Goldbrick
21 posts
Jan 30, 2013
10:50 AM
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OK bought 3 harps from Amazon on closeout all key of A
Blue Midnight is just fine and the duece and a Quarter was a pleasant surprise( nice tone). So far so good.
My favorite harp these days has been the Marine band Deluxe
What a bummer when I tried the MB deluxe in A and got no noise from the 7 draw. Opened the harp up and that reed was completely missing WTF ? Other MB deluxes were super nice out of the box so this was an unpleasant surprise
Only good thing is Amazon said they will accept the return for refund.
I have had harps that needed tinkering out of the box but a completely missing reed is unbelievably bad QC
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FMWoodeye
549 posts
Jan 30, 2013
12:02 PM
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The reed was completely missing? That's hilarious. Must be a disgruntled employee at Hohner.
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Goldbrick
24 posts
Jan 30, 2013
12:29 PM
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Slot was totally empty and it wasn't broken off-it just wasn't there
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Seven.Oh.Three.
195 posts
Jan 30, 2013
12:57 PM
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Instead of returning it to amazon for a refund You could contact hohner and they'll replace it for you.
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Adam Hamil
68 posts
Jan 30, 2013
1:04 PM
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Sorry to hear about the missing reed. It sounds like your harp is still under warranty. Please contact Hohner’s Service Center at 800-446-6010 or harmonica@hohnerusa.com. They will take care of you. I'll make sure of it.
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C. Adam Hamil
HOHNER CERTIFIED Free Reed Instrument Technician
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Goldbrick
25 posts
Jan 30, 2013
1:39 PM
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Appreciate the repair offer but Amazon paid for shipping on the return and its already on its way back to them
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Lyle
31 posts
Jan 30, 2013
2:53 PM
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I can understand a machine malfunctioning and not punching in a reed, but aren't Marine Band Deluxes a part of the "handmade" series? Does this mean that a live person overlooked this?
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ElkRiverHarmonicas
1487 posts
Jan 30, 2013
7:59 PM
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Yes, as far as I know they are handmade. But even the ones that aren't handmade, are done by hand, I think I've heard that from Steve Baker.
While, I enjoy bashing Hohner as much as anybody, I don't think they had anything to do with this. I see no way this could have happened. First you've got the person riveting.. He holds it up to a light, aligns, rivets, then goes to the next reed... then it has to go to the tuner, who tunes the notes, chords and octaves. Then it goes to QC. It's simply impossible. this is not anything that could have even made it to QC in the first place.
\Did you get any pics?
I ask this because it would be nice to look to for tool marks that the reed had been removed by a previous customer, who returned it.
That's the only plausible scenario.
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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
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David
Elk River Harmonicas
 
Last Edited by on Jan 30, 2013 8:35 PM
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Goldbrick
26 posts
Jan 30, 2013
9:05 PM
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I am not bashing anybody. I received a harmonica missing a reed. Amazon accepted a return as defective.
I would expect that any mass produced product is liable to produce a lemon from time to time. To say it is impossible is a stretch.
As a competitive shooter , I have seen barrels that have left the factory without being rifled-seems " impossible too" but stuff happens. Handmade doesn't mean well made anymore than home cooked means tastes good.
As a musician ,my only interest is receiving a usable instrument-that seems a reasonable expectation-not all that interested in why or how it happened. I thought people on the forum might be interested in my experience. I don't know if the blue midnight and deuce were hand made but they both play just fine
Last Edited by on Jan 30, 2013 9:12 PM
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FMWoodeye
550 posts
Jan 30, 2013
9:45 PM
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Who knows? I just took delivery on a Special 20 in C. As I have posted in the past, I practice on the Special 20 and save the Crossovers for "performance." This latest Special 20 is the sweetest playing stock harmonica I have ever purchased. That is to say, as far as mid-range harps go. I chalk it up to the luck of the draw. But it is comparable to a stock crossover and/or optimized Special 20. Lucky me. Maybe the tech who sabotaged your harp felt guilty and did an extra-good job on mine.
