|
Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! >
Chromatic Harmonica Question
Chromatic Harmonica Question
Page:
1
Kingley
1086 posts
Apr 05, 2010
11:12 AM
|
I'm looking at the 270 Deluxe Chromonica, 270 Chromonica, 64 Chromonica and the Super 64.
Does anyone have any opinions on which is the best one?
I already have a Hering 16 hole and also a Hering 12 hole in "F", but find them a little bright for my taste generally (although they are nice and loud).
I figure the Hohners will most likely be a little darker. I also tried a friends CX12 but don't like the plastic mouthpiece.
|
barbequebob
678 posts
Apr 05, 2010
11:27 AM
|
The 270's tend to feel very leaky compared to a Hering, but recently they've tightened the slot tolerances and changed the reed profiles and so a few guys who are chromatic players on Harp-L have said they are playing more like a Hering.
The Super 64 and the 64 (280) are essentially the same harmonica with different cover plates, with the 280 having a brighter, more aggressive sound. I personally dislike the cross tuned slide set up and find those mouthpieces very uncomfortable. Hering chromatics have really comfortable mouthpieces and their chromatics are all straight tuned, which I clearly prefer.
The mouthpiece on the 270 Deluxe will fit on a 270, and the Deluxe uses a thicker reed plate, so that will make it play louder and more aggressively, but in someone's hands who plays them too hard, the risk for blowing them out increases dramatically.
For years, Hering chromatics have used tighter slot tolerances than Hohner, and whenever a harp has tighter slot tolerances, both the volume AND the brightness to varying degrees will increase.
I haven't played any Hohner 12 holers for a number of years and the ones made during their crap quality years 1981-1995 were using short slot reeds and were really awful and there were often tons of burrs on both the mouthpiece and the slide assembly.
The 270 Deluxe is in many ways, more like the Toots Hard Bopper model using the thicker reed plate, but the reed plates are held together with screws rather than nails, and they only come in C at this time, which is a shame.
The 270's come in more keys. BTW, the Larry Adler 16 holer is essentially a 64 with a different cover plate and chromed/siler plated mouthpiece and covers, and is largely the same as the 280 and the Super 64.
----------
Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
Last Edited by on Apr 05, 2010 11:30 AM
|
7LimitJI
85 posts
Apr 05, 2010
11:46 AM
|
I've got a Super 64, that I really like.
Easy to play,with great tone.
Required gapping OOTB though, it was too wide.
Thought I was going to pass out doing octaves !!
I've got a couple of CX12's are loud with good tone, and even more responsive.
Got 2, 270 Super's that I've modded with micropore and screwing the plates on. These have the best tone. But are the least responsive.(probably should open the gaps a bit)
If I was recording I'd use them, but prefer the other two for gigging.
Got 2, Hering 5148, that I put Hohner square mouthpieces on.
Easy to play, but have a bright tone and very rattly windsavers.
Only use these to practise with.
I like the CX's. Would have recommended them, but you don't like em !!
----------
Those Dangerous Gentlemens Myspace
Due to cutbacks,the light at the end of the tunnel has been switched off.
Last Edited by on Apr 05, 2010 11:52 AM
|
Kingley
1088 posts
Apr 05, 2010
11:47 AM
|
Thanks for all the great info guys.
|
JJ
3 posts
Apr 06, 2010
4:08 AM
|
The new Hohner chroms (post 2005) are much better than they used to be. The basic 64 is a good bet out of the ones you've mentioned.
|
blueswannabe
40 posts
Apr 06, 2010
4:35 AM
|
Does anyone have any thoughts on the Suzuki scx-64? And whether it's a better harp than the Hohner super 64?
|
Post a Message
|
