My Harmonica Collection! 

Thanks brother! Yes, it's very different for sure! Take care!

Thanks Mike! Welcome to the addiction my friend!

Yeah, they know how to make'em that's for sure!

Thanks so much my friend! Take care!!

Hey there Jim! Great harps! I played them for years. Good hearing from ya!

Thanks my friend!

I am sure you are just fine the way your are! Just have fun that's all that matters!

Thanks my friend! Much appreciated!

Thanks much! Take care!

Thank you so much my friend! Blessings!!!

Hi there Mark! Well, I tried an awful lot of harmonicas but started playing the Marine Band Deluxes several years ago and stuck with them. As players, we just have to try things to see what works for us. My very first harp was Hohner Golden Melody back in 1983 or '84. It was an old one in the key of C. When I decided to get serious about the harp, I picked up a couple blues harps and marine bands. Those were the only ones I really knew of at the time. Anyway, thanks for watching and take care!!

Ha!! Thanks man! Good talking to you the other day. I'd love to hear your version!

Hey there Don, Jason Ricci did a video on the Manji which I thought was fantastic. It's an hour long thing with two other players. Whether or not bending or overblow are easier on them is up for grabs depending upon who you ask. For those techniques, the most important thing is air tightness and gapping. Suzuki are know for tighter tolerances in the slots so theoretically they should perform well. I personally haven't found this to be true but others may have. Good luck and thanks for watching!

Thanks Rob! I got a little obsessed at one point and really wanted to try as many of them as I could.

That can be an expensive obsession. I only started playing harp 2 years ago and have probably 2 grand invested in 18 harps, mostly seydel as I found the sound from them quite a bit better than the hohner harps I started with

Thanks man!

Thanks Gonzalo!

To be fair from a vagabond perspective, it's either buy a collection of TRAVELLING instruments, or something which, y'know, not for travelling. I'm joking. Ain't nothing wrong with having a house AND a harmonica collection!

I took all my old blues harps and big rivers, re-tuned, adjusted the gaps, and replaced the combs with customs. They now play better than my factory Hohners. 🤷‍♂️

@@norfolknwhey4787 they are really good harps if you're willing to put in the time to customize them

@@faethe000 agreed. they’re my workhorses for bar gigs and whatnot.

Thanks Leandro, I just may have to do that. I have a CX12 Jazz and have stayed away from the CX12 because of the mouth piece. Not sure it would be a problem, but the jazz is so nice that I just didn't find the normal CX 12 necessary. From what I understand, the guts are the same. Thanks man!

You bet Dylan! Thanks for watching man.

Hey there Andrew, thanks! You got the new one? I have the older version and am considering the new X. What do you think of it?

@@Pleasum yes I have a new model and I would say overall that the super 64 and the super 64x are some of the best harmonicas on the market for their class although all that you get comes at a price mine ran me up to 325 dollars and it is not the x model but overall I would say the super64 is a definite harmonica to think about buying for your collection.

That's great to hear Andrew. I love my old Super 64 but have been playing my Suzuki's now for quite a while. I really love the Hohner diatonics. They are my favorites and I've been hoping Hohner would put something out that was more high end. I'll definitely pick up the 64X at some point. Thanks my friend!

@@Pleasum no problem

LOL! Thanks! It's a little over the top I know..

No

LOL! Too many Jakub but I wouldn't be living up to my word if I didn't try as many as possible. This is a bit ridiculous though.. Take care!

That Kongsheng stuff is great! I have a few of theirs as well and really like them.

@@Pleasum I haven't tried any other Kongsheng's other than the Mars Series, and Baby Fats, but to me the Mars is unique.

@@danmarchuk3617 I absolutely love the Amazing 20. The Mars are great too!

@P Breedveld If its the one I think you are looking at, it is a Hetrich case. The guy used to make these cases and incredibly straight combs but he got tired of a lot of the nonsense that goes on so unfortunately, he quit. These were pretty expensive at the time if I recall, but they're good. Thanks and I hope you are well. Sorry for the delayed response!! - Paul

Hey there TalkingPoints1! Yes, in fact I do. I have had them for several years and unfortunately never play them. They are nice harps though! A lot like the Suzuki Folkmaster. They definitely have their own sound.