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harpwrench
639 posts
Jan 31, 2013
5:21 AM
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You're taking chances with "close-out" harps in popular models and keys. A forum member sent me a couple of the close-out crossovers that were't as nice as the ones everyone else bragged about getting. The G was nearly destroyed by someone's attempt at embossing! It was tricky to fix.
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Custom Harmonicas
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HarveyHarp
456 posts
Jan 31, 2013
6:56 AM
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If I had to guess, I would say that it was an Amazon return that they resold. I would think that is very unethical.
Rockin Ron currently has a sale on Marine Band, and he specifies that they are the original, unsealed combs, which to me would make no difference, since I would take them apart, seal and fit and flat sand them anyway.
When I bought reeds recently from Hohner, I tried to get them to sell me the returned, defective harps thay they take back, but they refused.
The motto of the story is buy your harps from someone who specializes in harps, and that you trust. And if you get goldbricks harp with the missing reed, when you order from Amazon. let us all know.
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HarveyHarp
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harpwrench
640 posts
Jan 31, 2013
9:19 AM
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Right- my customer hadn't embossed it and Hohner certainly didn't.
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Custom Harmonicas
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Bruce
16 posts
Jan 31, 2013
9:45 AM
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I spent 30 days on the production line at Hohner in Trossingen. There is no way a reed would not get installed. All the reeds are put in one at a time with the rivet, then the rivet is bucked and at the same time centered. They get tuned and then go through QC. It is unbelievable how many times a harp is handled before it goes into your gob.
The same goes for Seydel. They have only 23 people working in their factory in Klingenthal and not all of them are in production. It is fasinating going through their production line. It is in the original building.
The only thing I can think of is that one from (blank) may have slipped through QC or that it was tampered with.
I have a ton of respect for the folks that build our harps thats for darn sure.
-Bruce
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ElkRiverHarmonicas
1488 posts
Jan 31, 2013
8:10 PM
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Goldbrick,
I wasn't trying to say you were. I should have put some smiley faces in there to clarify my mood. Sorry I sounded that way.
Bruce has experience at Hohner. I have manufacturing experience at the former Harrison Harmonicas, plus spending years just fooling around with the things. My experience at Harrison, coupled with what I know of Hohner's processes and others, tells me that this is impossible to come from the factory this way. I could explain more about the process if anybody is interested, but too many people have to touch it - and at least two people have to make all the reeds actually sound - for this to be a possibility from Hohner.
Amazon sells some harps sometimes at what appears to be barely above, at or even below cost and the money has to be made somewhere. Folks can couple that thought with what appears to be a very liberal return policy and draw their own conclusions.
You're looking at a simple case of grand theft 7 draw. It's on somebody's else's harmonica right now. If we had it still, I guarantee we could find a tool mark from where the reed was removed, even if our reed thief used the Seydel tool, you'd be able to see a mark under magnification.
Adam, I saw your pic on Facebook. You have one of the awesomest moustaches in the history of moustaches - it's what my moustache wants to be when it grows up.
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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
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David
Elk River Harmonicas
Last Edited by on Jan 31, 2013 8:19 PM
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Afro Blue
126 posts
Jan 31, 2013
9:49 PM
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I really like the MB's that come with brown combs on the front instead of the old black ones. For some reason, since they've been doing that, I have found the quality was pretty good. The MB's I am getting from Guitar Center have been great. I hope that encourages someone.
@ElkRiverHarmonicas - Hey David! I hope you're well!
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Hunger is the best spice.
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Kingley
2279 posts
Jan 31, 2013
10:04 PM
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Afro Blue - Those new brown combed Marine Bands have fully sealed combs. That's one of the reasons they play better. The Marine Band 1896 plays as well as the Deluxe now.
