I played Hohners for about seventeen years. I tried Marine Bands, Special 20's, and Blues Harps. I guess I'm a heavy player because they all broke way too frequently. Next, I ventured into playing Lee Oscars. They were more responsive than the Hohners and did not brea as frequently. Another big plus is that they were easy to get parts for from a number of music stores. After twenty-five years of primarily Lee Oscar harps, I graduated to Suzukis. The early Suzuki harps were inexpensive, but very inadequate, which turned me off for a few years, but by 2000 or so they began offering a fantastic variety of models. I still have some Lee Oskars, and some well-used Hohners, but Suzuki has served me well for twenty years. I broke the bank and finally tried Seydel 1847's about a year ago, and liked them so much that I am slowly adding one key at a time to my collection. They won't ever totally replace my Suzukis, but they present a challenge that is rewarding once you stand up to them. They invite me to play as hard as I can, and I welcome that.
Sounds like my progression. Just recently got some Promasters and wow! I am impressed!!! What a gorgeous, well made instrument. Also picked up a Suzuki Bluesmaster for under $28 and what a steal. Great sounding harp from top to bottom....bright and fun.
From my limited experience, I have a similar feel about how each brand responds. The Seydel sounds different. Less brittle? It sounds like my Rocket after I EQ out some of the high frequencies out. The more I advance, the better I appreciate the Hohners. I try to play as softly as I can, working on my breath control. The Hohners reward me in spades. My Seydel on the other hand doesn't like that kind of playing. Still requires breath control but at another level of intensity. I understand why they make sense for gigging. Adrenaline plays tricks on us. We play harder. The Suzuki are finicky instrements. I quite like the new 2024 Manji Sky for it requires so little air. Still it will force you to have excellent technique. I use my Suzuki as learning tools. All these words to say main axes are Hohner Special 20, Rocket Amp, MB Deluxe and Crossover. Lee Oskar for their special tunings at an afordable price, but they need at minimum a good gaping down to be playable for me with my little air way of playing.
I prefer the Seydel Blues Favorite line. I play with a loud rock band. The harps are loud and don't need as much breath to play. They cut right through the mix and they are easy to work on. However if you squeeze them to hard the metal case will bend and screws pop. I even have a few that are gold plated.
This really should be testing three stock harps; tweaking can improve notes, even airtightness, and it confuses the question with two custom combs.The Special 20 has been maybe the dominant unit for more than 30 years among pros, from blues to country (see Charlie McCoy) perhaps because they are consistent, tunable, and the plastic is easy on the lips, never absorbs moisture nor warps. This is the one Seydel copied, and many use theirs now, like Charlie Musslewhite. The more open back and sides of MBs can sound more "folk bluesey" but technique can affect such to a degree, however amped the 20 has reigned. Modern MBs smartly have addressed the comb swell/warp with better sealing while striving to keep the wood sound; once sealed like most custom combs, the "wood" sound is debatable. The Rocket looks to blow the rest away, as it is louder, more consistent in bending easily, with little tweaking needed, but you have to back off it's so responsive. I still need to get a new SS cover for my 50 year old Blues Harp, though...
Good video. I have tried all three but changed to Lee Oskar because l can take covers off and back on easily if a reed gets stuck at a gig. Also l can interchange parts from broken spares, new reed plates are readily available and easy to replace and they “imbed” into the comb for air tightness. I file the 5 draw for what is called country tuning because l play melodically and the notes flow along well with the country tuning. Sometimes the numbers are embossed too deeply into the covers but l just sand over them a bit with a fingernail file. A couple of times l called about a problem and Lee Oskar was the responding tech. Harmonica playing is a great hobby.
Nice presentation Tomlin, I enjoyed your comparisons. These days I play Manji's and Bluesmaster's, they suit my playing. I started with Lee Oskars then my mate gave me a Hohner Blues Harp which I struggled with initially but when I found the Suzuki's my playing became more settled and my progress quickened.
I have tried all three. It's the Seydel 1847 for me. Honorable mention to Lee Oskar. Great to have your technical explanation about how and why they perform like they do.
