Pauly21
3 posts
Jul 05, 2012
7:19 PM
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I just started buying harps again and they're so expensive, you can't just try a bunch anymore. So what's everyone's favorite and why; Marine Band, Special 20, Blues Harp, Golden Melody....?
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BronzeWailer
686 posts
Jul 05, 2012
7:26 PM
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Marine Band Crossover. Great sound OOTB, rich deep tones, opened backs, robust. Comb doesn't swell.
Worth the extra IMHO. BTW, go to Rockin' Ron's for your harps if you don't already. Great prices and service.
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rbeetsme
774 posts
Jul 05, 2012
7:28 PM
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Bought Herings, Lee Oskars, Promasters, Bushman all nice harps, full sets on most. Liked all them at the time I bought them. Never a Marine Band, until last year. Kevin offered a light custom at a reasonable price, then found a stash of NOS MB's on ebay so I bought 2 each of 6 keys and sent one set to Kevin. Kept the other set stock to compare. Love the MB's now, at least the modded ones. Sent some more to Kevin so now I have pretty close to a full set. The tone is just right for blues, respond well for bluegrass too. The Promasters are cleaner so they are great for gospel, jazz, jamming to melodies. Still play the Delt Frost set with bluegrass as well. But ask me in 2 years, might be totally different then. BTW: Ordered 3 Harrison harps when Brad offered the pre-order deal. By the time the first one finally arrived I had acquired a taste for the MB. Never was sold on the tone of the B-Rad. Sold it and got a refund on the other 2, just in time. It's not the price that counts, it's the tone and play-a-bility for me. Kevin is now telling us that the new MB's are better than ever and require less work to get into gigging condition, great to hear.
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Sarge
221 posts
Jul 05, 2012
7:42 PM
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I like the optimized seydel solist pro from Dave Payne. I also have a set of soul's voice harps customized by Mike Street which are excellent. Also some delta frost which is good too.
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Wisdom does not always come with old age. Sometimes old age arrives alone.
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Rick Davis
483 posts
Jul 05, 2012
8:01 PM
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Hohner Crossover and Suzuki Manji.
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-Rick Davis
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FMWoodeye
417 posts
Jul 05, 2012
8:30 PM
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I've tried the whole Suzuki line, multiple harps in multiple keys. Gave away the Manjis. Now my most favoritist harp is the Crossover. Purely subjective.
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ElkRiverHarmonicas
1222 posts
Jul 05, 2012
8:38 PM
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Prewar Seydel Bandmaster and the B-radical, the old Seydel Solist - and the original Hohner Old Standby. Hugo Rauner diatonics. None of which you can actually buy anymore. Bummer.
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David
____________________
At the time of his birth, it was widely accepted that no one man could play that much music so well or raise that much hell. He proved them all wrong.
R.I.P. H. Cecil Payne
Elk River Institute for Advanced Harmonica Studies
Elk River Harmonicas on Facebook
"Oh, Eeyore, you are wet!" said Piglet, feeling him.
Eeyore shook himself, and asked somebody to explain to Piglet what happened when you had been inside a river for quite a long time.
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didjcripey
318 posts
Jul 05, 2012
8:43 PM
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Pretty hard to beat a Manji for quality or value for money. Great tone and volume, easy to bend.
Lee Oskars for reliability and longevity
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Lucky Lester
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Waldo
39 posts
Jul 05, 2012
9:39 PM
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I like Golden Melodies, I like the sound, reed feel, full length coverplates, and shape.
I haven't had good experiences with Marine Bands, so I'd rather go for a GM.
I've played on a Lee Oskar, which is nice, but the coverplates bother me.
Marine bands I've had leak, don't have full length coverplates, and the wood is not sealed so it swells and bothers me.
I realize I'm a sensative harp playre, but if that kind of thing bothers you, than take it ito consideration.
Hope this helps!
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Thanks,
Waldo
Last Edited by on Jul 05, 2012 9:42 PM
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Fishlips
1 post
Jul 05, 2012
10:06 PM
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MB Crossover. It gets the classic Marine Band tone, a sealed leak-free bamboo comb, bends well, and plays and sounds right.
