Todd Parrott
1026 posts
Sep 06, 2012
11:54 AM
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The Golden Melody High G thread seems to have ventured into this area, so I decided to start a new thread...
I'm curious to know what you like or dislike about the Golden Melodies, and why you choose to play them, or not play them. Regardless of whether or not you like the Golden Melody, I think we can all agree it's long overdue for an upgrade.
Here are some of my observations and suggestions, and I welcome yours as well:
- I think a better cover plate design is needed to prevent crushing. Opening the covers helps. (It's sad that even the Huang Star Performer covers are a better design than the Golden Melody.)
- A better comb is needed, once that is less brittle - and perhaps a different color.
- Offer it in ET tuning as well as a compromised tuning for blues players, similar to the Crossover tuning.
- I think the logo and overall look of the covers needs redesigning. Frankly, the Golden Melody almost looks like a toy.
- Perhaps it's even time for a name change? Think about other harmonica names in comparison to the Golden Melody: Marine Band, Special 20, Manji, 1847, Blues Harp, etc. Then along comes... Golden Melody. Even the name doesn't make it sound like a serious instrument.
With all of this mind, I still love the comfortable shape and tone of the Golden Melody, as well as the tuning for my style. I've used them for over 20 years and have no intention of switching. However, when I first heard about the Golden Melody and went to the music store to buy one, I thought it looked cheap and toy-like. At that time, I didn't understand or appreciate the tuning either. I was 13 and didn't know anything about tunings or harmonicas in general, so I played Marine Bands for a while, until I noticed the tone of a Golden Melody I'd used during a recording and playback session. The tone is what got me hooked.
As we know, Hohner is often aware of these threads, so perhaps your feedback or comments in this thread will be helpful in solidifying a case for a Golden Melody upgrade.
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timeistight
820 posts
Sep 06, 2012
12:14 PM
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If Hohner is reading this, I'd like to ask them to bring back the non-MS Meisterklasse. It had almost everything you're asking for in a Golden Melody upgrade:
- better cover plate design? Check.
- better comb, once that is less brittle - and perhaps a different color? Check.
- logo and overall look of the cover redesign? Check.
- name change? Check. Meisterklasse is a much cooler name than Golden melody.
The only thing they didn't have were a tuning choice and the curved covers (although Meisterklasse fit in cases better than GMs).
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Shredder
360 posts
Sep 06, 2012
12:45 PM
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I moved around and found I liked the S/P20's. Then I discovered Terry McMillan playing G/M's. I bought one and was hooked. I know now more of tuning and places the diffrent tunings work best.I have S/p20's and G/M's in my case. Improvments; Open up the backs. Maybe change the cover design. I never had any issues with combs breaking. I like the design,feel and thickness of the harp so done't change that.I don't like M/S series harps. My big complaint is the lack of replacment plates for USA players.
Mike
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Willspear
193 posts
Sep 06, 2012
12:57 PM
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Better comb. Open up the back a bit.
Quite frankly it is one of the best harps around and is generally airtight as anything.
The low harps could do with a bit more room before the Reeds hit the covers
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Littoral
610 posts
Sep 06, 2012
1:09 PM
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ET, Bamboo Comb & Opened up. Sounds very nice to me.
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harpdude61
1557 posts
Sep 06, 2012
1:48 PM
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No one has mentioned playability. I've tried SP 20, MBs, 5 different Suzukis, a Seydel, and a Delta Frost. All take more effort to play than the GM. I can bend and overblow on all of these but again, GMs come cleaner and easier.
AS far as tuning I think they are fine as is. I play chords and splits a lot and no one has ever complained.
The shape is perfect. I like the fact that you can play hole 1 or 10 lip blocking and it feels the same as any hole. No corners to mess with the embrochure.
I think the combs could be better but not something that could swell.
Sometimes you will find one that is slightly out of tune but not often since the blister packs. I do wish they had a better way to tune these harps...all Hohners in general. The reeds look like a side grinder has been used on them. THis has to make weak spots.
I like the name. It just doesn't sound down and dirty.
My days of trying every harp that comes along is over. I am a GM'er for life!