I've been playing for 40 plus years. Born in the delta in Northern Mississippi and cut my teeth on Bourbon street in the French Quarters when I was 19. Trust me, nothing compares to a Lee Oskar Blister Pack and you can order all of the Lee Oscar replacement parts from Guitar Center and completely rebuild your Lee Oskar if needed. Seydel will sell you a 14 piece harmonica tool kit but you have to acquire loose parts from Germany. www.guitarcenter.com/search?typeAheadSuggestion=true&typeAheadRedirect=true&fromRecentHistory=false&Ntt=lee+oskar
@@drewmiller3462 thanks Drew. 40 years, respect. Im living in Ireland so getting parts shipped is easy, probably a 2 day wait. Get a channel, I'll subscribe.
I started on a Suzuki Bluesmaster, moved to the Manji. Still learning and evolving. Just a huge fan of a more durable reed, and the durability of a composite/plastic comb
Just started playing, purchased a honer special 20 in the key of "c" and so far it's been great, after 1 year i would like to get the special 20 pack that has all keys, thanks for the great video 👍
Thanks Tomlin ~ I have all three, but I find the Hohner MB Deluxe and the Crossover easier to play and more responsive. The Seydel is ok, but nothing special. I have two Suzuki's: the Manji and the Pro Master. The Pro Master reed blew out fairly early on and the Manji , like the Seydel, is okay, but not at the same playing quality as the Hohner. Comparing the Crossover and the MB Deluxe is more tricky. Although my MB Deluxe has been customized by Richard Sleigh so it bends easily, what I like most about it is that it is slightly bigger and heavier in my hand. So, it has a more substantial feel in my hand. What I like about the Crossover is the bamboo comb. I do not like the pear wood comb of the original Marine Band. It swells up when it get wet and it tastes funny to me. So, that's my take on the different harmonicas.
I have three Seydels as well as many others like LOs and Crossovers, as well as a selection of Horners, but I love the Seydels for the way they can be played. When I got the Low D, I was "blown away" at the depth of it. And what a beautiful harp! But I am planning to get a Suzuki or two, now.
Very informative video. I am a dedicated Hohner Blues Harp player-- recently ordered my first Special 20 (as a starter with Country Tuning). My primary playing is brass (Bass Trombone and Tuba)-- and so I come by your comment on aggressive playing honestly. I am admiring the Seydel models-- and I really love the sound you get out of them. By training I am a composer-- and am beginning to experiment with tuning options for an opera orchestration I will be starting in a year or so. My impression is the Seydel has the market on that flexibility as well.
I've pretty much always liked Special 20s. I got a few Lee Oskar Natural Minor harmonicas to play some of the jazz standards and really like them too. I was a more aggressive player and did blow out the Hohners too quickly I found. It was because of your tutorials that I am learning to play softer. I can always turn up the volume on my mic if I want to be heard.
My dad was a Hohner fan and inheriting his collection I found myself leaning toward Hohner. I like the sound and feel of them. I have played cheaper brands and they were ok but you do get what you pay for. There are more expensive brands that I don't have much experience with. Dad's favorite was the Marine Band which I like but have recently turned on to the Big River Harp.
After years of messing about with different harmonicas, I decided to save up and get a set of hohner meisterklasse diatonics and chromatic in C. Some don’t like the meisterklasse series, but I can say they have become my favorite among what hohner offers.
I'm a novice with a Suzuki Harpmaster and while I love the sound and the stiffness of the reeds, I definitely run into that choke issue. It's nice to hear that's not just an isolated problem with me or my particular harp, and I'm now more motivated to improve my technique to really master the harmonica.
I use a Suzuki Promaster for my everyday practice harp, and it is odd that every once and a while I start choking as well. The Suzuki forces me to good technique so I don't choke. The Suzuki, even in this video, you can hear has a louder clean sound with less air than the Horner. It is harder to bend on the Suzuki, so if you are still trying to bend half and full or even one and half, to get it right is easier on a Horner.
