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Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! >
Rocket dimensions
Rocket dimensions
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Roverharp
75 posts
Mar 03, 2020
3:09 AM
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Hey all,
Just wondering if someone with a Hohner Rocket can confirm the combs hole size?
For Special 20’s I measure about 4mm x 5mm. I understand Rocket holes are a little wider.
Do you like the wider holes?
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SuperBee
6526 posts
Mar 03, 2020
5:19 AM
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They chamfered the ends of the tines which has the effect of appearing to make the holes bigger.
They feel a bit different under the tongue.
I’m truly ambivalent about it. It’s just different to a special 20. I don’t like it, and I don’t dislike it. I can tell the difference.
I own only one rocket, have played quite a few. I like the harp, but I like the sp20 too. My view is that the 20 is already so good it’s very difficult to significantly improve it. The covers are great, the comb is good, I like the harp better than the 20, but I love the 20 and it’s good enough for me
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Rice_Nachos
5 posts
Mar 04, 2020
4:35 PM
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I agree with what SuperBee said. I even have one Rocket and several SP20s.
The Rocket holes are beveled, but the SP20 holes are squared. They use the same reed plates. If you measured from the center of each hole (e.g., center of hole 1 to center of hole 2), Rocket and SP20 are the same. There's a different feel if you tongue block. I wonder if you'd even notice any difference otherwise.
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the_happy_honker
316 posts
Mar 06, 2020
3:55 AM
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Hohner has done a lot of small things to the Rocket, none of them earth-shatteringly great, but they add up to a better harp (IMO), and I pay for it (I've got 9 of them).
I like the protruding lip. I used to think I would like a perfectly rounded front and I tried cutting down and shaping the combs on my Special 20s to approximate that. I wanted to like it, but really I didn't. But to prove to myself that I made the right choice to irreversibly modify my Special 20s, I bought a Rocket and was pleasantly surprised to find the opposite was true. I get a better seal with less pressure with the protruding lip.
I LIKE the rounded edges on the cover plates and sides of the comb. It is easier on the lips and feels more solid in the hand. With the Special 20 there are a lot of edges and corners that have to be sanded and buffed before it becomes comfortable to play. Granted, it doesn't take long to do, nor is it difficult, but it is nice.
I like the Marine Band-style vented Rocket covers which are also more open at the back. The more enclosed Special 20 covers suppress both bass and treble, giving it a mid-focused, quacky sort of sound. If that is what you want and like, fine. I prefer the more even response of the Marine Band.
The Marine Band Deluxe, Crossover and Rocket all have beveled edges to the channels. I actually prefer the more squared-off edge of the Marine Band Classic and Special 20, but it is no big deal, it takes 30 seconds to adjust and then I forget about it
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Rice_Nachos
6 posts
Mar 06, 2020
4:21 PM
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@the_happy_honker: I agree wholeheartedly about the edges and corners. Rocket has much better feel, fit, and finish. I also like how the key is more clearly marked.
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