In 1989 I purchased a few Marine Bands. I had no problem with them and didn't find them uncomfortable. Not that I could actually play them, but they gave me no problems. Clear notes and easy bends. Fast forward to this year and not having touched those harps in all those years. I now purchased SP 20's and they play great. I also got hold of a Suzuki Harpmaster and a Delta Frost and both of those are fantastic. I also bought a new MB but something wasn't right. Unlike the ones I had back in 89 and 90 I couldn't play this one.
It sounded great, but while it was loud and fairly easy on the mid holes, 4 and above, hole 3 was hard to play and bends were tough. Leaky too. Also, this was the most uncomfortable harp I ever played. Sharp and rough. I got out my old MB's and compared them and they weren't the same. The old ones were fine comfort wise. I found that odd. What the hell changed?
The thing is that as great as my plastic comb harps play, they just don't have the sound that "I" like. That MB sound. I bought two Seydel Solist Pro's and they are nice, real nice. However, I find holes 1,2 and 3 a little leaky on both harps. They don't sound like a MB either. I tend not to play them much. I find them just a touch too fat for my lips/comfort level also. I like a smaller harp. My first week with them I thought they were great. Now...not as much. I play my SP 20's, Harpmaster and DF most times. "BUT" I keep going back to the MB. I love that thing if only it was more comfortable and the lower holes matched the mid range as far as clarity, loudness and playability. I tweaked the reed on hole three and it's a bit better but the harp is just so uncomfortable.
Today, I purchased a MB Crossover. I've only had one day with it and I know what happened after a week with my Solist Pro's so I'll reserve my comments. But all I can say thus far is why didn't I go to these first? Wow! The sound of a MB and the playability of a SP 20. This is great so far. My only complaint (not really a complaint...more of an "I wonder why"). Why did they make the hole numbers so big and deep? They made the MB more comfortable but made speedbumps for numbers! The bends on hole 3 are controlled and easy. Loud too. Great harp. Every hole plays great, tight, loud and fast.
I have gone through 3 C marine bands to find one that plays well and is comfortable, but it only became comfortable after shaving the comb with a razor blade while it was damp from playing. I also had to lear to gap the reads before is would bend well and overblow. I don't know why they can't set these up right at the factory. I just got a crossover and I have to agree with your comments. I guess for an extra $20 they can set it up right. I like the light weight of the Marine band and the crossover feels even lighter, that may be because I know it is bamboo:).
At $60 and right the first time the Crossover is cheaper than the Marine band that took my $120 worth to get one that works. On my first two Marine Bands, 7 blow went flat after a few weeks of playing. Do you think Hohner would get complaints if the Marine bands worked well right out of the box? I was wondering if needing to dial in a new harp is a harmonica tradition.
The only complaint I have of the crossover is it sometimes emmits a high pithed squeel along with the overblow, my Suzuki Promaster does this too so it may be my technique.
Great clip with really good ideas. I think there are many people who come to a forum like this to find out what they are "supposed" to like. I have seen a lot of advice here against that idea adn consistant with what was in the TED lecture posted.
The lecture explains why Hohner and others have so many models, but why can't the Marine band be consistant from one to the next. Is the idea that the end user is going to tweak it anyway so why add the expense of setting them up consistantly (I had to check myself, I amost wrote setting them up "right")
Last Edited by on Nov 02, 2011 11:22 PM
I haven't found ANY brand or model harmonica set up with great consistancy. I haven't noticed Crossovers being any better than Marine Bands or SP 20's. I like the playability of the Hohner harps after the reeds are set correcly, but I think what you noticed about the crossover being far better then the Marine Band is just an unfortunate issolated insodent.
I don't think this is just a harp thing. I played guitar for a little while and most guitar players I've met usually feel the same about guitars. Within the same brand and model, some play good and some don't while others play great. I've known guitar players who go music store to music store sitting all day trying different guitars of the same model.
Personal preference is another matter and that is where Strat over Les Paul or vice versa, PRS, Gibson vs Fender, Epiphone etc. comes in. Followed of course by debates and disagreements...lol.
"That MB sound" has more to do with vented covers than the type of comb.
Now, that being said, a nice flat custom comb will usually improve the sound and playability of any harp that has sandwich style construction.
Never have tried a Crossover. Never played a classic MB that wasn't a total piece of crap. But I got a MB Deluxe as a birthday gift and it's actually a pretty nice harp and even better with a Hetrick custom bamboo comb on it.
Yeah thats the truth Tommy. Think about it. We buy a $40 harp a complain. Can you imagine buying a $1000 guitar and after a few months realizing its not what you wanted. Then sell it for half what you paid and buy another. I'll bet the guitar forums must get pretty heated!
i left standard mb's behind a long time ago. blew out a lot of sp20's over many years and some years ago took a good look at bushman, hering, suzuki, etc etc, even huang had a chance. i have yet to totally settle on a brand and model. my case has a motley collection. sp20, hering vintage 1923, delta frost, suzuki manji, bluesmaster and pure, pretty well covers what's in my case. and no, i don't have a set to practice with and another to gig with. i have the one pile of harps and when one dies it goes in a drawer until i get around to trying a fix. i've given up on hohner ms series. the issue to me is the (imho) substandard reeds and plates. suzuki has broken into the third millennium with their laser cut and aligned reeds and plates. and the reed plates are replaceable for a decent price. composite comb and vented covers make for a really good harp, consistent and loud and very playable. but this is all just my opinion. consistency is always a tough thing in manufacturing. as equipment wears out and personnel changes, standards slip a bit and things can go haywire pretty easily as i've seen in other businesses. i'm still looking for the ootb perfect harp. closest i've seen is the manji. ---------- http://www.reverbnation.com/jawboneandjolene
Chromaticblues, I like your comparison wiht the guitar. At least with a guitar you can put it back on the shelf if you don't like it on first play. Onceh you play a harp it is yours unless it is obvously quite defective.
I have had the opportunity to tour Taylor Guitar in El Cajon CA a couple of times. (If you are in the area stop bay at 1PM any weekday, the tour it free) Bob Taylor has tried to ad consistancy with the use of laser cutting and CNC machine tools. Even a really cool robotic finish sprayer and buffer. I was surprised to see a woker filing the nut of a nearly finished guitar by hand to set the string height. Even though the robots do the same thinge every time, each piece of wood is different and so each finished piece is unique.
With a harp small variation in the wood are less important and metal is more consitant that wood. I think they could be a lot more consistiant with the right level of engineering and careful design of both the instrument and the process. Having worked a bit with sheet metal in the past, I know that the harmonica companies, with their relatively small metal usage, would have a hard time getting the attention of the metal mills in order to get a more consistant brass.
I would love to get a tour of a harmonica manufacturing operation. I had hoped maybe to get by Harrison but thats out now.
@STME58 I don't believe the quality problem with harmonicas in general is with the materials, but rather the final set up of the instrument. With a guitar its fairly large and you can see everything. So its easier to learn how to set it than with a harp. Harmonicas are not set up very well from the factory just because the reeds are so small and it would take skilled man hours to do high quality set up work. That would make our little $30 harp $130 in a hurry. Its a bit of a catch 22 with harmonicas. I know this to be true because I have learned how to set up a stock Marine Bands/SP 20's and make them play great. So there are good harps being made right now. They just need a liitle help.
