windbag
1 post
Feb 07, 2011
2:20 PM
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Hey,
I'm a noob here from the NC mountains.
Played my "slobber trap" as my dad called it, a lot as a kid, but quit a long time ago. I just got the urge to try it again.
I followed Adam's advice and got a Hohner Marine Band. I'm impressed. I expected Chinese junk. It's actually pretty well made for twenty-five bucks.
I'm having fun with it already. Yeah, I'm already thinking about more harmonicas. I'm not into it enough to be thinking expensive instruments, tho. Soooo a dumb question.
When I was prowling ebay, I kept finding "Hohner Blues Band" harmonicas, dirt cheap, (like five bucks new). Cheap enough to make me suspicious. What gives with them?
Thanks IA
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KevinS
12 posts
Feb 07, 2011
2:25 PM
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Be afraid, be very afraid.... IMO Marine Band or Special 20, good bang for the buck.
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Ray
303 posts
Feb 07, 2011
2:37 PM
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Welcome. It's better to have one good $25-$35 harp than 5 or 6 cheap ones. IMHO. :o)
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OzarkRich
385 posts
Feb 07, 2011
4:40 PM
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Welcome! Hohner makes both the "Blues Band" (junk) and the "Blues Harp" (decent). Don't confuse the two.
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LeonStagg
267 posts
Feb 07, 2011
5:02 PM
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Welcome windbag, glad you joined us, enjoy!
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nacoran
3783 posts
Feb 07, 2011
8:52 PM
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Welcome aboard. Marine Bands are made in Germany! Blues Bands are Chinese made, only good for practicing customizing on when you know you are going to break it. If you gap them correctly they'll play, but the way they bend the covers leaves a jagged edges on the cover that will tear your lips up. There are a whole group of Hohner harps that seem to be the same harp with different covers. Of the bunch the Piedmonts plastic covers are probably the easiest on the lips, but they taste foul until you play them for a few days. Eventually the taste goes away and you are left with 7 harmonicas for $20-$30 bucks total, and a decent carrying case.
For most people though it's better to invest in one good harp. A nice Hohner Special 20, Golden Melody, or Marine Band will usually be a pretty good harp. Lee Oskars are good, although they aren't as good for some more advanced playing. Suzuki and Seydel make nice harps, but again, you probably have to spend at least $20. Some people like Hering too. They are a little cheaper. Sometimes it's worth checking the cart price at Amazon to see if anything is on sale, but in general Rockin Rons seems to be the favorite shop for online harps in the U.S.
Be wary of anything under $20. Some people like the Big Rivers for a cheap harp.
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Nate
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