably more like 20.
I repaired a few Rockets, and liked them. One great thing about fixing harps for folks is that you get to check out different harps--and there are some really good ones out there.
Just like the 1897, you can make a SP20 a superior instrument--Just ask Joe Spiers!
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SuperBee
5891 posts
Apr 20, 2019
9:57 PM
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Yeah, Jbone, first time I saw the ad for Rocket Amp I was taken aback. I thought Hohner were selling an amp...especially because the ad had a picture of a guy with an amp on his shoulder...
Eventually I twigged.
People grizzled about the Rocket because of the covers. Apparently the Sp20 is particularly favoured by people who play amplified with a cupped mic, and it was felt the vented covers of the Rocket were less suitable. So Hohner made the Rocket Amp, with unvented covers just like a Sp20, in response.
I don’t recall when or where, but I heard Hohner were disappointed with the sales of the Rocket. I think this was one of the matters which was raised when they were trying to figure why it hadn’t caught on.
The reason of course is the price, and the availability of the Sp20 significantly cheaper.
Just as they found with the Thunderbird, few people want to pay heaps more for something which isn’t that much better than stuff already available. In the case of the Tbird they withdrew the other low tuned harps. I think that just annoyed people and handed market share to Seydel and created opportunity for Suzuki.
Lately they’ve brought out the low tuned range in the Rocket. These are cheaper than the Tbird and do seem to have become fairly popular.
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Spderyak
262 posts
Apr 21, 2019
4:20 AM
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With the Rocket I also thought it was all about the comb.
I play them a fair amount, either the amp version or reg version, all the same to me so which ever one has the better price at the time.
I never had particular fondness for the special 20's, even to this day I keep them as spares.
For awhile I had a full kit of rockets, but these days there is a seydel or meisterklasse mixed in with them.
..I forgot to mention some people don't like the color of the rocket amps..so you can pick em up at a good price often times.
For a Hohner Rocket I look to spend somewhere around $55-$65..I forget the price for reed plates I think they were not that much less $35 dollars or so but would have to check that more currently...
Last Edited by Spderyak on Apr 21, 2019 4:36 AM
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