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LIP RIPPER
626 posts
Sep 06, 2012
1:49 PM
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Funny that you mention the name Todd. Years ago I ment this hippy/road gypsy that drove his van around the country selling cd's. The Carlisle auto show was his biggest deal. He called his business Golden Melody Cd's. He carried a GM harp, could play one blues riff and that was it. When you got his answering machine you would here this less than desirable harp and at the end he would say; "It's a Golden Melody" leave a messsage.
LR
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The Iceman
450 posts
Sep 06, 2012
2:06 PM
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Back in the Golden Age of Augusta Heritage Howard Levy Advanced Harmonica Week, all of us students wanted to be just like Howard. He played Golden Melodies, so I switched. Took me 3 months to get used to it, as I was a Lee Oscar man at the time.
However, I've found that the tone is rounder and darker to my ears and have found this sound to be my preference.
Even though my B Radical plays better, it doesn't have the dark tone I like.
I thought they were shaped like a banana at first, but quickly got over this.
Since I tune and set gap myself, I've found them to give me almost everything I ask of them.
I agree that the cover plates and that area in the middle of the back where the plate meets comb could be a little more resilient.
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The Iceman
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Littoral
611 posts
Sep 06, 2012
3:44 PM
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Iceman, Augusta w/Howard. I made one of those. It was 89, or there abouts. I remember Howard being real excited about his new group, The Flecktones. I learned a whole lot that week. His version of Round Midnight almost made me quit. wow
btw, I'm not too far off, south of Tallahassee.
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droffilcal
23 posts
Sep 06, 2012
4:00 PM
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I agree with all of the faults that Todd enumerated;
it does look like a toy
the comb is real cheesy
it does feel less like a "real instrument" than many other harps
in certain situations I really don't like playing chords on it
But then......the sound and feel are unique and where the rubber meets the road they are like nothing else, and sometimes, nothing else will do.
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rosco1
4 posts
Sep 06, 2012
4:10 PM
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I've always loved the feel and sound of GMs-I have many that have been customized that I baby--gigs only
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Kaining
6 posts
Sep 06, 2012
4:27 PM
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I played GM for a long time, couldn't play marine band ans still can't since it tear my lips in half when i get around the 1 and 10 hole.
I got a promaster and tuned it for overblow and i am manly playing on that now, i still look at my GM since i have most the keys n GM.
The thing is i can't really get back to them anyway since they don't seems that airtight to me. I'll need to wash them and une them all for overblowing but i am not sure they'll be as airtight as the promaster after that.
On an other matter, GM have a design that make them way more confortable than any marine band and they have a better tone than the lee oskar i tried.
If overall they could make them more airtight, i would gladly switch back from promaster to GM. That's the only thing they really need. Overblowing ain't that good like that and air blocking is a no go with a GM. Since air blocking is probably the next big thing after overblow, GM feels like an harp of the past to me as they are now.
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Roverharp
32 posts
Sep 06, 2012
5:09 PM
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They're certainly the most comfortable harp and I like the tone well enough but for some reason I play more sloppy on 'em. Licks that I can hit clean on SP20's are often jumbled when played on a GM.
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groyster1
2005 posts
Sep 06, 2012
5:29 PM
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I love hohners have tried suzuki manjis and 1 hammond they are great also but sp20s are the harps I settled on after abandonment of marine bands in late 80s...as far as golden melodys they have a great sound but always thought sp20s were more airtight...as far as tuning, can tell the sound diff from ET and compromise or JI tuning and must say I love the sound of these NOS mb1896s which are JI tuned
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arzajac
850 posts
Sep 06, 2012
5:41 PM
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I would pay a little extra for a Golden Melody if it were upgraded.
I agree the coverplates could be made to be opened up and supported. This can be accomplished in many simple and cheap ways, such as making some of the reedplate screws significantly longer. I don't care what design is on the coverplate itself.
I would like an out-of-the-box GM comb made out of some Corian-like material. There is nothing so special about Corian that the comb can't be made out of something similar to it, but without all the Trademark hype. Basically, if the comb were to be like most of the aftermarket GM combs out there, made out of one flat piece, it can be a flat-sandable comb for those who will spend the time to flat-sand their own comb by hand to make them more airtight than a mass-produced comb. Since it's synthetic, there is no need to seal it like wood. If it could be made out of some environmentally-responsible material, that would add bonus points.
Red is distinct, but it is a bit fruity for a harmonica. Brown or black, maybe even dark grey would be a nice distinct color. I would want the comb to be 1 mm thicker than the current GM comb thickness.