One thing that's interesting is that Bushman Delta Frost can be switched with reedplates and combs with Suzuki Folkmaster, or is it Harpmaster? Interesting that the two companies seem to have created this. Another thing about Bushman, being honest here. I'm pissed at them. I paid for harps months ago and havent received them yet. I've contacted them and they promise to ship and then nothing. The thing is, I've found out, that this is typical with them. Complaints abound on the web about this very thing. Sorry John Hall, you are a nice guy, but facts are facts. I like Bushman harps but try getting one. RockinRon won't touch them, Musiciansfriend either and Sweetwater. No one carries them because customer service is so bad.

Check out the East Top chromatic harmonicas. They don’t need Reed savers and are a quality built Harp and a lot less expensive than others. They come highly recommended from Roguie Ray LaMontagne.

@@markieproductions22 that’s what I started with (forerunner 2), and ended up getting a CX12 once I got acclimated to the chromatic. Been into 3rd position blues using octaves on chromatic lately.

Hey there! I don't know that I necessarily consider myself a collector per'se. I set out to try as many models as I could and admittedly got a little obsessive about it in the process. I'm glad I did because it really gave me a better understanding of what's out there.

Hey there Dylan, that is a Orange Micro Terror and a micro cabinet that goes with it. They are 20 watts and believe it or not, that little amp will push a 4x12 Marshall cab all on it's own. The other amp is an Ampeg bass amp I use for practice. Take care! - Paul

Are you located in the United States?

Hey there Fabio, like most things, there are a lot of opinions on this topic, but the general consensus based on what I have seen regarding the keys would be to start with a C, then in whatever order you decide, get a G, A, D, F, and Bflat. Worry about the other keys later. As far as brands go, unfortunately the opinions become much more personal. A couple you could start with would be Hohner Special 20 or Seydel Session steel for plastic combs, then work up from there. I started on Marine Bands but they aren't the most comfortable. It literally is up to you and is whatever you feel is right for you. As far as I am concerned, all this "best out of the box" stuff is complete bullshit and typical of people who become so opinionated that they lose all objectivity. Go for comfort and airtight first, then work around and see what works for you. Most importantly, don't allow the negativity on some of the forums to steer you wrong or get to you. Enjoy the instrument for what it is and what you personally get from it! That's the best I can do brother. Take care and have fun man!!

P Leasum, thanks man! This is the most helpful and concrete answer I ever got on this subject. So, what brands/models are notorious for being more airtight? Also, I like the list of keys you gave me. Now, what about the minor keys? If one was to get into those, what would be a good key (melodic or natural) to start and where to go from there?

Awesome Fabio, I'm glad it helped. In my own personal experience I have found the special 20s, seydel session steels, higher end hohners like the crossover, and the suzuki manji to be good places to start. A good way to test is to draw the 2 or 3 draw all the way down to the bottom of the bend and see if you can do this easily with no leakage or extra effort. Also, minor keys aren't as commonly used but I do have a couple. I have a D minor that I use for some of the Buddy Greene stuff. Lee Oskar makes some real good ones and they won't kill your wallet. You can also start to learn things in 3rd position. The best thing I can tell you about the minor key stuff is to get familiar with the major diatonics and what they can do for you, then experiment and see what you like regarding the minor key stuff. Most importantly though man, have fun!!

Dude, you are the best! very helpful, thank you!

Hey bud! Well, no I don't generally buy customs. I do the work myself. I gap my reeds and light embossing if necessary, but not typical. If they go out a little, I break out the scraper and the tuner and go to it. Thanks for watching man, and take care!

@@Pleasum Thanks for your reply! I find the Manji in A being better than your customs a very interesting comment, kind makes me want to try a Manji, but as you say they are not all great? Out of the box, which is easier to play and bend in your opinion... A Deluxe or a Manji?

