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- Jambone
- Musician's Friend has dug up this really affordable piece. The 3-pack costs less than one standard blues harmonica!
Jambone Harmonica
Jambone Harmonica 3-Pack - Kay 3 Chicago Blues
- Probably not a very good instrument, but look at the price!!!
Kay 3 Chicago Blues Harmonica - Hohner Pro Harp
- Basically a Blues Harp with a plastic block. The Pro Harp has been around for a while, but never really caught on, perhaps because electric blues players prefer a louder sounding instrument, while acoustic musicians are prepared to accept the extra hazzle of a wooden block to get the best possible sound. Of course, the fact that Hering Free Blues offers all the qualities of the Pro Harp at a lower price, doesn't help much either...
Hohner Pro Harp Harmonica - Hohner Cross Harp
- A more luxurious version of the blues harp with thicker plates for a more powerful sound. Beautiful colour too, don't you think? The body is actually gold-anodized! As I said: luxurious. Wish I had one myself!
Hohner 565/20 Cross Harp Harmonica
You can buy this at Apollo's Axes too. Musician's Friend was cheaper last time I checked, but there wasn't much of a difference, and it doesn't hurt to check it out for yourself. Besides, if you buy at Apollo's you can pick up those two cute little one-dollar blues harmonica pocketbooks too! Buying everything in one place means less postage costs, you know! :-) - Hohner Big River
- I'm not sure what to say about this one. Basically it's a Blues Harp with a lower price tag. It can be every bit as good as it's more expensive twin brother, but from what I've heard, the production quality is extremly uneven.
Hohner 590/20 Big River Harmonica
Also available from Apollo's Axes. - Hering Free Blues
- Hering's budget model is one of my personal favorites nowadays. It's a modern modular instrument with a plastic block at a price well below its competitors. The sound is quite "loose" and rather soft, so you wouldn't want to use it in an electric band, but acoustically it's actully one of the nicest sounding plastic block harmonicas I've ever come across.
- Hering Hering Blues, Golden Blues and Black Blues
- These are supposed to be three different models, but judging by the specifications, the color is the only real difference between them. I haven't had the chance to try any of them myself yet, but according to what I've heard, they're high quality, modern, loud-voiced instruments. The price is a bit stiff, though.
- Hering Lightning Harp
- A harmonica with a built in microphone might sound like a good idea - at least until you take a look at the price tag. Definitely not the instrument you should start with, unless you just happen to have one at hand, of course.
- Hohner Pocket Pal
- I have no idea what this is, but it's darned cheap!
Hohner 81 Pocket Pal Harmonica - Hohner Meisterklasse
- Hohner's top of the range model. I've never heard of any blues players using it, though.
Hohner 580/20 Meisterklasse Harmonica - Hohner Hot Metal
- As far as I understand it, this one is supposed to have a tone more suitable for loud rock.
Hohner 572/20 Hot Metal Harmonica - Hohner Official Scout Harmonica
- Yep, that's right! This is the harmonica officially approved by the Boy Scouts of America. Maybe I miss the point, but to me this sounds like a rather tasteless case of blatant commercialism!
Hohner 530 Official Scout Harmonica - Hohner 365 Marine Band
- A Marine Band with a higher price. I suppose that means better craftmanship. I don't know for sure, though. I've never seen one of them.
Hohner 365 Marine Band Harmonica - Hohner Auto Valve
- Yet another Hohner model. Seems there's no end to them!
Hohner 105/40 Auto Valve Harmonica - Hohner Great Little Harmonica
- ...And yet another one.
Hohner 570/C Great Little Harmonica - Various Chinese brands
- The name might differ, but the instrument is the same. Apparently there's a huge Chinese factory pouring out cheap harmonicas with whatever brand name the buyer asks for. I've got a blues harp named "Skylark" which is a perfectly OK, although rather dull sounding, modular harmonica built around a transparent plastic block. It's definitely worth its more than modest price tag, but buying one might still be a bit risky. Other Chinese (non-blues) harmonicas I've tried are just crap, so I might just have been lucky with that one.
Seen enough? Go back to the common models!
| Site last updated . This particular page was created 15/02/2004 and last updated 13/11/2005 Site updates |