I'm about to purchase my first SP 20 but I've heard the new "progressive" version is much different and less desirable as the old SP 20. To purchase the classic style, it seems I have to purchase the five pack set.
Can you tell me what the difference is between the classic and progressive versions? Thanks all.
The simple answer is the covers are stamped different. Marketing.
Apparently also when they first came out they were gapped a little too high so new players wouldn't choke the reeds by accident.
I've heard anecdotal complaints by people who didn't like them, but I think that can be explained by the gapping (which is easy to fix) and just luck of the draw. Figure regular OTB luck, 1 in 10 isn't any good, then they stamp the covers differently and suddenly 1 in 10 people are complaining loudly that everything has changed.
That said, I haven't played a new one myself, but that is what I've heard. They are also supposedly gapping them lower now after some complaints.
Bikerpvc, I endorse Nacoran's post. The idea the special 20 changed when it was rebadged is wrong.
There was some bad gapping prevalent at that time, which also affected at least some of the other models. It's even possible that harps from that period are still sitting in shops and warehouses and you might get one. But it's an easy fix.
The differences? As Nate said, the cover plate stamps say 'progressive' There are two extra holes in the Reedplate to allow them to be used with the Rocket comb and covers. And the Reedplate screws are 1.6 mm instead of 2mm
Some of the early product still has 2mm screws as they used earlier run plates with the new covers.
Just the fact that they are using the same Reedplates on the rocket should be sufficient evidence there is no reduction in quality. The rocket is a fantastic harp.
I have both in my bag, play both in different keys, and can hear no significant difference, even with fresh batteries in my hearing aids. I haven't encountered the bad gapping issue noted above, but have done some adjustment here and there. I like SP20s, either version. Buy away.... ---------- Phil Pennington
I never had an "old" style sp20. But a progressive SP20 was actually my first harp. Well my first "Real" harp. I had put it down for a while, but I just recently started playing it again. And I think they play great. I almost wish I just stuck with the SP20 and didnt go around the world searching for "the best" harmonica. But thats all part of the fun I suppose.
I have since replaced all of my other special 20 combs with rocket combs and opened the back of the covers. Effectively making them Amps. But the original C has sentimental value sort of. So I've left it alone.
I have heard this same thing quite a few times, so I'm glad it's been cleared up because I was wondering this myself. I was thinking of ordering an A and G to complete a basic set and was a bit weary because of all this talk of lesser grade sp20s. But again, I've never had a problem with any of mine. ----------
In the past 2-3 years I have built in the neighborhood of 300 Special 20’s. I have about 75 new Special 20’s in stock right now. So this overlaps with the transition from the Marine Band Series to the Progressive Series. There was a lot of speculation at first that the reed plates on the new Progressive Series SP20 was different. Some believed the new reed plates were not as good and stirred up some rumors on the forums and Facebook.
SuperBee pretty much summed it up. When the transition from the Marine Band Special 20 to the Progressive Series Special first took place, a very high percentage of the new versions still had the older reed plates which use the M2.0 screws. Obviously Hohner had a stockpile of reed plates and they were not about to throw them away. They simply used them in the new model with different covers. I buy directly from Hohner USA (KHS America) so I am not buying harps that have been sitting on the shelf in a music store for several years. I buy the Special 20’s in individual keys and the Pro Packs of 3 and 5 harps. The Pro Packs don’t sell as quickly so I have a better chance of getting a harp with the M2.0 screws when they are a part of a Pro Pack. Also, the most common keys, G, A, Bb, C and D move through the pipeline faster than the other keys so I am more likely to get the old reed plates if I order a key like B, Dd, F#, etc. which as less popular. There are still some of the old stock left in those keys. That said, there are still plenty of new Progressive Series Special 20’s that have the M2.0 screws. I prepped about 40 Special 20’s for SPAH and at least 6-8 of them still have the M2.0 screws – and a lot of them were C’s and A’s which, one should think, would have passed through the pipeline completely by now – but no. One possible explanation is that when Hohner USA moved from Richmond to Nashville earlier this year, the old stock might have gotten shuffled to the back or mixed in with the new stuff. I dunno.
Bottom line, there is no way that Hohner would have created a brand new design for the Special 20 reed plates and two years after the launch of the Progressive Series still be selling them with the old plates if they were not the same as the new ones.
My SP 20 just arrived in my mailbox. I want sure what to expect. As I said before, I've never bought, played, or an experience at all with the SP 20. I'll keep this short. I've been playing this harp for 20 minutes. I'm so thrilled, so happy, so surprised. This harp is great. I love it. Most harps I buy never give me a lot of confidence on the higher notes. On this harp, I own the upper register! We shall see what it's like a couple weeks down the road but I have to say I am so pleasantly surprised at how well this harp responds right outta the box. I think I've been overlooking a great, low cost harp, for a long time. As for the SP 20, at this point I couldn't be happier!
I am referring to Nate's statement about the hammer. Abraham Maslow, auther of "A Theory of Human Motivations" in which he introducess his "Hierarchy of Needs". The "Law of the Instruemnt" says, "I suppose it is tempting, if the only tool you have is a hammer, to treat everything as if it were a nail."
So what am I missing? ---------- Tom Halchak www.BlueMoonHarmonicas.com
For some reason this talk of outside it's intended purpose use of hammers in a musical context brings to my mind the instruments of Harry Partch.
I was surprised to see when I was at San Diego State this summer for my sons music camp, one hallway in the music department lines with photos of his unusual instruments.
I only failed to give citation because I've heard it so many times I assumed it was a generic colloquialism like, "Can't keep a good man down", "You got peanut butter in my chocolate" and "A weasel never climbs a tree in boxer shorts on Friday".
