harpburn
29 posts
Mar 12, 2013
9:55 AM
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Hello everyone,
This is a question for chromatic players. I am getting into playing Chromatic harmonica at the moment. I would like one in F to play in G 3rd pos. but all I've found in this key are very expensive. There are companies out there like Swan that make cheaper, fair quality chromatics, but it seems these are only in C. Does anyone know of any cheaper chromatics in various keys, rather than just "C", or am I going to have to bite the bullet somewhere down the line?
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timeistight
1153 posts
Mar 12, 2013
10:11 AM
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How do you feel about used harps? You can pick up 270s on eBay for a good price if you're patient.
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Playing music... it's a privilege.
Kim Wilson
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WinslowYerxa
277 posts
Mar 12, 2013
10:46 AM
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Bite the bullet. It's worth it.
A couple of weeks ago a student brought me his brand-new Swan, all gold plated and shiny. He already owns a Hohner CX-12, a Suzuki Sirius, and a Suzuki SCX, all fine, solid quality chromatic. But he was intrigued by the low price of the Swan, and like me had been reading good reports of their quality on SlideMeister.
Well, the thing leaked like a sieve, and it was easy to see why. You could see light shining between the layers of mouthpiece, slide assembly and comb.
Nothing could be done to fix this by adjusting, tightening, or even pressure clamping.
Sending it to a customizer would have cost more than the harp. Barring getting out tools to sand surfaces flat and re-bend metal parts, all he could do was either eat the cost and chalk it up to experience, or try to return it for a refund as defective (which it clearly was).
That's the problem with cheap chromatics. Quality control is poor, so it's a crapshoot. Also, the reeds tend to be made from the smallest amount of material that will sound the note, so sound is not very robust.
Buying used can be economical if you're experienced in harmonica repair and willing to roll up your sleeves and invest some time. You can't trust seller descriptions. Basically you're buying a pile of parts, and you hope that some of them are usable. A wood comb could be broken, cracked, warped, or fouled with food or mildew or worse, while plastic combs can break, warp and even crumble, reeds could be broken or fatigued to the point of failure, the slide could be warped - and so on. Or you could get lucky and have a pristine, in-tune, dream of a harp. But don't count on it.
My best advice is to simply save your pennies and spring for a new, solid quality instrument. Suzuki SCX-48, Seydel Deluxe (don't go for the unvalved Standard model, chromatics without valves leak too much air), and Hohner CX-12 are all solid choices. Much as I love the classic sound and feel of the venerable Hohner 270, the wood comb can be leaky. But all of these are in the $150-$200 range and all are available in F.
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Winslow
Last Edited by WinslowYerxa on Mar 12, 2013 10:47 AM
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PeterG
11 posts
Mar 12, 2013
12:44 PM
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Talk to Dick Gardner, Precision Harmonica Restoration. I wrote him and he was very helpful on the subject of chromatics and had some new and used to sell. You can find his contact info by Googling. Let us know if you end up buying from him. I may down the road when I'm ready to pull the trigger.
He played with Jerry Murad's Harmonicats for 22 yrs., so I would say he knows a thing or two about chromatics and I dare say you'd be better off buying one he's inspected and refurbished than something off eBay.
Last Edited by PeterG on Mar 12, 2013 1:10 PM
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Brendan Power
338 posts
Mar 12, 2013
2:32 PM
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Don't forget Hering - in terms of bang for your buck they are hard to beat, and they make a a couple of their chromatic models in all 12 keys. BP
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Gnarly
500 posts
Mar 12, 2013
3:31 PM
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Hering harmonicas are well known for having a sweet sound. But the reeds are easy to break and warranty repair can be a problem.
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harpburn
30 posts
Mar 12, 2013
4:49 PM
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Thanks, guys, I'll look into Hering.
@WinslowYerxa I've got no problem with my 16-hole Swan
at the moment. I actually prefer it by a mile to my chomonica - better tone, better slide action, the windsavers won't stick like with the chromonica.
But your right about CX-12s they look and sound great. Maybe if a second hand one comes along, I'll go for it.
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Gnarly
502 posts
Mar 12, 2013
9:19 PM
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Rockin Ron has the SCX in F for $163--is that too much?
One year warranty, right here in the USA!
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harpburn
31 posts
Mar 13, 2013
4:14 PM
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@Gnarly
$163... um, yes, I was thinking more around the cheap, Swan harp range e.g. $30 or so in various keys. But from what I've seen of Hering on Eagle music, it looks good! Think I'll buy one.
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Sarge
315 posts
Mar 13, 2013
7:42 PM
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I have 2 Hering chromatics that I have played for quite some time with no problems. I like them better than the 270's I've had.
Wisdom does not always come with old age. Sometimes old age arrives alone.
Last Edited by Sarge on Mar 13, 2013 7:43 PM
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JD Hoskins
608 posts
Mar 13, 2013
7:46 PM
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I have a Hering comb and reed plates in an old 270 that I've played for four years now with no issues.
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Unlike some here, I don't KNOW everything, just some things and mostly I just have opinions and beliefs, which many of us understand are just that.
Last Edited by JD Hoskins on Mar 13, 2013 7:47 PM
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Gnarly
503 posts
Mar 13, 2013
8:53 PM
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I don't know lots of things--in all honesty, most of you would not embrace me as Modern Blues Harmonica player.
I AM interested in advancing the chrom, since it is somewhat confusing, even to great harmonica players.
And I don't encourage anybody to spend money on cheap harmonicas, I say spend as much as you can!
But that's just me . . .
I HAVE managed to keep from buying chord harmonicas, at least . . . even resisting the Harmonetta, maybe if someone showed me how to repair them first. We just lost a great Harmonetta player, Bob Herndon.
So anyway, I'm not trying to contradict anybody, thanks for your time.
Gary
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harpburn
32 posts
Mar 14, 2013
12:47 PM
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Thanks, Gnarly, thank you all. I think we can consider this one answered.
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boris_plotnikov
834 posts
Mar 14, 2013
2:18 PM
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I have three Swan 1664, they are not perfect, but playable.
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Excuse my bad English. Click on my photo or my username for my music.
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