ET tuning is fine, but they probably would sell more harps of the GM had some sort of compromise tuning that was close to ET, but not as harsh. Yes ET is good for "melodies" and/or multiple position playing, but it still is a Richter-tuned harp and that means that there are chords there. Even a small compromise can have a big impact on the sound of the chords.
Hey! Now I want one just like that! Put Todd Parrott on the box, too....
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Todd Parrott
1028 posts
Sep 06, 2012
5:58 PM
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This is all very good feedback! I have decided that I will forward all of this feedback to the folks at Hohner once this thread has run its course. I think they really need to take this seriously, and not just because I like Golden Melodies, but because this harp is in need of an upgrade worse than any other harp on the market in my opinion. Changes like this don't happen overnight, but I think they would be interested in this feedback.
@arzajac - I totally agree with you on the comb material and color, as well as the need for a compromised tuning, as long it's available in ET too. You are right on about the need for it to be flat sandable if desired. As for my picture on the box... well, I don't know about that! The goal is to SELL them. lol
I appreciate everyone's feedback so far!
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laurent2015
410 posts
Sep 06, 2012
7:03 PM
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As already said, it rips the moustache's hairs off and is the only one with that problem (I own five other brands).
The GM's I bought are builded with reedplates that slightly stick out from the front edges of the coverplates and this causes unfortunately an obvious feeling on the lips; I hugely doubt this would be normal!
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nacoran
6060 posts
Sep 06, 2012
7:31 PM
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I don't like the front of them. I'm not a big fan of unsanded protruding reed plates in the first place, but the way the GM's sit where the ends of the reedplates go into the harp is a mustache grabber. New combs would be a good improvement too. I don't know why the manufacturers don't do a better job with neat looking combs. I can't think where I've seen it, I don't think it was on a harp, but I've seen some nice wood tone plastics with swirls, sort of like one of Chris Reynolds' fantasy marble combs but in brown, that would look nice. Black covers with a silver comb would look pretty slick, or maybe, since they are called 'Golden' Melodies, a bronze/gold colored comb? I don't know how expensive custom combs would be for big manufacturers as a portion of their costs compared to the cheap plastic combs, although Seydel seems to do pretty well with their aluminum combs.
As for different tunings, the trouble with that, unless you break the brand up into a couple names, is it might confuse beginners. Blues Bullet might work for the more just tuned model. Jellybean Jammer? I actually think, compared to the Special 20, Golden Melody is a good name, especially for an ET harp.
As for a box with your name on it, like Arzajac suggested, I'd buy a harp with your face on the box, maybe not with your face on the harmonica (harps are just too personal to have another guys face on them), but on the box would be fine. Unfortunately, Hohner might run into some brand issues with the fine people at Parrot Harmonica. Sure, your's would have an extra 'T' but in brand terms that's pretty close. :)
Hmm, okay, I'm really liking the idea of a brass comb with black covers for a GM. I'm not sure what color scheme would work best to differentiate it from a just tuned one. An all black model called the Black Bullet? Black covers, silver comb, Silver Bullet?
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Nate
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robbert
128 posts
Sep 06, 2012
8:19 PM
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Sealed bamboo comb, or a quality comb of some kind, sturdier, open cover plates, current reed plates, or same as Crossover, compromise tuning, airtight, and I would go for it. I'm not a GM player to date, but I do like the shape, and if those quality issues were addressed I would be unable to resist trying them.
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bigd
374 posts
Sep 06, 2012
10:45 PM
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As a kid with way too much passion: I was wet and hard on the bluesharp I carried in my back pocket my first year of cacophonous playing. One day Hohner held a feature down at South Street Seaport (NYC) and gave away the first GM's and we were quickly married: It was the plastic comb (no more "swollen wood torture"), the clarity, and the rounded edge form that led to this marriage. At a certain point I partially migrated to the Meisterclasse (also because of clarity and form) but like all "off the shelves" only some worked well out of the box so I eventually mainstreamed in GM's again. I actually like the aesthetic of it too. My problem with them is generic to all "off the shelve" harps: If I buy 3, maybe 2 will respond well (It used to be 1 out of 3 before quality improved) and I'm hopeless at gapping. So I would like a GM+ that cost 25-30 bucks more but was better quality controlled/gapped. Structurally I would love more cover support and a black comb like I have from my Spiers GM's or some of Randy's but they are less important than a sure bet when ordering a harp. I presently carry a case of about 40 GM's (duplicate keys, low and minor tunings, many customized by Spiers, Harvey, Brad, etc)....All I want is dependability so I can do what I do....Preferably right off the shelf. d
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gene
1085 posts
Sep 06, 2012
11:21 PM
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The sound of the name: Being good, bad or indifferent, it should remain the same for marketing purposes. It's a very popular harp. If you give it a different name, nobody would recognize it.
