Bac1901
1 post
May 03, 2012
8:35 AM
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HI,
I'm new here, both at this forum and harmonica world, and i'm interested in buying piedmont blues harmonica (7 harmonica set; http://www.zzounds.com/item--HOHPBH7 ) So I would like to know few things: 1)are those good for beginner, 2) is that black cover made of plastic or metal, and 3) what is prize of just one harmonican ot whole set. also if someone have some other informations about them I would like to 'hear' them.
Thank you very much in advanced.
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harpdude61
1372 posts
May 03, 2012
8:47 AM
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If you really want to learn harmonica spend between $70 to $100 on a couple of harps, keys of C and A. This will get you started. If you stick with it you will naturally add more harps.
The set of 7 harps sounds ideal but with cheap materials and craftsmanship you are limited.
I can understand why someone might speak highly of these harps if it is all they ever played, but as you study lessons and various techniques, these cheap harps just won't keep up.
I buy a set once in a while just for the case and give the rest to kids.
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HawkeyeKane
915 posts
May 03, 2012
9:03 AM
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I agree with harpdude. If you're just starting out learning harp, then you'd probably be better off buying a few well-made harps. Marine Bands, Special 20s, Blues Harps, Bluesmasters...things like that. If you wanna go economically and get a few more keys, maybe try Big Rivers or Folkmasters.
Once you've got some learning under your belt, the Piedmonts make decent harps to practice on. To answer your questions, the cover plates are plastic, and I don't believe the Piedmonts are available individually. Only in the 7-harp case set. Hohner makes some identical harps that are available in 3-packs. I've seen them rebadged as "Blue Ice"s and "Hoodoo Blues" harps.
Like harpdude said, they're on the low-end of Hohner's line. Cheaply made. They leak like crazy, the plastic cover plates dampen the sound, and the reedplates are made of an odd plastic/metal composite. For practice, I prefer the Jambone. It IS available individually, and it's made of slightly better materials with metal cover plates. They still leak, but not as badly.
Jambone Harmonica
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Hawkeye Kane
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jdblues
90 posts
May 03, 2012
9:30 AM
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Don't bother with the Piedmont Blues. It can hurt your development because you will be blowing or drawing too hard to make those play.
To start out, I'd just spend $20-35 and get one decent harmonica in C. If you're into it, then get another one in A.
I recommend the Special 20 or the Lee Oskar.
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Oisin
952 posts
May 03, 2012
10:21 AM
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Welcome to the forum Bac1901!
Don't buy them.....1 good Special 20 is worth 7 Piedmonts.
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Oisin
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rogonzab
45 posts
May 03, 2012
11:29 AM
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It all depends if you want to try learning the harmonica or if you want to learn to play harmonica.
In the first case, you are exploring the instrument, so any harp above $5 would work.
If you decide to really learn to play, then dont go any lower than the Big river o Folkmaster.
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nacoran
5631 posts
May 03, 2012
11:43 AM
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Piedmont's aren't very good harmonicas and they taste bad. That said, the case they come in isn't bad and if you get a case of Piedmonts a couple of them will probably play okay. I actually had a Piedmont in D that was a terrific little harp. The plastic covers mute the sound, but they also are easy on the lips which is good if you are just starting out and practicing a lot and getting 7 keys is actually useful for developing your embouchure a bit. Don't get them as your only harps though. If you buy a pack of Piedmonts, get at least one good harp too. I'm partial to Special 20's and Lee Oskars. As you get more good harps, replace the Piedmonts. I actually didn't find Piedmont's leaky, just muted by their covers. The bad taste wears off after a day or two of playing (I think it might be the gold paint they use, which wears off after a day or two- they might be better if they just didn't paint them in the first place.)
So, in summary, if you buy a good harp and a pack of Piedmonts they will never be great show harps, but the case works fine and you'll be able to experiment more with keys until you can afford better harps. If you can afford better harps from the get go, get better harps. You need that one good harp for comparison though. One good harp is worth 7 Piedmonts is true, but maybe, depending on your budget, one good harp and 7 Piedmonts, and a sturdy case is better than 2 good harps.
I'd stay away from the other cheap harps- The Blues Band, the Pocket Pal, basically any harp under $10. They will be the same quality as a Piedmont, but they will have rough metal edges that hurt to play and won't come with a nice box case (well, I think in Europe they may sell Blues Bands in the same box as Piedmonts, but I've never seen them over here.)
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Nate
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GEEZER1
151 posts
May 03, 2012
11:49 AM
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I don't like those peidmont blues mother of plastic harps. I would buy Johnson blues kings, they are cheap harps to learn first position. If you decide t that you want to get serious about learning the harp, bending in second position etc, purchase better harps.....sp 20. big river . bushman and bluesmasters
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Bac1901
2 posts
May 04, 2012
4:01 AM
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Thank you all guys! I feel so welcome here, and really wasn't expecting so many serious answers in such short notice. I decided not to buy piedmont harps, and go for something more serious 'cause I'd really want to become good at this. Thank you again! Best wishes!
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HawkeyeKane
916 posts
May 04, 2012
7:40 AM
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No problem man. After all, that's one of the main purposes of this forum, to help people learn. I've learned loads from the players on here, and I've been a member for less than a year.
