isaacullah
689 posts
Feb 07, 2010
1:37 PM
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I just bought a couple of Special 20's in the new "blister packs", and I thought I'd pass on the slightly humorous description that Hohner has printed on the back:
"This harp is the new standard by which all others are measured in terms of response, superior bendablity and tone. It's special airtight design makes it the most recommended go-to harp for harmonica players of any style, including blues, country, folk or rock. The plastic comb doesn't absorb moisture making it longer lasting. It is the Harp of choice of harmonica virtuoso John Popper (of Blues Traveler). Chances are that your favorite harp player has several of these harps in his case."
I was not aware that the special 20 was the new standard by which all harps are to be judged! Watch out B-radical!
PS. I want to be just like John Popper when I grow up... That's why I ONLY play Special 20's!
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The magnificent YouTube channel of the internet user known as "isaacullah"
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jonsparrow
2148 posts
Feb 07, 2010
1:42 PM
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"Chances are that your favorite harp player has several of these harps in his case."
chances are slim.
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javajoe
59 posts
Feb 07, 2010
2:23 PM
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Yeah, they're in his CASE.. not in his mouth!
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Elwood
326 posts
Feb 07, 2010
2:27 PM
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I'm your favorite harp player? Or are they still talking about Popper?
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sonvolt13
31 posts
Feb 07, 2010
2:37 PM
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I've used special 20s for about 10 years (pretty much exclusively). I like them quite a bit. My biggest beef is that Hohner does not sell replacement reed plates. That's bad for the environment and my wallet.
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javajoe
60 posts
Feb 07, 2010
2:43 PM
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The MB's, Golden Melody's and the Special 20's are in a class Hohner calls "Hand-made". Anyone know what that entails that is different from the MS class harps?
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hvyj
133 posts
Feb 07, 2010
6:01 PM
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Sugar Blue also plays Special 20s.
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HarmonicaMick
79 posts
Feb 07, 2010
6:15 PM
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Isaac,
"I was not aware that the special 20 was the new standard by which all harps are to be judged!"
I think they might be referring - though, admitedly somewhat vaguely - to the fact that they invented that style of harp, with recessed plates and the ability to put in so many screws without compromising the comb's stability.
The Lee Oskar, the Suzuki Blues Master and Harp Master, the Hering Blues, and countless others are all basically copies of that design.
It might not seem like a big deal now, but back in circa 1975, when your choice as a beginner was limited to potentially lip-shredding, rough wooden combed harps, the Special 20 must have seemed pretty radical.
sonvolt13,
"I've used special 20s for about 10 years (pretty much exclusively). I like them quite a bit. My biggest beef is that Hohner does not sell replacement reed plates. That's bad for the environment and my wallet."
They do sell replacement reed plates. In the UK, Harmonicas Direct will ship them world-wide. Harponline also sell them. Without checking, I think they retail for £12.95, about £12 less than a new harp.
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YouTube SlimHarpMick
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CJames
171 posts
Feb 07, 2010
8:22 PM
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Special 20s are a fine instrument, especially when gapped/ customized right. They have a great rounded and loud tone and are incredibly easy to bend/overblow on. All comes down to personal taste.
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jonsparrow
2158 posts
Feb 07, 2010
8:31 PM
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sp20 is a great harp. i started out playing mostly then, but then my ears decided on marine band insted.
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MJ
67 posts
Feb 07, 2010
8:45 PM
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I like and play the Special 20. I openeed up the backs of mine . They give a nice crisp loud sound. I also have a set of Suzuki bluesmasters for a lower toned or mellow sound, and a couple of odd ball Seydel Pro and Suzuki harpmasters. The Lee Oskars I own are 3rd string backups. I have a few MB Blues harps in b keys as well as a couple of minor key LOs. However, I will say that the Special 20 is my favorite set.
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javajoe
62 posts
Feb 07, 2010
9:54 PM
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Okay, I was just funnin' around... (you put 'Popper' AND 'Special 20' in the same post and you're bound to get some reactions.) I'll confess, I was a SP20 player many years ago and still have a few I play. (Low F and F#) They're a fine harp just a little 'soft' for my taste and I too, gravitated to the MB.
They do seem more airtight than an OOTB Marine Band though.
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sonvolt13
32 posts
Feb 08, 2010
6:21 AM
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Mick,
Thank you for the info. on Sp20 reedplates. With the poor exchange rate and shipping (I live in New York) I'm not sure if it would be worth it. I wish there was an online store like harponline.de in the US. They are the model all others should follow IMO.
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shanester
96 posts
Feb 08, 2010
6:24 AM
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I hear you, jon. I have almost a complete set of special 20's, and I love the comb and the action on them, but I have come to love that marine band sound.
Well, a couple of days ago I cut vents into the covers of my C and it really does give them an edgier, raspier tone. Did my G yesterday. I will probably do my whole set, takes about a half hour to do nicely.
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http://www.youtube.com/1shanester
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Andrew
884 posts
Feb 08, 2010
6:30 AM
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I only have MBs and a GM, and I was thinking of getting an SP20, but I can see that there's no point.
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Kinda hot in these rhinos!