@@robertfeynman3174 Hey man, sorry about the late response. I've been busy recording and haven't had much time on the channel. Manjis are nice harps for sure and lots of guys like them, but if it's me, I am getting the deluxe all day long. I love the deluxe and crossovers. They are my favorites and I can't say I've ever gotten a bad one. If you should decide to try one, give us a call at Rockinronsmusic.com or just get on our site. I work over there and can tell you that right now, we are about the only place you can get the Deluxes. If you want to make it even spicier, add a custom comb from Zajac or Blue Moon and wow! Don't get me wrong here, the Manji is a great harp and I do like them but I have my preference. Most of this truly is personal preference. Try both and see what you like! Take care man!!

LOL! I do. I have kind of a collective personality when it comes to musical instruments. Admittedly, it's kind of a sickness at this point. Good to hear I am not alone! take care!!

Hi there Gilberto! Wow..if you have a budget of $50 to $100 there are a whole bunch of great options! As you can see from this video, I have tried as many as possible but my own preference is the Hohner Crossover or MB Deluxe. There are also many great options from Seydel and Suzuki. I love the Seydel 1847 as well. So many great choices but at the end of the day, it's personal. Some guys love the Seydel stuff and dislike Hohner while some love Suzuki and don't like others. What I would do is ask myself what I am looking for in a harmonica. Do you like the traditional MB sound? Do you like the wood, plastic, or composite combs? What about profile of the cover plates? Comfort, airtight, and tone. Those are the big three for me. I think if you organize your thoughts on these questions, you will arrive at an answer without having to go through what I did. I hope this helps! Take care and have fun with it!! Paul

@@Pleasum thanks for the respond

@@gilbertolopezdenava47 You bet !!

I'm sorry my friend, the only harps I am looking to sell right now are chromatics. Look up Rockinrons, he's an amazing guy and has everything!

P Leasum thanks my friend

In a nutshell, Brad Harrison started the company, made amazing harmonicas, took orders he couldn't fulfill, and left a lot of people in the lurch for the money they paid him. Lot's of angry peeps out there over that. It took me months to get mine but I was one of the lucky ones that got it. Take care - Paul

@@Pleasum ,Yep,,Harrison ripped me off big time,what a wanker that guy,,Scammed everyone,sob stories my arse,never replied to letters,took the money and fucked us all,thanks Brad Harrison you totally suck,,

@@Pleasum Would you be willing to review your B-Rad? Also, just curious, but would you be willing to sell it?

@HarryIsTheGamingGeek hey there! Unfortunately, I won't be selling this one. I had them put my name on it when they built it which in retrospect, I wish I hadn't done! Also, I may do a review on it at some point. I hadn't really considered that, but who knows?! Thanks much and good luck!!

@@Pleasum Thanks for the reply, man. If you ever change your mind on the B-Rad (I don't mind it having your name) I'm very interested in buying it. B-Rads are so hard to come by since Harrison closed.

I'm sorry to hear that man. Yeah, pretty messed up deal that one. Take care!

Hey bud! Yeah, you would be right about that. When I was first serious about the instrument, I bought everything I could to try and ended up buying some old ones along the way too. So, it's a mix of GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) and trying new things. Truth is I like most all of them but play my deluxes every day. I've been planning on selling off most of these. Take care and I hope you are well!

Thanks, fine, except for a hernia - but I can still play my harps! So what would you say is the best mid-range harp? Is it the Deluxe?

@@landztranz Sorry to hear about the hernia man. That sucks! I hope you feel better soon. I always shy away from the "best" questions only because the harmonica is such a personal instrument. Some players love models that other players hate. That being said, we sell a whole lot of deluxes at Rockinrons and I love them. The DaBell line is also a fantastic option. They really make great harps. You should check those out. The price is on point too. Take care!!

@@Pleasum Tnx so much!

LOL! Neil, it seems that way. I kind of overloaded when I was trying all the different models.