well the other day i notest that i have alot of old broken harp form all the companies, so i thought id rate each on the harps i have played, for each brand ill give a 5 star rating and easch review will be on at least 3 harmonicas.



HERING



harps ive had- Vintage 1923, hering blues, and the golden blow

now hering harps for me are hit and miss, the vintage in high keys is rubbish with it being the most leaky harps ive played but in low keys is outstanding, the hering blues is much like the speciel 20, an good average harp, but the golden blow, which ive not owned but had the privalige to play is unbeliveable. Its a custom harp of sorts that plays so well but it has the same reeds as the hering blues, and this showed me how much a little alteration can go a long way.

there durable, feel good in the hands and if you have the right key there great, but there inconsistant , with some not being gapped well and squeaking.

i will buy more but inconsistancy and the high key problem makes me take marks off these otherwise good harmonicas.

DURABILITY ***
last awhile but the low reed have a tendency to go quicker.

PLAYABILITY ***
really good for the golden blow,hering blues average, vintage mixed good-bad.

TONE ***
with the vintage its punchy and full, average with the others.

PRICE *****
very cheap with both the vintage and blues coming in under £20.


Overall 3.5 out of 5



HOHNER



harps ive had- marine band, golden melody, pro harp, blues harp, puck, xb-40.


these are the most famous and most popular and harmonicas like the marine band and golden melody, which are great, help to inbed this view. But dispite hohners reputaion there harp do little to inspire me, with there ms harps the pro harp and the blues harp being weak and poor players.

but thier golden melody and marine band save them, both being very good, the marine band for its tone and ease of play and the golden melody for it bending and overblowing capabilities. also the ambisous xb-40 is good although it takes getting used to.

all of these harps have acommon fault though, there all easier to break than other brands, i will buy more but there durability is there achilles heel.


DURABILITY **

the marine band and ms harp are bad, the golden melody and xb-40 are a little tuffer.

PLAYABILITY ***1/2

the marine band, golden melody and xb-40 are good, the ms harps poor.

TONE ****

almost all have a decent tone with the marine band topping the charts.


PRICE ****

mostly resonable with the averge about £25 or so, the xb-40 is an exception.

OVERALL 3.6 out of 5



HUANG



harps ive had- bacpac, star performer and silvertone

first off, let me say that the bacpac is bad, and painful to play so that the last on that. i still have the scars.

the other two are fine, both have ok tone play well and if tweaked sound fantastic, but inconsitanty is rife and ive never had two the same, one will play like a custom harp the next wont even sound, but for what the are there not bad.

there cheap, there useable, bar the bacpac, and for the money paid play fine, but dont expect miracles.

DURABILITY **
not the strongest but hay there cheap.

PLAYABILITY **
not bad but far from great.

TONE **
a little thin but i find the silvertone punchier than the others.

PRICE *****
cant knock it, they were all under £10, very cheap indeed.

OVERALL 2.75 out of 5



SEYDEL



harps ive had- big six, favourite, soloist pro, 1847

the favourite is great slick and easy it play with big sound and comfort, same with soloist pro, the wood comb resonating it good strong tone. There 1847 with it steel reed is surprisingly simarlar in sound but big on the volume and long lasting because of the materials strengh. The big six preforms the same dispite it small size.

Seydels harps are all very good, strong, easy to play with a great sound, and those with the steel reeds (1847,bigsix) have great durability. The range of tunings also is amazing, over 200 for the favourite, which frankly is mind boggleing.

Seydels harps are great in every aspect, and i buy with confidence, knowing there constistant product will perform brillantly even in my hands. And thats not ever talking about there quality and sound!

DURABILITY ****
good alround but the steel one are longer lasting then the others.

PLAYABILITY *****
easy, all are fantastic to play and so simple because of the airtightness.

TONE ****
very rich and warm throughout.

PRICE ***1/2
there more expensive but your paying for better quality, so not to bad.


OVERALL 4.1 out of 5



SUZUKI


harps ive had- bluesmaster, promaster, pureharp, firebreath, harpmaster, hammond harp.

suzuki harmonicas are great, the promaster blusemaster and hammondharp all playing like a dream, easy, rich, and full. the firebreath and purharp are also mavellous both have a warm tone and great overblowing and bend capabilities, and the cheapest the harp master is also fantastic, with the same properties as the bluemaster.

they are all great, easy to play harps with those with the bronze reeds lasting a long time. i will never stop buying suzukis for they are amazing in ever aspect.

