Luismagic10
1 post
Feb 26, 2012
10:20 AM
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I would suggest you just to buy the standard MB. I bought both of them and the difference is not that big, some people say they cut their lips with the MB but they exagerate. Even Adam plays the normal MB...
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Frank
311 posts
Feb 26, 2012
10:19 PM
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They're easier to work on - the cover plates and reed plates are screwed on.
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groyster1
1781 posts
Feb 27, 2012
2:02 AM
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@Zad
the 4 I own was able to get for the same price as the classic mb agree with frank they are user friendly mb1896 is not IMHO
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Adam Hamil
29 posts
Feb 27, 2012
10:11 AM
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They also have a fully sealed comb. The new 1896 MBs
have a "coated" comb but is not FULLY sealed. Not having to deal with a swelling comb is worth the extra $$ IMO. The cover plates have been completely redisigned. The sharp front corners have been rounded and backs are opened. They are also made of stainless steel instead of nickel plated steel. The MBD is definitley a step up from the 1896MB. I have four MBDs and they are all a joy to play.
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C. Adam Hamil
Free Reed Instrument Technician
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groyster1
1783 posts
Feb 27, 2012
8:33 PM
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@Adam
they are the best stock harps I have even though they are in the seldom used keys
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Sedandelivery
14 posts
Feb 27, 2012
5:24 PM
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I would spend a little extra and try out a Crossover. I've never played a MB Deluxe, but I've played Marine Bands, Special 20's and Crossovers, and the Crossovers are really great. Definitely worth the price in my opinion.
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groyster1
1786 posts
Feb 27, 2012
5:55 PM
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I have bought 1 crossover mb deluxes are superior dont think the sealed pearwood will swell anymore than the bamboo comb the crossover has which is a marketing technique by hohner...the mb deluxe is a beautifully made harp the best hohner has ever done IMHO
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MP
2036 posts
Feb 27, 2012
5:55 PM
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yes! who needs unsealed harps w/ nails in them?
Filisko dedicated his life to improving those 1896s.
one noticeable improvement was screws.
Deluxes and Crossovers are worth it, definately.
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MP
doctor of semiotics and reed replacement.
"making the world a better place, one harmonica at a time"
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groyster1
1787 posts
Feb 27, 2012
7:37 PM
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yes mark you have heard my contempt for the nails in mb1896....just got introduced to mb deluxe recently....thats the way to build a harp...love `em
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SuperBee
90 posts
Feb 29, 2012
5:07 AM
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Nails are much easier to deal with than those diddly little screws
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MP
2056 posts
Feb 29, 2012
12:15 PM
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all 22 of them? 23 on pre-war. 8 in the covers 14-15 on the reed plates. no thanks. i pull 'em
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MP
doctor of semiotics and reed replacement.
"making the world a better place, one harmonica at a time"
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SuperBee
91 posts
Feb 29, 2012
5:41 PM
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Just those on the covers, I don't need to pull a plate off very often. I agree that's a pain with the nails. I only have a couple nailed harps, but I just lately realised how much simpler it is to get the covers off and on those than it is with the screws
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MP
2058 posts
Feb 29, 2012
9:30 PM
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SuperBee,
it doesn't seem to bother kudzurunner either. he loves their flaws. embraces them. to each his own.
cheers, mark
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MP
doctor of semiotics and reed replacement.
"making the world a better place, one harmonica at a time"
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SuperBee
92 posts
Feb 29, 2012
10:56 PM
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I admit until I saw how Adam popped those covers off I didn't like it at all. Even when i tried it his way it didnt seem so easy, but a bit like opening an ouster, I found an easier way, using the screwdriver/bottle opener blade on my knife. Maybe they'll get too loose over time, but for now they're dandy. I dunno if I'm ready to commit to a life of 1896s and pre MS blues harps though. Something that starts in tune and stays that way maybe. Know of anything like that?
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MP
2059 posts
Feb 29, 2012
11:56 PM
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no Bee i'm afraid not. those flapping metal rectangles (i think their called reeds) fatigue and lose their volume, overtones, brightness and the tuning will drift. even if you are not a hard blower the act of bending a reed shortens it's life.
i foolishly tempt fate with my 30s MB by giging with it every single gig. can't help it. something about that bell metal brass. i'm not a collector; i like to play harps, not pickle them- but i also have a mouse ear MB that i call my big walter harp. at least he lives at home and doesn't go to bars.
i just ran across some stainless steel Seydel 1847s that were out of tune. oh well.
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MP
doctor of semiotics and reed replacement.
"making the world a better place, one harmonica at a time"
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The Gloth
637 posts
Mar 01, 2012
12:06 AM
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For me, the MB deluxe plays a lot better than the MB, OOTB. Better sound, and much easier to play. And no bloody nails.