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STME58
201 posts
Jul 05, 2012
10:06 PM
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I really like the Crossover. It is very similar to the Manji but I would give the Crossover the edge.
I like the Suzuki Promaster for melodic classical sounding stuff.
In the lower price range the Golden Melody and Harpmaster are very good, with the Bluesmaster a close second to the Harpmaster. The Bluesmaster feels the thinest in my mouth of any harp I have tried but I don't know if that is a particularly good thing.
Unfortunatly, this is very personal and you won't know what you like until you try them, and you can't try without buying.
Last Edited by on Jul 05, 2012 10:09 PM
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SuperBee
371 posts
Jul 05, 2012
10:55 PM
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The classic marine band doesn't swell up like it was prone to do before. And all those I have bought lately play great straight from the box. I recently bought 6 which were all great. Hardly even needed to adjust a gap.
Crossovers and MBD are great too. As are Sp20, but personally I am staying away from the protruding comb.
Manjis are cool too but a bit different to play. Not worse, just a different touch required.
I can't speak for seydel harps. I don't mind the solist pro, but the cover plates pull my facial hair and I think they may have some reed milling problems, though maybe that's been fixed now. The 1847s are too dear for me, but by all accounts they are great.
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Steamrollin Stan
473 posts
Jul 05, 2012
11:48 PM
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value for money and usually a good all rounder, special 20's.
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Miles Dewar
1317 posts
Jul 06, 2012
12:59 AM
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Marine Band 1896. "D," "F," or "G."
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atty1chgo
394 posts
Jul 06, 2012
4:13 AM
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Manji for durability and tone, Marine Band is next. But absolutely NOT a Lee Oskar. Waste of money IMHO.
Key of D.
Last Edited by on Jul 06, 2012 4:14 AM
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colman
176 posts
Jul 06, 2012
4:59 AM
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i`ve been playing 44 yrs. and tried most harps but the marine band harp has always been the harp to blow blues with.they`re like a fender strat is in guitars,they will always be the harp the blues masters used !!!!!!
also,they cost $2.99 in 1968.......
Last Edited by on Jul 06, 2012 5:02 AM
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atty1chgo
396 posts
Jul 06, 2012
5:14 AM
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To echo colman, there is no greater thrill (well maybe there is, but I'm rolling) than opening a brand new MB out of the box and jumping right in. I guess it's knowing for a while at least, until they get moody and the comb swells and a reed breaks, that you are playing the classic harmonica that the masters played. The feel of the cover plates, the taste of the wood comb, the shrill, bright tone. No matter which harp we end up playing as our go-to brand, we always enjoy a good MB.
Last Edited by on Jul 06, 2012 5:16 AM
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A440
13 posts
Jul 06, 2012
5:31 AM
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Marine Band Deluxe (post-2010 version).
I keep trying other harps, but always come back to the MBD.
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robbert
95 posts
Jul 06, 2012
7:09 AM
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Crossover for higher end, and Sp. 20 for a less expensive harp. Crossovers are responsive, airtight, durable, overblow ootb and yet don't choke with regular chordal work or chugging.
Sp. 20s are also very good for the price.
With modest gapping, both can be improved to the players taste.
Gapping improves just about any harp, if done with a little care.
I also use Big Rivers, Lee Oskars, Marine Bands, Suzuki Manji, Seydel Session Steels, B-Radicals, but for the most part, from what's currently available, I will renew my stock with Crossovers and customs(when I can afford it, which isn't often)
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jiceblues
84 posts
Jul 06, 2012
7:19 AM
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MBD's and SP20's .The CROSSOVER is good ,but i don't like the tuning .
You won't be disapointed with a SP20 .
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TheoBurke
38 posts
Jul 06, 2012
7:29 AM
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My perennial favorite is the Hohner Special 20: they are dependable to tone, ease of play and durability. They are, I think, the most consistent for quality out of the box. I have , though, been having terrific fun with the MB Crossover--it is the harmonica the MB Deluxe was supposed to be. After that, Gold Melody is a fine, fine instrument , perfect for folk and country playing.