DURABILITY ****
very good indeed but i find that the firebreath and pureharp to be weaker.

PLAYABILITY *****
the easiest, and most enjoyable of all the brands.

TONE *****
rich and full of character.

PRICE ***
most good but the firebreath and pureharp overpriced.

OVERALL 4.25 out of 5



TOMBO


Harps ive had- aero reed, ultimo and lee oskar.

the aero reeds very good, so is the ultimo and so is the lee oskar, thats the problem ive got, good but thats my problem and love for these insturments, there so good, so average and consitant that there hard to critise and to prise other that there good, but there more than that.

there strong, there loud, there cheap to get new reeds for and there easy to play, the only flaw is there difficulty in get overblows. Thats how good they are.

i love tombo, the aero reeds bright rocky sound exspecalily and i will buy them again because there strong and the sort of harp you cant go wrong with.

DURABILITY ****
consistanly strong and in my view the most difficult to break but by no means indesrucable.

PLAYABILITY ****
a little harder than the seydels and suzuki but easy non the less.

TONE ****
bright and lively.

PRICE ****
good but have gone up a bit recently

OVERALL 4 out 5




the table

1.SUZUKI 4.25
2.SEYDEL 4.1
3.TOMBO 4
4.HOHNER 3.6
5.HERING 3.5
6.HUANG 2.75

now each company has good and bad points but i must say that there all very good, and you should really try out each of them, because (apart for huang really) there all quality harp makerS with great and different harps.



Post Edited (2009-04-20 08:54:47)

Great review!!
I've been wondering how Suzuki and Seydel compare.

Thanks man!

well as you see gene it is close, but to be honest they are the two i buy most of, there in my opinion and experience the best.

Lots of good first-hand information there Justice, but I think we're all really wondering, which one tastes the best?
Just kidding. Very well done!

well if you really want to know gat, id say the hering vintage, got that real nice brassy taste!

Does anyone out there in harmonica land have experience with the Brazilian harmonicas BENDS? I want to get one just for the novelty. How do they compare with Special 20 or Lee Oskar?
Thanks, Paul

This forum post sux!!! I have been playing huang harps for over 20 years and they lead me to a very successful and great career how dare you, you crazy fag even begin to say they are bad im coming to get you suka!!!!
Just kiddin lol huang sux
haha

I had a Huang Star Performer. It's pretty good for a toy.

Hey
Thanks for the above ratings....I am new to this site and only starting to get serious about bluesy harp playing. You have helped me to make a decision on a better harp to buy soon. I play guitar and keyboards in jam sessions and want to start playing harp as a backup.
Thanx

So, which one are you going to get, and why?

I like the seydel 1847 for its apparent ease of playing and bending and because of it's quality. I have also thought about the hohner special 20 but I'd like to hear them both 1st.
Cheers

Got another harmonica brand to add to the list Bends, played three of them now for while and heres how thy stand up.

BENDS


Harps ive Played- Juke, Adagio, Croma

First bends i got was the juke, And for my first Bends harp i was impressed, looks just like a marine band and plays like one, and you cant go wrong with that, easy to play with semi stable overblows possible, strait out of the case, the zipper case that comes with each one. Very Handy. (Snapped a reed after about a week of very hard playing, not great)

I like the Duke and thought it of a high enough standard to go for another so i got the Adagio, the only bend harmonica with all over coverplates. These harp is good, smooth plastic comb, the warm sound of the juke and great ease of play, for the price. (Hardy, good for my 'aggresive' Style)

So i thought i would get there premium model the croma, and my my its a beautiful harp. The black cover plates, crome covered reed plates the the trasparent resin comb looks beautiful, And it plays like a dream anything you try it will do, the only problem i found was it was a liitle out of tune, but a little bit of tweeking sorted that out.

Overall, good harps, cromas ace for beginners and pros alike, but i do love adagio, that one just fits me.



DURABILITY ***1/2
Sturdy, but no volvo.

PLAYABILITY ****
lovely, Real nice real smooth.

TONE ****
Rich, Warm and weridly funky.

PRICE ***1/2
Not that cheap but then i had to get them shipped over for the US.

OVERALL 3.75 out of 5


Another great harp maker in my books.



Post Edited (2010-09-28 17:57:36)