Technique and perhaps less air on those tricky draws. Been playing the same Lee Oskars HARD for the past 10 years and they have held up very well despite the continued abuse. I blow medium but love to draw hard and bend/growl like mad. Recently bought some Suzuki Promasters (D, C, B flat) and one Bluesmaster in G and am in love. The Promaster is incredible. Just infreakingcredible. The Stradivarius of harmonicas.
I could hear that the Seydel is warmer; less highs, the fundamental is emphasized. In real world, tho, it is more the ‘feel’ when you play than the tone of the particular harp. Most tone is embouchure, anyhow. I can get a good tone out of a Lee Oskar, I just hate the way they play.
i have been learning for just over a year, i have hohners, marine band, proffessional. special 20 blues and big river harp, i am learning to breathe lightly but can get aggressive if im in the zone. am looking for a deeper sounding harp. i like the sound of the seydel thanks. also heard a low d seydel and to me wow! this was helpful thank you
Me too I have 12 Bluesmaster's in different keys. I can vouch for there durability and there is a unique quality about them. Nothing to touch them in sound durability and quality.
Cheers Tomlin, that was probably the most informative comparison I've seen. Incidentally, I prefer the tone of the Marine Band out of the three. However, I've given up on Hohner and I'm now using Seydel Session Steels. I'm an 'aggressive' player (rubbish might be closer to the truth), and I'm sick of Hohners giving up on me. They also seem to have really poor quality control. Some last a long time, others blow out really quickly. For instance, I had a Blues Harp in Bb which I played all the time, and it lasted forever. I left it in a taxi recently, so I got a new one, which didn't last 2 weeks! :)
Of all the harps I own (20), the one Blues Harp I bought in A was the only disappointment. I had one in my early 20s and it was great, pl;ayed it to death over five years. But this one was so leaky when I got it that I hardly pick it up at all. Every time I do, I feel like I was scammed on a sale. Too bad Hohner doesn't seem to care about quality as much as they used to. The weird thing is that the six new Hohners I own are fine. (I own two very old Chromatic and ECHO models that are wonderful).
Thirty plus years ago I started out playing the Marine Band 1896. They sounded pretty good, but they would fall apart on me because of the nails. At that time I knew nothing about bending or second position. Later on I came upon the Suzuki Blues Master and fell in love. For me they were or are easier to play than the Marine Band. I have a few Seydels. They're good, but I prefer the Suzukis. In the past ten years I have acquire Special 20s, Crossovers, and Marine Band Deluxes all very good harmonicas, but I still prefer the Suzukis.
Honer with a mist of water before I play gives me a deeper tone when sending it to my sound system . I only play with a tube amp ! Tube amps are high cost to maintain but well worth it !
Hi Tomlin. Thanks for this - great video! I have been playing Hohner's pretty much since I started. I recently bought a Seydel. The change was good, because it forced me to be more precise with my bends. The extra effort to make the bends meant that I needed to be better targeted. I think this has helped my playing. I guess you could argue the other way too - maybe it really is about making sure - as you say - that you can move from one to another.
I’m a fan of the MBD too. My experience with Seydel is similar as well. I just got a Suzuki Olive and a Manji. I’ll use your review as a framework. Thanks.
I had a seydel 1847 once. I absolutely loved it. The problem is that it kept chopping my beard to the point it was so annoying I sold it and bought a Rocket. My favorites are the Crossovers. Incredible instrument, though pretty expensive.
Many thanks for the video, Tomlin! Seydel has been my primary choice, mainly because of their online custom configurator. You can get half-valved and custom tuned harps at a reasonable price.