As far as comfort: I wish it had a thinner comb. My lips fatigue quickly with the GM. Somebody up there said they play sloppy on the GM. Maybe it has to do with the thickness...I dunno.
Last Edited by on Sep 06, 2012 11:24 PM
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opendoor_harps
69 posts
Sep 06, 2012
11:56 PM
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I've played them for many years and still like the feel and tone of them. Almost all of my GM's have been upgraded with solid combs of some sort (bamboo, dymondwood, corian).
I just finished tweaking my favorite C/ GM to see how much could be improved. Adding a solid Dymondwood comb & getting everything flat was a big improvement over the plastic comb. Open back cover plates and side vents helped with some volume and brightness to the tone.
Custom work on the reeds and re tuning closer to a Marine Band Compromise made it a really nice blues harp.
The GM used to remind me of a Chrometta 12 (with the plastic red comb) that got hit with a shrink ray.
On the down side: They do not work in the new Hohner Flex rack because of the shape of the covers (sloping forward) and it just slides right out. This is not the harps fault though. There are some issues with the flex rack that have been brought up on another thread. -Burke T.
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florida-trader
179 posts
Sep 07, 2012
4:01 AM
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Todd. I seem to remember reading a post a while from you where you suggested the Golden Melody Deluxe. I think that would be a good direction to go in. The bottom line is that Golden Melody continues to be a popular harmonica just the way it is and the way it has been for 30+ years. You know the old saying, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it". Remember when Coca-Cola changed their recipe back in the 80's? Even though all their market research suggested that people preferred the taste of "New Coke" over what later became know as "Coke Classic" the market was outraged.
Looking at it from Hohner's point of view, my guess is that while changes in the Golden Melody might make a lot of people happy, a lot of people would be upset. So why not keep the Golden Melody the way it is and develop a Golden Melody Deluxe incorporating some of the improvements suggested in this thread. You and I have talked at both SPAH and HCH and your modifications of your beloved Golden Melody has been fairly well documented. One thing even a casual reader of MBH must realize is that essentially all out of the box harmonicas can be made to play better with some customization - be that combs, reed work cover modifications, etc.
What we're talking about is building some of what are now after-market upgrades into an out of the box version. This is exactly what Hohner did with the Marine Band Deluxe.
Just my $.02
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Tom Halchak
www.BlueMoonHarmonicas.com
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FreeWilly
306 posts
Sep 07, 2012
4:07 AM
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NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!
If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Coverplate design: The only harp that doesn't say something random like 'marine band' or 'Manji'. It's ET, therefore: Golden Melody. Melody would be to short, gold is nice, so yeah, golden melody.
Comb: every factory comb sucks monkeyballs. This one is the only were you can not attach any screws and still play a decent overdraw. The best harp to tune, set up etc. Want to play it? Buy a comb for it, as you should with any harp. Mine don't chip by the way. What do you guys do with them? Drop 'm on concrete?
The protruding plates do help with the overblows. They hurt? Sand them. 2 mins work. Beardsnatching? Trim your beard, we're not in the eighty's no more!
The only thing that is irritating is the supportbeam of the coverplates: they are often not straight/assymetrical. That sucks. But once you start changing little things, you will change the sound as well.. Look at what they did to the marine band.. Deluxe 2005>deluxe 2012: big difference in feel and sound, and not positively so..
Where else do you get a harp that works at 30$? Swap the comb and keep the old one for tuning, and you have the best harps in the world+tuning kit for 50$.
Now the change I do like is the that went along with the reedplate-screwchange. Since the screws are silvery (as opposed to brass) the harps don't squel no more under heavy bending. I don't know what it is, but I like it!
Please accept everything of the above as the whole truth and nothing but the truth and leave the GM's alone (at least for another year, untill I get my case together). Please???? :)
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jim
1299 posts
Sep 07, 2012
4:21 AM
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The GM has a certain distinct response and attack that I try to avoid at all costs.