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Ted Burke
http://youtube.com/watch?v=-VPUDjK-ibQ&feature=relmfu
ted-burke.com
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harpdude61
1470 posts
Jul 06, 2012
8:23 AM
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I've tried them all and just can't switch away from my beloved Golden Melody.
I agree that they are not for everyone, but everyone should try one. Especially if you play lightly, like the bends easy, and plan on learning overblows/overdraws.
The long, rounded coverplates are ideal if you play the harp deep in your mouth.
Ricci, Levy, McMillan, Parrott, and many other great players have made GMs their harp of choice at one time or another.
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groyster1
1937 posts
Jul 06, 2012
9:21 AM
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the best 2 ootb harps I have played are marine band deluxe and suzuki hammond...would give the edge to the deluxe due to its tuning and coverplates
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bonedog569
559 posts
Jul 06, 2012
10:53 AM
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Been on 'the quest' for the last two years.
suggested harp selection process: - which do you prefer?
classic 'sandwich ala MB - or full cover ala Special 20
what feels more comfortable and natural for you? Overall size also matters. (that's what she said )
Do you overblow - or want to? Some harps are better for this than others.
tone - loosely speaking dark or bright.
tuning - just, compromised, equal temperment. (others can explain this better than I)
My current all around fave - Suzuki Hammond. Full cover, Darker tone (a tad darker than I'd idealy like), OB's pretty well out of the box. Medium price. Very good consisteny harp to harp.
I also LOVE some of my Seydel 1847's . They are bigger and a bit slower - like a caddy as opposed to a Miata but they are beautifully made and the tone is the fullest richest to my ear. They can be set up to OB very well BUT - they are expensive - and - they do not seem to be very consistent. The good ones play 'like buttah'
the bluesmaster was and is a favorite, and cheaper than either of the above - but squeals horribly when OB'd and is not as well made an instrument as the Hammond.
Manji also good if you like classic sandwich and a brighter tone.
Like David, I got some customs and no-longer available harps - a Budhha and a B-rad, - but that's for another thread.
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Fingers
184 posts
Jul 06, 2012
11:37 AM
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Tried most harps best by far is Seydel 1847!!! but soon 2 custom special 20s from Kevin are crossing the pond to me so it could all change.
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hvyj
2520 posts
Jul 06, 2012
12:50 PM
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Suzuki Hammond and Suzuki Olive are my favorites OOB. Both are ET with full length unvented covers, which I prefer.
For non-ET with vented covers, Hohner Crossovers and Hohner MBDs are very good OOB, but are even better with Hetrick bamboo combs on them.
My favorites are the custom GMs I have from Mike Fugazzi and Joe Spiers. But I don't like OOB GMs nearly as well as I do OOB Suzuki Hammonds and Olives. But the ergonomics of the GM design are really nice, IMHO.
Never tried a Seydel.
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florida-trader
157 posts
Jul 06, 2012
1:20 PM
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I played nothing but Golden Melodys for 35 years but then I started reading Harp-l and hanging out on MBH and you know what happened next. I started buying one or two of everything. For the money, the HarpMaster is a great harp. That led me to buying some ProMaster MR350 Valved which were my favorite harps for at least a year. Ended up with about 9 of them. I agree with the comments made by several that they are great for melodies. Got one Manji - a D. It plays pretty well but I'm not crazy about it. I have a couple of Seydel 1847's. Great harps. Certainly on a par with the ProMasters. Got some Marine Band Deluxes. Great playing harp. Crossover too. But then I picked up some pre-war Marine Bands. Once you clean those babies up and replace the pearwood comb, man oh man - there's nothing like them! Unbelievably responsive and great tone. I am now on a quest to put together a complete set (or two) of pre-wars.
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Tom Halchak
www.BlueMoonHarmonicas.com
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JInx
244 posts
Jul 06, 2012
2:27 PM
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Even though the out of box tuning sucks big time, it's still my favorite harp. Jamin solo on it just sounds so great, like a tight bunch of trumpets keyed in a very sharp C. The action is so nice all over. It's my first upscale harp....the Marine Band Crossover.
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