Tomlin, I think your review is spot on! All 3 are excellent harps. I started out 40 yrs ago paying $10 for Hohner Marine Bands. Being an aggressive player, I started blowing them out (4 draw - 9 blow) very quickly. I tried a few different brands, but Rockin' Ron (Music4less) turned me on to the Seydel Blues Sessions w/steel reeds. I find them almost INDESTRUCTABLE! The cost is around $45, which makes them very affordable. I usually play the HMBs when going for the acoustic sound, & use the Seydels for amped blues/rock (through a Bulletini). It's also advantageous for players to learn to tune the reeds (using a chromatic tuner), & how to set up the reeds for good, responsive playing (videos on both available on YT). It is worth learning . Thanks (from Upstate NY) for doing this video brother, God bless! =[][][][]=
All great harps for sure though! All I had was a SP20 and a Rocket in A. I’m a beginner about 5 months in and decided to try a Suzuki. I didn’t get the Manji but went with the Promaster instead. Probably not the best choice being a beginner. At first I was blaming the harp. But of course I know it’s me. But as I’m using it more it’s really growing on me. It’s definitely a nice harmonica. Glad I bought it!
Love them all. I like my Olives, Session Steels, GOlden Melodies and Lee Oskars. I primarily play 1st position with my Lee Oskar Harmonic Minors. love that gyspy sound and surprising people with Star Wars themes (Imperial March, Binary Sunset). I just got some Rockets and Pentaharps.
As an intermediate player, I find the Hohner Special 20's (and Crossovers) more consistently easier to bend draw notes on, right out of the box, especially in the lower keys (G, Ab, A), with the Seidel 1847's being second easiest, and the few Suzuki's I have gotten (and Lee Oskars) least easy for bends. I used to play several Hohner Marine Bands, but I didn't like the feel of its wood reed on my tongue when tongue blocking. I prefer the feel of the plastic combs of the Special 20's and Seidels, the smoother wood of the Crossovers, and the metal Suzuki combs. I can't tell much difference in the tone/timber of the various brands and models--seems to me that's more player-dependent than harp-dependent.
Thanks Tomlin! I like Lee Oskars but I am enjoying immensely the Kongsheng TingHarps. They are Manjis look alike but far easier to play in my humble opinion. It would be interesting to hear you testing one of those...
I have two Kongsheng Solists that I really like as well, although my A used to have a really annoying rattle on the 2D, until I attacked it with some shims.
Great vid Tomlin, thank you. I've been playing Lee Oskars but just bought a Seydel and absolutely love it. Easy to make airtight and most hole bends are easier (apart from 4!). Probably technique!
I use Bluesmasters and Marine Band Deluxes, Suzuki Promaster (my regular) and a few Seydel Blues session - I find the Bluesmaster "sloppy" the Promaster makes me pay attention and the Seydel one I can relax on. The Promaster is my practice and everyday harmonica. The Horners I stick in my pocket and the Seydel is for special performance.
HI Tomlin I've blown my 4bend on one of my Hohner. I find the Lee Oscar more comfortable but I will get a Seydel 1847 as a teaching aid train hard play easy
Thanks for another cool video! I’m huge fan of Seydel 1847 Classic, sounds awesome, loooot of tunings, very comfortable for lips and extremely durable. Keep harping!
Thank you for your detailed explanation of the differences between these three brands! With my lung capacity at a third of normal, the Hohner is better suited. I'm just learning now. I use Special 20, which is independently customized so that it responds with minimal breathing. I.e., you can play very quietly!:) And thanks to your video, I understand that Crossover will be ideal as the next one.
Hey Tomlin! Thanks for the good advice and explanation of the playing style for those three harps. I tend to reach for the Special 20 which I am most comfortable with, but, I have a motley collection of other harps in various states of playing condition...
