Todd Parrott
876 posts
Mar 14, 2012
10:05 PM
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I ran across a small stash of old pre-MS Pro Harps tonight and thought I'd share this pic of something that may not have been available in the U.S. - the Hohner Pro Harp II.
Of course I took the cover plates and put them on a custom Special 20 from Randy Sandoval (pictured below), but I found the case tonight and wanted to share these pics because people sometimes don't believe me when I tell them there was a Pro Harp II. The Pro Harp II was basically a country tuned version, marketed as major 7th tuning per an old Hohner catalog from 1990.
Does this say mayor? I never noticed it before tonight.
Not sure why Hohner doesn't just offer a black Special 20.
Last Edited by on Mar 14, 2012 10:06 PM
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Gerry
6 posts
Mar 15, 2012
12:39 AM
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I've 2 old ProHarps both with the aluminum cover plates.
The warmest, rounded sounding harps I've ever heard. What amazes me is that they can make something that is accepted as being really good then just discontinue it.
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HawkeyeKane
784 posts
Mar 15, 2012
6:51 AM
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@Gerry
"What amazes me is that they can make something that is accepted as being really good then just discontinue it."
More than likely, they were trying to respond to the grumbling about a need for economical and easily replaceable parts, a grumbling that I myself have been guilty of. Tombo had come out with the Lee Oskar system, and Hohner felt the need to scramble to compete.
I agree that the pre-MS versions of current MS harps were much better quality hand-made harps. Honestly, Hohner probably should've just designed a few totally new harps for the modular system (i.e. Big River, Midnight Blue, and maybe a more extended run of the Deuce and a Quarter), and left the Marine Band and HM models alone.
@Todd
I think you may be right in saying that the Pro Harp II wasn't available in the American market. I've never even heard of it, let alone seen one before.
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Hawkeye Kane
Last Edited by on Mar 15, 2012 6:52 AM
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billy_shines
218 posts
Mar 15, 2012
6:51 AM
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i have a few and yes the secret is the cover plates its a special 20 inside. i made my harp mic to fit these harps exactly then they go and change the design.
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Gerry
7 posts
Mar 15, 2012
10:06 AM
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I seem to remember the ProHarp as being marketed as the "top of the range". I wouldn't have thought the LO would have been the obvious rival.
I think I paid almost double for a ProHarp than I did for a MB (£25 vs £13 approx) I'm thinking a Sp20 might have been around £17.
If they sold those identical coverplates now...
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billy_shines
222 posts
Mar 15, 2012
5:09 PM
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yeah they didnt sound tinny the plates arent tin they were great.
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wheezer
210 posts
Mar 15, 2012
6:15 PM
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Still my favorite harp the pre MS Pro Harp. Nothing feels or sounds quite as good to me. Handy that the MB reeds ( reeds that is, not reed plates) fit the old Pro Harp.
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