A while ago I posted a question about what new harmonica to get to upgrade from my horner bluesband. The S 20 was highly recommended so I got a brand new S20, same key for comparison. Anyway, I played a few melody lines of songs and the two seemed very similar the S20 had a slightly richer sound maybe, but there didn't seem to be much difference. However, when I started playing the opening solo of "Love Me Do" The S20 outpreformed the bluesband in both sound quality and easy of play. So I guess the more difficult the song is, the better the S20 is.

P.S. The question I have is this. When I got my horner bluesband it was very shiny silver and astetically pleasing. However, after a few months of play the silver color dulled and became a gray color. Obviously the most important thing is the quality of the harp, but I would like to keep my new harmonica looking good. Do any of you know how to keep a harp looking new?

Basically, the grayish tone is from the oxidation of the covers. I don't remember if the Special 20 has the same kind of coverplates or not. Usually, if the covers are plated, you have this issue, but normally, the low-quality plating that oxidizes like this is only used in the cheaper harps. The higher quality harps use either chrome plating, enamel, or stainless steel. These don't tend to discolor as much if at all.

Can you get new cover plates? Or are you better off just getting a new harp?

If you use metal polishes you should be able to get it back to the orginal color, but then I wouldn't want to put that on my mouth afterwards.

I'm glad to hear the S20 is workin' out for you Aaron. (grin)))

I don't know if there is much to do with a cheapo harp oxidating, but to keep your S20 lookin' sharp, keep a hankie nearby while you play. I keep a hankercheif to shake my harp into after playing and for wiping down... it helps.

~always Maria.

thanks everyone, I have noticed that when I play there are fingerprints on the coverplates so I will wipe those off with a hanky. The oils that your hand impart on the metal can't be good for it.

I was carrying my Big River C harp in a Hohner leather pouch in my back pocket and eventually the cover plates bent a little. It still sounded okay though, the reeds were not damaged.

The thing is, if the trade-off is being able to play more over appearance, my choice is playing more and wearing the harp out.

But you can bet my Delta Frost goes in a safer FRONT pocket.

For awhile, I was carrying my Marine Band "A" harp in a leather pouch, in my back pocket, and one day, when I was on the pottie, I almost lost it in the toilet! lol I moved fast with my tushie, to keep it from fallin' in, but in the process bent the bottom cover plate slightly & lost one of the screws. (shagrin)))

I suppose it's not as airtight as it once once, but the sound seems to be okay. (wink, grin)))

The moral of the story is to NOT carry a harmonica in a back pocket... especially when ya sit on the pottie!!! roflamo!!!

I keep mine in the fifth pocket on my jeans.

Doesn't it stick out a bit?

just a little but it isn't in the way for me.

I never carry things in my back pocket not even my wallet, so my harmonica should be safe
:-)



Post Edited (01-04-06 16:47)

Doesn't it hurt if you sit on it though

I would certainly think so, to me even sitting on a wallet is uncomfortable.

It used to be uncomfortable for me to sit on my wallet, especially since I have the George Castanza wallet, but now it doesn't bother me. In fact when I wear jeans and take my wallet out it bothers me when i sit down, it feels weird.

Since I wear a belt, I went to a cutlery store and got a belt sheath for a large folding knife. I had tried many other ways to carry a harp, (back pocket is probably the worst, unless you never sit down. It WILL crush) carrying the harp on my hip works quite well. The harp is out of the way for most activities, wrestling and laying (working?) under the vehicle excepted. The harp is avalable for instant use should any musical emergency arise. And the harp is reasonably protected. Many people carry there cell phones on there hips these days (an idea stolen, I was carrying harmonicas that way before small cell phones) so why not carry the harp that way?

Keep Wailin Pat the Harp Rat

Lol my belt used to look like the bat utility belt. In my old job I used to have to carry two pagers, a cell phone, a knife and a handsfree device so I could work with both hands and still talk.