I've had sets of all these harps, and finally settled on the Seydel for the stainless steel reeds which were louder than the Hohner special 20's. However around 5 years ago I stumbled across the Yonberg Harmonicas out of France. At the time Seydel was making their reeds. They have the benefit of replaceable reeds, easily done, choice of either brass or stainless reed plates, air tight design, designed to be disassembled for tuning or cleaning, arrive tuned. Have only blown out one set of reeds in 5 years. I've learned to let the amplifier and the mic do the loud playing and appreciate not having to spend so much on new harps. I own two sets and replacement parts, could do repairs on stage if necessary, although with two sets have never had to. Depending on the schedule clean them weekly or monthly. The prices change a bit in relation to the value of the currency exchange rate but are in the ballpark with the harps compared in these demonstrations and I actually think I've saved a whole lot of cash by buying a set that will last me a lifetime. They have a slightly wider hole spacing that takes a little getting used to, but which once I was used to it gave me more control. The big difference in my playing came from buying a quality instrument, and practice of course, but I can't emphasize enough how a better quality instrument can make a person a better player. Look them up online. Jamy Lasell
The Stainless Steel and longevity with the Seydel is intriguing. James Cotton Played those. My style so far is a cross of him and Junior Wells. I also dig Billy Branch. Looks like I may have to just start experimenting. I'm out on the Wood reeds though. Seems like there could be maintenance issues
I do find that Seydels steel reeds last a long time. Recently, I bought a Kongsheng Solist and also a Kongsheng Bluebird. Gotta say, I’m impressed with both. The new Bushmans are nice too.
Great video Tomlin! Once again more reasons to have them all! Can never have too many. Agree, best to be non picky and play a variety! I have always done mb,s20,and bushman harps (which i think are a Suzuki in disguise). Will try Seydel now cause of this.
I myself, love the Seydel Blues Session Steel. It’s my go to. I use Lee Oscars for the folkier, more traditional sounding tunes. Have a couple Suzuki pro master valved that I liked for some bending, but as this video mentioned, too much force and your note goes away. Also, with the Suzuki, I find the spacing on the holes a little..”off”? It takes me a second to get acclimated to it. I gave up on Hohners a while ago, blew too many reeds, and the wood combs on MB’s and BH’s eventually bother me.... That’s just me, though. Other players I know prefer different, and that’s cool. Just PLAY. We’re all this together for the love of the music.
Thanks for a very helpful video. I've been playing mainly Hohner blues harps and some Lee Oskar special tuned harps for about 30 years. I love the tone of the blues harp and the durability of the Lee Oskars. Now I think I will give Seydel a try.
You can’t go wrong with any of these but I say - I’ve had the most luck with the special 20 and the Suzuki pro master valved. 2 very different harps but both are very good. Well worth every penny. Trust my words.
Interesting discusssion. Being a player of long experience I was brought up on Hohner Echo Vampers and Marine Bands. I agree completely about Hohners and the softness of the brass reeds. I play a lot of Hohners both MB and Crossover (which I find slightly faster). I have never wrecked a single reed. What I do is I carry 3 or 4 each of the most popular keys to gigs and swap frequently. This seems to avoid stressing individual harps by sharing the workload. I also have a number of customised MBs and I think customising means they work better and probably last longer (a fact I have never seen mentioned). Technique control helps too of course. You seem to have a very controlled technique. Of the others I like Seydels and disagree that they are harder than Manjis. I would put them the othe way round. Still that's just me. Thanks again Tomlin.
Hi Tomlin, very interesting and very useful. I bought at the beginning of my journey a Hohner Special 20 in the key of C and later a Lee Oskar in the key of D. A few days ago I put in the shopping cart of the online shop I usually visit a Hohner Marine Band Deluxe in the key of A. After watching your video I think this a proper choice for me. Thanks again.
I like that your not sponsored by anyone. Ive never played a Seydel. Ive played a lee oskar a hohner and a suzuki. The suzuki has a great sound but they are harder to bend you like say and you can choke the harp.
Nah there’s is a different felling to playing them all. The slightly differnt reeds create a slightly different feel to how each bends or plays. Honers really do bend a bit easier than Suzuki’s. But Suzuki’s reeds have a little more durability
Just to expand on the tuning issue. If one plays with a guitar, due to the nature of the beast intonation, inversion, key etc. the sound is not 100% harmonically accurate but if you are playing with a keyboard or correctly tuned piano then you soon realise which harmonica 'sits' better.