BTW, in terms of buying harps, if you live in the States, here's the best bang for the buck:
Rockin Rons Music 4 Less
Ron carries all the popular OOTB (out of the box) models from the "Big Four" (Hohner, Suzuki, Seydel, and Lee Oskar) for the best prices I've yet to come across, and free shipping within the US.
Anything he doesn't carry can usually be found here:
Coast to Coast Music On-Line Store
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Hawkeye Kane
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Steamrollin Stan
372 posts
May 04, 2012
7:53 AM
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My special 20's key of C and A are working ok after more than 2 years of blowin and suckin the hell out of them, good advice from all members b4 me.
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MJ
414 posts
May 04, 2012
3:26 PM
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Why practice on a cheap harp? I practice on the harps I perform with. I don't think I can practice something on a harp can't do what I'm practicing. I agree with harpdude61, get a couple of decent harps and go from there. I have been using Special 20s and Suzukis with good results. Last weekend I popped for a Seydel 1847 and the difference is night and day. I am planning on filling out a set of 1847s as my finances allow.
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HawkeyeKane
919 posts
May 04, 2012
4:36 PM
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@MJ
Why practice on a cheap harp? Well, some of us have to look at it from a budget perspective. Like me...I play an average of 3 gigs a week. So that's about 10 to 12 hours of playing time my hero harps are getting...10 to 12 hours of wear and tear on the reeds. So practicing on a $5 harp conserves the playing life of my $40 SP20s. If I blow a reed on a Piedmont, Jambone, or Blues King, I'm not gonna be out as much dough as I would be repairing or replacing a SP20.
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Hawkeye Kane
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MJ
415 posts
May 04, 2012
5:14 PM
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Hawkeye, I play out 3-4 times per week also . However I prefer to use a decent harp for practice. As I said, to me it makes sense to practice on a quality harp. I have a budget too, but do not blow out harps. My SP 20s will last me a year or two. No two people are the same.
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Saqqara
15 posts
May 04, 2012
6:13 PM
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I'm a perpetual beginner, and an avid cheapskate, but I too really think a Special 20 range harp is the way to go. I've spent money on cheap harps but it has only served to make me appreciate the better ones. They sound better, louder, and play with less effort; this is all instantly noticeable, not just snobbery. If you are like me you will struggle with holes that seemingly "don't work" and confidence that you have a good instrument is helpful.
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MrVerylongusername
2359 posts
May 04, 2012
6:36 PM
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Buy the Piedmonts, keep the case and trade the harps for beef jerky.
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HarveyHarp
355 posts
May 04, 2012
7:26 PM
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I wonder how Frank is these days.
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HarveyHarp
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mikolune
128 posts
May 04, 2012
8:06 PM
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Would Marine Bands fit in the Piedmont cases ?
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nacoran
5637 posts
May 04, 2012
11:11 PM
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Marine Bands fit in the Piedmont case just fine. I've got Sp20's, Lee Oskars, a Golden Melody, and a Seydel Blues Favorite all shoved in there, along with some Marine Bands. I think any ten hole should fit fine. (I actually have two sets of Piedmonts. The first was a budget option for getting a few more keys, the second, I just dumped the harps in a drawer and used the case. I throw the two cases in my backpack and that gives me room for 14 harps.)
Why practice on a cheap harp? There are a few quirks Piedmonts have. The plastic covers are the easiest of any harp I've found on my lips, so I can practice longer. The plastic covers are quiet and I can play a Piedmont so quiet the person next to me won't hear it, but the reeds are sounding. When you decide to start tinkering with the insides of harps having 7 really cheap harps gives you all sorts of confidence to try new things. Sure, an embossed Piedmont is still a Piedmont, but the three you break trying to emboss don't hurt nearly as much as 3 busted Sp20's.
And, like I said, you sometimes get a fluky one. I had a D that was as good as any other harp I've owned. I'm not an overblower, but I could blow bend it easily, and it was so airtight that if I held it right I could sound the top blow holes by playing low draws. After gapping I only had one that was really unplayable. They don't have great sound, but they work just fine for learning where the holes and bends are. :)
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Nate
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mikolune
129 posts
May 04, 2012
11:56 PM
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Thanks Nacoran. Was asking 'cause I've a;ready come cross warnings that some cases do not fit all harps.
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MP
2233 posts
May 05, 2012
12:44 PM
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"Buy the Piedmonts, keep the case and trade the harps for beef jerky."
good idea, MVLUN!
i've never owned a piedmont harp but a player did give me a piedmont case. they are actually really good cases and better designed than other 7 harp cases.
they are very sturdy and have a zipper and a snap so they don't open by accident.
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MP
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HawkeyeKane
920 posts
May 07, 2012
1:28 PM
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Agreed on the case. It was the best part of the purchase. LOL. But I found another cheap harp that one-upped it.
LoDuca Bros. Blues Harmonica 7-Pack
Got them from my grandmother for Christmas a couple years ago. As you might expect, the harps are Chinese-made cheapies, but the case is almost identical to the Piedmont case, AND it has a nylon handle-strap on it making it easier to carry around on a light-traveling night.
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Hawkeye Kane
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