groyster1
917 posts
Mar 15, 2011
3:04 PM
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I own both harps but have always preferred the sound of sp20 due to the tuning HOWEVER golden melodys are easier to bend and I do not overblow but those that do rave about the GMs I have never bought one that was leaky,like mb1896 or sp20s either
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arzajac
482 posts
Mar 15, 2011
3:19 PM
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I'm not one to say that more is always better, but I do find that GMs are a lot louder than SP20s.
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chromaticblues
699 posts
Mar 15, 2011
3:38 PM
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groyster Golden Melodies suffer from massive leakage due to the comb. As bad as Marine Bands! They are like MB's some are better than others!
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Pluto
132 posts
Mar 15, 2011
6:26 PM
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chromatic,
I strongly disagree. Maybe you got a bad one, but I think of all the Hohners, the GM has the most airtight comb. Its countersunk, and fits the reed-plate perfectly.
Now the construction of the reed-plate is a different story.
the pioneers of over blowing started on GM;s
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groyster1
918 posts
Mar 15, 2011
6:35 PM
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never had a sp20 or gm that leaked cant say that about mb1896 but love their sound after a little help from my customizing friends
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hvyj
1316 posts
Mar 16, 2011
5:58 AM
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The GM reedplates and the MB reedplates are identical except for tuning.
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HarpNinja
1213 posts
Mar 16, 2011
7:01 AM
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Get a GM and tune it to compromise. Otherwise, the Marine Band Deluxe is a good option.
Carlos Del Junco uses mostly stock combs on his GMs and he seems to do alright (he uses some wood combs for the lower keys).
Depending on budget, if you are thinking custom combs, it is easy to find them for GM's and not as easy for Sp20s.
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Mike
Quicksilver Custom Harmonicas
Updated 3/14/11
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chromaticblues
702 posts
Mar 16, 2011
7:34 AM
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@ Pluto You can disagree with me all you want. The Golden Melody combs are terrible! Hohner has had a problem getting them to seal well the whole time they have been in production. That is why they tried changing the position of the bolts atleast three times that I now of (It think it was four, but I'm not sure). Nothing has worked! Doesn't mean you can't use them because they are unplayable. All I'm saying is before you tell how wrong I am. Try a flat wooden comb then feel free to post your opinion about my comment! If you play Golden Melodies and like them thats fine. They are much better with wooden flat combs. It doesn't have to be wood. I like useing hardwood combs because you can sand them flat.
@ Harp Ninja
Yeah and Adam, Little Walter, Paul Butterfield, James Cotton and a host of others have played stock Marine Bands. Whats your point? Oh and I have $25 hardwood combs for SP 20's also! I don't think you get as much from a custom comb for SP 20's as you do with Golden Melodies. I don't find it difficult to make SP 20's work well with the stock comb, but I do find it difficult to make a great Golden Melody useing a stock comb!
Last Edited by on Mar 16, 2011 9:04 AM
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HarpNinja
1216 posts
Mar 16, 2011
8:04 AM
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My point is stock GM combs are useable and I find your comments a bit exaggerated. They are not ideal, but you won't have the same issues as with stock MB combs. The real con is the GM combs are prone to chipping.
A buddy of mine makes wood GM combs and sells them on eBay. I have four of them and they have worked out great for me. I think they are under $20 shipped.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Solid-Wood-Comb-Hohner-Golden-Melody-Harmonica-/190510493809?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c5b4f7071
He also makes them out of other materials such as acrylic...I have a clear one that looks great.
http://myworld.ebay.com/florida-trader/?_trksid=p4340.l2559
He doesn't know I am sharing this out, but if you want to contact him directly for any reason, let me know and I can give you his contact info.
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Mike
Quicksilver Custom Harmonicas
Updated 3/14/11
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groyster1
919 posts
Mar 16, 2011
8:39 AM
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@chromatic
the sp20 you fixed up for me is doing quite nicely with its stock comb
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Pluto
133 posts
Mar 16, 2011
11:46 AM
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well chrome,
the reason I mentioned Carlos and Howard is because of what they do with the harmonica. Over drawing and blowing requires a much tighter comb/reed fit. This, I believe, is why they choose this model. Not sure Walter or Butterfield were too concerned with over blowing
Last Edited by on Mar 16, 2011 11:48 AM
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chromaticblues
704 posts
Mar 16, 2011
12:27 PM
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Pluto my man
Do you think the better overblow players are playing stock harmonics? I believe they choose that model because people that overblow play in multiple positions and the GM is ET tuned.
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HarpNinja
1220 posts
Mar 16, 2011
12:50 PM
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Howard plays MBs with SP20 plates from Filisko. If I had to guess as to why they chose those harps I'd agree that it was being they were ET and weren't going to swell. They were probably air tight compared to the MB and I think not having recessed plates like the SP20 made them a good fit too (and the shape).
I'd imagine the GMs Howard played back in the day had nails, so tweaking them would have been harder.
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Mike
Quicksilver Custom Harmonicas
Updated 3/14/11
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Pluto
134 posts
Mar 16, 2011
3:23 PM
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From what I've read, Levy and Carlos played GM's long before modified harps were available. You cannot overblow with a leaky comb
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harmonicanick
1125 posts
Mar 16, 2011
4:05 PM
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If you like Gm's and I do, don't drop 'em on a hard floor :)
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arzajac
483 posts
Mar 16, 2011
6:27 PM
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I have a number of GMs including one with nails instead of screws. They are all airtight.
NarpNinja: I ordered one of those combs six weeks ago. I got it promptly but he had stuck a sticker on the surface of the comb that was impossible to take off. The comb was slightly thinner than a stock comb and so i emailed him, offering to send it back.
He went above and beyond the call of duty by
1- Immediately refunding me that whole paypal payment (including the shipping)
2- Explaining that the stickers were a mistake.
3- Sending me a different comb for free (this one was made from a different kind of wood and was just as thick as a stock comb)
After all that, I was satisfied and sent him the payment (fair is fair!)
He also has my endorsement. My experience was a positive one.
That being said, to stick to the topic of airtightness, I don't find the wooden combed harp more airtight than the stock comb - it just sounds and plays differently. And yes, the wood comb is perfectly flat.
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Last Edited by on Mar 16, 2011 6:28 PM
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