Thank you Tomlin for another great video and it’s always great to share knowledge with others. I prefer to play my Hohner Master Class harps on amp/mic jamming and my Lee Oskar harps without amp/mic. Cheers... Graeme 🤙
Very beautiful video Interesting to hear what a music teacher says about the harmonicas. The Seydel Model SESSION STEEL are at the front of the corners up you stay with lips hanging. Hohner hohner marine band classic because the Holzkam quarrels on I suppose you have to paint after? I did not have Suzuki yet Play the Hohner Golden Melody for three years and have no problems playing. Yesterday I bought a modeling amp Fender Mustung GT 40 to play just modern sounds good and fun. Many thanks from Germany for your work on youtube
Funny, about 3 months ago I commented on this video, when getting my 1st harmonica(Suzuki Bluesmaster in C). Then, as I got more harps, I thought of adding on to that, to give an experience of a noob on those different harmonica's. Lastly, I thought of the Manji lowD as the best(IMHO). NOW, ~2 weeks later: It's all for naught... after getting really comfortable on the Manji lowD, that sensation started to spread among all of my harmonica's. 😅🤦♂️🤷♂️who would have thought.. All I can say now with confidence, is the effort you put in is all that matters! I got the following keys: C, G, A, lowD and low C. Of all the 'big 3' manufacturers and now I don't see a better or worse anymore... and to be honest, I even feel annoyed by the fact that some differences will only show when using bending and stuff. As a beginner totally useless. If I had known it would come to this, I could have gotten a big set of an entry level harp like the Bluesmaster instead and still pay less... But enough nagging, I will get to a point where I won't want to miss out on any harp. In time. What I can say is that exposed reed plates, on some instruments, have brought a problem I would never have considered: tiny cuts on my lips after long playing, not visible, but should you eat the wrong food or get a strong drink, you will feel them...😓 Another thing was that I had to shave my beard off, as it got stuck on the instrument again and again. Next I will try lee oskars, over here the price is almost half of a manji low tune. And I've seen some awesome examples - Moses Concas for example.
Great summary. I am used to Hohner (Special 20 and Rocket) and just got Manji - and suddenly I am really STRUGGLING - good to know that is is normal and expected. And will make me a better player.
I've been playing for 51 years. Play all of these. The Seydels have the best response but don't hold up long before the reeds begin breaking off. Hohners don't hold up well either. I've found the Suzukis hold up the best and you can clean the reeds without damaging the cone. They feel nice while you play them. I really like the valved Pro Masters..I can get some pretty sounds out of them.
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Clearly you are not a sponsor of these harps because the other players who are would not have the integrity to speak openly the truth about them. I would prefer a reveiw the of harps out of the box as replacing the reed combs substancially upgrades the quality of these harps especially the Manji (M-20) which sounds like your blowing into a wind tunnel on some of the holes. The special 20s have consistantly gone up in price while the quality goes down especially over the past 10 years. I strongly suspect the special 20 is actually made in China and shipped for assembly to Germany. The 2 best harps I have come across for the price is the Suzuki Harpmaster and the Sydel Session Steel. But, to give these companies any credit for their products I feel your reviews need to be of harps that are straight out of the box. This is a great video Tomlin! You are a great player and helping a lot of us on our harmonica journey! :)
I love all 3, and I use them for purposes identical to yours. MBDs and Crossovers for trad stuff, (I dislike Classics), Manjis for accuracy, 1847s for durability. Sometimes I play Blues Harps, Hohner Rockets, Fender Midnight Specials (totally underrated), and Lee Oskars for alt tunings, and Lucky 13s for bassier stuff, but the the big 3 are my favs, probably with 1847s topping the list for their toughness and durability. MBDs are my 2nd choice, followed by Manjis. That being said, Easttop harps are the best for money, and Kongshengs are very good. Easttops, however, are my fav, particularly their green and wood harps. I also have 2 Pure Harps, but the wood coverplates are tough to play, though they do sound good.
Very well presented assessment. As a rack player, the 1847 is a no go. IMHO the tuning of the Manjis is very accurate and they are more economic to play than the Hohners, This is an opinion evolved from over sixty years of playing.
I used to play hohner harmonicas (marine band, blues harps, special 20, Golden Melody) and i was very comfortable with them. Recently, I received as a gift a Suzuki Promaster valved and it was so hard to adapt my playing to this kind of harps. It needs more delicacy to get the bends needed.