I had to order replacement plates for a MBD in G... they came after 6 months, I mounted them yesterday. The plates are not perfectly in line with the comb (yes, even at that price, no miracle : it is still Hohner), but it plays ok. The difference in sound and playability with my SP20 is really big, no question.
Last Edited by on Mar 01, 2012 12:08 AM
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SuperBee
93 posts
Mar 01, 2012
2:01 AM
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I have 1 deluxe. Pretty good, in A. Seems I've had it a long time. Can't remember whether I had to gap it initially, but I reckon I did just because i think it's pretty rare I can't improve them a bit. But it's certainly been hassle free.
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Patrick Barker
419 posts
Mar 01, 2012
2:44 AM
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I don't know about the deluxes, but I have a couple crossovers and they're terrific! I hear they're better than the deluxes; not sure if that's true, but if it is, I don't know whether it's a comb thing or a quality control thing.
Whether it's worth it kind of depends on how serious you are and how much you like the MB tone. I honestly think that for normal purposes if you want something a little more tight at easier to play but don't want to spend much more you might as well go with the sp 20. Not to say I think the sp 20 is as good as the crossover, but for the price it's a good compromise.
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hvyj
2225 posts
Mar 01, 2012
3:54 AM
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I'm not a MB player and I don't even like MBs. But the MBDs and the Crossovers are really nice OOB harps.
Of course the Crossover and the MBD both have the distinctive MB tone and they are fun to play. No question about it, they are definitely worth the extra $.
Now, I wound up putting Hetrick bamboo combs on mine. I've got a little set of 2 Crossovers and 2 MBDs in guitar keys. The Hetrick bamboo combs are superior to the stock Hohner combs and superior to any other Hetrick comb I've tried. Incredible compression. The MBDs and Crossovers are nice OOB, but with the custom combs they are even better. Easy to hit all bends on pitch and even easy to get separation on the two 10 hole blow bends.
Gapping was fine on all of them OOB. However on the MBD I got in the key of D, the tuning on the draw 3 reed was way flat even taking into account the compromise tuning of the instrument. I wound up having to tune it up, but after i did, it's been fine. Nice harps.
Last Edited by on Mar 01, 2012 4:15 AM
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SuperBee
94 posts
Mar 01, 2012
4:32 AM
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hvyj, do you think one is noticeably superior? Are both tuned the same?
i play primarily TB, use a lot of slaps and pulls: a lot of chord sounds in a lot of what i do...the little example in the "rangaphile" clip i posted the other day is not really typical
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hvyj
2226 posts
Mar 01, 2012
4:52 AM
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Well, the Crossovers i have are in A and G and the MBDs are in C and D, so it's not an apples to apples comparison. But except for the Crossovers having a different tuning than the MBDs they seem to me to be the same harps.
In my experience, all Hohner combs seem to be inconsistent which is why i went with the Hetrick bamboo combs.
Personally, I usually only play ET harps. The MBDs have the same compromise tuning as classic MBs. The Crossovers have a compromise tuning that is closer to ET. If I were going to use these harps for playing in multiple positions (which is not my intention), I'd prefer the Crossover tuning. But The MBD tuning is that classic MB sound which I think sounds particularly good with the tone one gets from the vented covers assuming you are playing mostly in second and first positions.
The way you describe your style of playing, I think you'd probably like the MBD more than the Crossover. But it's not a night and day difference anyway.
Btw, the chords on the MBD and the Crossover beat. People complain that chords on ET harps beat, but I don't understand why that's supposed to be such a big deal since the chords on these compromise tuned harps also beat. Go figure....
Last Edited by on Mar 01, 2012 4:58 AM
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SuperBee
95 posts
Mar 01, 2012
5:07 AM
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thanks for that, i appreciate what you're saying about the keys. i play mainly second, a little 3rd..and even ventured to 5th for a song on a record we just recorded...mainly, i just realised, due to some stuff i read which you had written about position playing...Lcy rolled up with a song in Em...but 2nd position wasnt working well...i tried 3rd...heaps better but the D harp was a bit shrill...i remembered you advocacy of 5th position and tried the C manji. much better...just what i was looking for. so thanks for that too.
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hvyj
2227 posts
Mar 01, 2012
5:33 AM
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I think the Manji tuning is even closer to ET than the Crossover, so it should work better for multiple position playing. If you can play 2nd position you should have no problem playing 5th. Same skill set, you just have to be more careful about what notes you bend when you are in 5th.
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Destin
7 posts
Mar 02, 2012
8:01 PM
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The deluxe is a sweet harp, easier to play than a mb and then most important thing is the tone sounds close to a mb.
I still love the sounds of a mb any day though.
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Zadozica
178 posts
Mar 03, 2012
7:32 AM
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Thanks for all the input. I love the MB that I got. Other than the one reed issue I had, it has been great. I do plan on replacing the cover nails with screws and opening up the back cover plates and I might round off the edges of the comb.
I would definitely buy another one.
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