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saregapadanisa
123 posts
Feb 08, 2010
6:59 AM
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Isaacullah, if you enjoy Hohner's sense of humour, try this one (from hohner's MB blurb) :
"Play the Marine Band and be a part of history"
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MJ
69 posts
Feb 08, 2010
7:42 AM
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Technically, if you do anything , or even nothing, you will be part of some sort of history.
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isaacullah
695 posts
Feb 08, 2010
9:45 AM
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Hey guys, yeah, I don't absolutely hate the Spec 20's (or else I certainly would not have bought them!), but I did find that blurb to be a bit on the absurd side... I mean, I know they are trying to sell harps, but several of those statements would be VERY difficult to substantiate. They might as well have added "If we don't say so ourselves!" at the end of it! Come on!
"Play the Marine Band and be a part of history" is also quite absurd, but perhaps not so absurd as saying "This harp is the new standard by which all others are measured in terms of response, superior bendablity and tone." about the Spec 20. First off, it's not a NEW anything. If it came out in 1975, then it's a 35-year-old design by now. And second, I'm not sure that there IS a "standard", but if there is one, surely it's a harp like the Marine Band, which has been around for more than 100 years in more or less the same form? Right? I'm pretty sure most other harp manufacturers are no longer comparing there products against the Spec 20, if they ever did. I agree that it was an innovation when it first came out, and that there are some blatant copies of it. But to say that all current plastic-combed harps are still derived directly from the Spec 20 isn't quite correct. Descended from a similar idea? Yes. Derivative of? No. The differences in reedplates, reed morphology, tuning sytems, comb design, coverplate designs, etc. within the universe of "plastic=combed harps" is quite extreme! Definitely more so than in the universe of "wooden-combed harps". (BTW, I'm not picking on ya' Mick, just trying to make a point... You know? :) )
And for the record, yes, I WAS hoping to buy Marine Bands that day, but sadly, they did not have the keys. I was NOT going to go back to MS harps (i'm done with them due to several quality control issues with tuning, that I term "factory sanctioned reed abuse"), and I was NOT going to buy any Lee Oskars (I HATE their coverplates. IMO, the worst harp coverplate design possible was to make the numbers indented so much. Terrible idea.), so the Spec 20 was my only option. Not a bad one at all, just not my first choice.
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The magnificent YouTube channel of the internet user known as "isaacullah"
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HarmonicaMick
81 posts
Feb 08, 2010
10:07 AM
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Hey Isaac,
I never take any offence at your posts. You're always a civil sort of chap. :-)
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YouTube SlimHarpMick
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congaron
512 posts
Feb 08, 2010
10:09 AM
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I will say that I prefer the tone of the marine band. I will also say the tone of the special 20 suits me just fine too. I will also say i recommend the special 20 to anybody brand new to give them the lion's share or confidence that the harp is not the problem on holes 1-4 draw bent. Not that I have bad experience with marine bands, but my A harp DID need a tweak on the 3 hole draw to tighten the gap. Two months before that, i wouldn't have been able to bend it or know if it was me or the harp. I haven't gotten a special 20 yet that wasn't fully functional on all draw and blow bends, with at least the 6 hole overblow and usually the 5 right out of the box. For me, marine band is worth the tiny extra effort. For a total newbie, I'm more confident recommending the special 20.
I always play a new harp in the store right after I buy it just because the store folks get a kick out of it. I've never had either one be unplayable in that scenario, but the marine band in A did need a tweak when i got home to make it perfect for me. For that matter, i bought a yellow plastic hohner harp that played fine in the store too...needed very little work to make it nearly as good as a special 20, but not as sweet sounding.
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isaacullah
699 posts
Feb 08, 2010
10:13 AM
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Mick: Ditto! :)
@shanester: What did you use to cut the slots? A dremel and a cutting disk, or a drill press and normal drill bit? Or something else entirely? I want to try this out...
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The magnificent YouTube channel of the internet user known as "isaacullah"
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shanester
97 posts
Feb 08, 2010
10:57 AM
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isaacullah: I pretty much followed Kinya Pollard's method completely. Here's the link:
http://www.harmonicasessions.com/feb08/Pollard.html
It's pretty easy, just watch for your drill walking, the filing is pretty quick. This guy has great harmonica tweaking info in all the back issues!
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http://www.youtube.com/1shanester
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isaacullah
700 posts
Feb 08, 2010
11:29 AM
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Great, thanks Shanester. Yeah, I was aware of two methods. The Kenya Pollard one you linked to, and using a cutoff wheel. I can't remember exactly who it was that I saw did it that way, but it was a fellow forum member. I think he might have posted about it in the "show us your harps thread". I'll search there... I'm not sure which way I'll do it yet. Maybe a hybrid of the two... ;)
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The magnificent YouTube channel of the internet user known as "isaacullah"
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Pimpinella
72 posts
Feb 08, 2010
11:45 AM
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javajoe, MS was Hohners approach to make a almost completely machinery build harmonica. To make it short: It didn't turn out well. MS harps are still partially made by machines (like riveting, centering) but partialy hand made, tuning and gapping i think.
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