I definitely can agree that Suzukis are not for a beginner! I had all sorts of trouble with it at first, and immediately started improving on my playing when I went with a Special20.
Greg Jones at 16:23 harps tunes all my LLA Seydel solo Pro 12 using a repeating pattern..i love all the seydel sessions tuned LC and the way Gregg works with me getting them tuned and playing is Superb!!!
The fatigue curves for steel and brass actually intersect if you play hard enough. From what I've read about metallurgy steel has a range where it doesn't fatigue at all, but once you get beyond that threshold the fatigue curve is quite steep. I've found, by surveying people who blew out a Seydel they say they didn't last as long as their Hohners and they described themselves as really hard players. It would be interesting to see what the deflection range is for reeds during their swing.
i started on a seydel ten years ago in key of g. my first mistake. ten years later, i'm now eighty five and still not very good, i just fiond my harmonica to be the hohner rocket. my playing has improved with this harmonica. ron king
Interesting to read all all of the varied opinions on the various brands. I've had/have full sets of almost all that were mentioned (and I tune my own harps, which helps the cheaper brands I use for practice a lot). The individual harps are, I guess, as good as the player blowing through them...but I think I have to say that my favorites are my Hohner Crossovers, best inexpensive model is the Eastop Blues Harmonica...and, actually, my all time favorite, though most expensive and no longer available, was the B-Radical Harrison. Did blow bends right out of the package. I'd love to have a full set of those.
Very informative, Tomlin. I would be interested in hearing your opinion of Lee Oskar harmonicas and how they compare to the others. I prefer Hohners myself.
I would love to hear your opinion on where the Lee Oscar fits in there too. I primarily play Lee Oscar and don’t have experience with other brands. I actually like my Lee Oscar in the Key of C a lot.
For every harmonica you have to adjust the gap of the reeds for your playingstyle ... you also can play as smooth on a seydel like a hohner ... its a question of adjustment ... I have hohner , seydel and suzuki. the difference is the sound... Like Gibson, Fender or Gretsch ... Guitars ... the best is what fits...
I loved the sound of all of them with you playing them. The Hohner (Marine Band) has been my favorite and the Susuki Chromatic and I just purchased the Hohner 64C Chromatic. Can't wait to get it.
Interesting video Tomlin -cool way to approach comparing those harps. I have been using the Seydel 1847 classics for my gigging harps (primarily) for three or four years now, and I can attest to the fact that they do last a long time. They also seem to stay in tune, although when they go out of tune I've had a difficult time taking enough off the reed to raise or lower the pitch without ruining it. The stainless steel definitely makes this harder (not that I am all that good with brass reeds either). The other harps I use are the Marine Band 1896 model. My ear isn't that good but, to me, these harps help me sound more like the Chicago blues guys. Of course, they don't last as long, and sometimes aren't in tune or playable out of the box. The last couple I've gotten have been fine, though. In the past, I have gone to the trouble of drilling holes for screws for the cover plates and reed plates and flat sanding the combs (I like the wood combs). The bottom line is that almost any brand has decent harps that a player of your caliber can make sound great, and that could work for a guy like me if use good technique.
It's good to know that the Seydels have lasted you that long. I'm going to be experimenting with reconditioning harmonicas as I'm trying to reduce waste in my life so will be experimenting with replacing reeds etc in Seydels and Hohners.
@@TomlinHarmonica I am sure you will be better at it than me - patience isn't my strong suit, although I did get pretty good at setting up the Marine Bands. Now that the Marine Bands come with sealed combs and don't swell, it doesn't seem as necessary to take them apart as long as they stay in tune.
I have a variety that includes, Seydel, Hohner, Marine Band Deluxe, Crossover, and even a set of Golden Melody, Manjis, a set of the Suzuki wooden, Lee Oskar, and Arkia, in some unique forms, over 100 in all. But I seem to go to my Seydels the most. I have several special tuned by a fellow Brit you probably know, a set of Lightnings, a set of low keys, a big rack of 1847s, a few Nobles, and Session Steeles in special tunings. I have a couple signature models of Hohner and some Thunderbird low keys. I have a couple Easttop Lucky 13s in A. I really like noodling on my Lee Oskar Low D. I love them all. They all make different sounds, require different adjustments from me, and I like that. I'm not bragging, I'm just confessing that I am harp crazy!