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barbequebob
2182 posts
Feb 01, 2013
7:12 AM
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Those new ones not only have fully sealed combs, they also have much tighter reed slot tolerances as well.
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Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
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HarveyHarp
458 posts
Feb 01, 2013
7:22 AM
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Bob, is that a fact? I just played a brand new Low F# with the sealed comb, and then a Low F with the original comb, both brand new, out of the box, and I did not notice a big difference. I hated them both, equally. But I am a customizer, and I hate all stock harps, including Manjis and 1847. Spoiled? Yes I am.
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HarveyHarp
Last Edited by on Feb 01, 2013 7:23 AM
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isaacullah
2294 posts
Feb 01, 2013
8:04 AM
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@Dave: : "grand theft 7 draw". That's my quote for the day! In fact, that one's going the annals of harmonica quotes!!! Also, it's hilarious that someone would do that when a new 5-pack of individual hohner reed only costs 6 bucks from the hohner shop these days! Perhaps this nefarious deed was conducted back in the dark ages when new individual reeds were as rare as unicorn teeth! :) Ahhh... Amazon.com. Funny stuff!
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View my videos on YouTube!
Check out my songs on Soundcloud!
Visit my reverb nation page!
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isaacullah
2295 posts
Feb 01, 2013
8:07 AM
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PS, it looks like the number one seller among replacement reeds from the Hohner shop is D5 (5 draw on an A harp). Yup. Sounds about right to me! :)
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View my videos on YouTube!
Check out my songs on Soundcloud!
Visit my reverb nation page!
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barbequebob
2183 posts
Feb 01, 2013
8:08 AM
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@HarveyHarp -- That is absolutely true. However, none of the Hohners stock is ever gonna be as good as a well done custom by a long shot, or any stock harp no matter who makes them either for that matter.
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Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
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groyster1
2145 posts
Feb 01, 2013
8:18 AM
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@Harvey
the 1896-1996 commemorative mb 1896 to this day is the worst harp I have ever bought....I vowed to never ever buy another marine band...even tried to take it back to the store but they passed the buck to hohner,which quality control at that point in time must have been on sabbatical....but after purchasing some new old stock marine bands on ebay,I have had a change of heart....thanks for your help with that harp
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1847
495 posts
Feb 01, 2013
8:27 AM
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groyster1
so it was you who said that
i keep quoting ted burke as having said that
i bought quite a few of those all of them were bad
however the covers look real nice with a shiny black hetrick comb!
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Goldbrick
27 posts
Feb 01, 2013
9:51 AM
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Feel free to pay all the tax you want to the state government bandoleros. I believe I paid sufficient tax to the Feds when I earned the money . State sales tax is is regressive taxation without representation.
Actually drum stuff I do buy from a local specialty shop--But harp selection is terrible at Miami area stores
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HarveyHarp
459 posts
Feb 01, 2013
10:11 AM
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That Gold Marine band was pretty, but they had two different sets of plates that they used. Some of them had the pre 1995 plates that were pretty much built as parts harps IMHO, and some had the 1995 plates that were much better. George, you had the pre 1995 plates, which is why I sent you a free Special 20 because I did not want you to think that the gold one was the way I built harps. The 1995 plates customized better, because they were the newer production, though not as good as later ones still. I have one customer in Houston that has a gold one that has one of each type of plate in it. Thats difficult to customize.
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HarveyHarp
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Goldbrick
29 posts
Feb 01, 2013
10:39 AM
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No problem @verylong didn't realize you were in the UK and amazon had tax issues there. You guys are already hosed with the VAT. I got a bunch of family from Birmingham
Here we get beat with a Fed income tax and a sales tax in most states. Don't mind being taxed once but the additional is a bit much
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groyster1
2146 posts
Feb 01, 2013
3:56 PM
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@Kingley
have to agree BUT get rid of the effin nails on mb1896....even a clutz like has had some success gapping but would never attempt to pry out nails....but can use a screwdriver like anyone
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