The Crossover is the most responsive harmonica you can buy (my opinion of course). I have tried a lot of harmonicas since I began playing and just last night I took my Crossover apart to see why it was so responsive .The reed gaps and alignment of the reeds in the slots were the best I have ever seen. I have been fascinated by the harmonica and have taken apart many. I was very impressed with the Crossover.
@@jimmydowis8238 How long did yer reeds last? Do you do a lot of note bending? From what info I read here is very helpful from others! I haven't bought any harmonicas since the 1980's. .. till now. I bought 2 Lee Oscar's (A and G) and have 2 old Hohner Marines from the early 1980's...cheaper back then ( C and F) ..and a Hohner Chromatic harmonica key A with the button on the end for In-between notes..... 3 notes don't make sound no more... played it to death! I love playing " Midnight Cowboy "...I want to buy a new one but not sure what brand to buy......I hear Seydel harmonicas reeds are made out of stainless steel and someone here on RU-vid said not to blow hard at first but to warm up the steel reeds.......one can Crack the reeds! ......yer thoughts and comments are welcome Jimmy Dowis......
Hearing that Suzuki's are tough to play has been a real boost for me! I've got a couple of bluesmasters and I definitely get them choking up fairly often, but knowing that I must have pretty good embouchre the rest of the time that get a decent sound out of them is really affirming! I'm definitely considering picking up a seydel to see what I can get out of that though :)
I initially had the exact same choking experience with my G Manji, on the 3 draw. And sometimes I would play a little lick like -3 -2 -3' -2 and I could get the first -3 but absolutely nothing on the -3', as if the reed was stuck. I did some Google searches and found other good players making this point about accuracy as well. I went back to practicing the -3 on my Manji, paying attention especially to the placement of the anterior part of the tongue relative to the velum, and I've got it now. I still need to think about it quite consciously, especially after playing another, more forgiving harmonica such as the Special 20, but I am reasonably good at getting it right now, and of all my harmonicas (one Hohner Special 20, one Seydel 1847 Noble, two Kongsheng Solists) I think the -3 (and various bends) actually sounds bluesiest on the Manji.
I don’t have a seydel but I have marine bands crossover sp20 susuki manji I like my hohners at the moment better but susuki manji has good sound it’s harder to play at moment cause I’m a beginner still
Another point is that the Marine Band starts tasting a bit woody and leaves the mouth dry after playing a bit. The Suzuki is very nice to touch and also easy on the lips
Hey Tomlin!Thank you for the video!I wanted to ask-what type of the harmonica would you recommend for the very beginners?(apart from those you showed in the video) I really liked the tune you played in the end-is it just a random one or its a song?:)
My first harmonica was the Seydel Blues Session, sound really really good and easy to play for the basic style (harp and single note) I love the Low D but the C is recommended. Sorry for my bad english i m learning 😊🤭 (So the marine band is really nice too and low price)
Love your videos. I aim to start taking your lessons, (my aim has been way off here lately) since this covid-19. I play guitar and a few other instruments. when I am in the studio with nothing much to do. I pick up my Lee Oscar and play campfire songs like Amazing Grace or Red River Valley, etc. I love my time with the harp, but I have have not given much thought of taking it to a higher level. You have inspired me by listening and viewing your videos, i feel a fire in my belly. Thank you for making a very good video. Still aiming!
Nice video Tomlin! I have standard Marine Band harps in all the major keys and a few in natural and harmonic minor, and think they're great. Recently I've been getting harps in non- standard tunings and I've gotten some Brendan Power Lucky 13s and three Seydels. I'm not playing in a band or doing anything that would wear them out so they're all good and all different! I have a standard Marine Band in E that I bought in 1970-72, the price written on the box is $2.75😮