Can't play them at all.
Meisterklasse HM was great.
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Free Harp Learning Center
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harpdude61
1559 posts
Sep 07, 2012
6:39 AM
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gene..I just received an awesome set of GM combs from florida-trader, but I ordered them slightly thicker than the stock GMs. Not sure why you get the lip fatigue.
Last Edited by on Sep 07, 2012 6:40 AM
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HarpNinja
2646 posts
Sep 07, 2012
6:47 AM
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@FreeWilly
Thank you for your post!
Golden Melody
http://www.rockinronsmusic4less.com/content/harps/hohner/golden_melody.php
Comb
http://www.harpcase.com/bambooharmonicacombs.html
Sand paper for flat sanding
http://www.amazon.com/3M-SandBlaster-20220-Sandpaper-220-Grit/dp/B000BQRFDS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1347025320&sr=8-1&keywords=220+grit+sandpaper
Toothpicks for gapping
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Great-Value-Round-Toothpicks-250-ct/13045025
For about $70 you can have yourself a "Golden Melody Deluxe"...A new Crossover is $65.50 from Rockin Ron. After you get the sandpaper and toothpicks, a new GM Deluxe would run you about $60.
***The same thing from Hohner would for sure cost more than that. I love that I can get their handmade harps for $30-40 and a custom comb for less than the premium harps from companies (think of the Crossover, Olive, 1847...).
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Mike
VHT Special 6 Mods
Quicksilver Custom Harmonicas - When it needs to come from the soul...
Last Edited by on Sep 07, 2012 6:52 AM
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MrVerylongusername
2420 posts
Sep 07, 2012
7:13 AM
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I normally like plastic combs for practicality, but the plastic they use in the GMs is horrible and brittle and I don't like the sprues between tines because it makes quick tweaks to the harp that bit harder.
I don't get all excited by after market combs like some here do, but the GM is one harp where I would consider fitting one - since the stock comb is pretty dreadful.
That said it's my favourite current production Hohner as I'm not a Marine Band fan.
I like ET, plenty of alternative choices out there if you want temerament closer to just. I don't see a need for diff. tuning schemes.
I wouldn't want side vents, I like the tone the way it is. I've never had a crushed cover, but then I don't open the backs (that support is there for a reason!)
I'd agree the 50s styling is a little twee, and ironically for a harp called golden melody, I hate the ones with gold covers and red writing and only buy the standard ones.
From a purely aesthetic point of view - a black ABS comb with the sprues cut out please. Keep everything else as it is.
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Todd Parrott
1029 posts
Sep 07, 2012
11:54 AM
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The center support is a bad design which causes the covers to gradually crush in at the corners. The same is true with some Suzuki models, as well as the old style Meisterklasse. This happens gradually, regardless of whether or not you are a hard squeezer. I've seen this same problem from dozens of other Golden Melody players throughout the last 23 years or so. It's not a problem specific to me. (If you want a more scientific explanation of why this design is bad and puts stress on the covers and causes them to crush in, ask Chris Reynolds.)
Removing this center support alone does not affect the tone or sound of the harp. However, opening the covers up wider does, as do side vents, but if you are more conservative and simply fold the metal lipping under, this doesn't do much to affect the tone.
The plastic combs are brittle, and they do chip. Again, it has nothing to do with dropping the harp or squeezing too hard. Sometimes they are even beginning to chip when they are brand new out of the box.
I discussed these same problems at the Hohner booth at SPAH with Steve Baker, Michael Timler and Richard Weiss, the Hohner Germany production manager. They all understand and agree that at least the comb needs an upgrade.
We aren't necessarily talking about a Golden Melody Deluxe here as we have in past threads. The main goal, at least in my mind, is to give the Golden Melody a better, solid comb, and stronger covers, and keep it around the same price. I prefer opened covers, and I understand that some of mine are opened pretty radically, and some too wide, but the point is not as much about about opening them as it is about strengthening them. When you place a crease in the back of the covers, this makes them much harder to crush - it strengthens the metal.
@jim - "The GM has a certain distinct response and attack that I try to avoid at all costs. Can't play them at all."
I feel your pain! I feel the same way about the 1847. ;)
@HarpNinja - Toothpicks? You really should brush your teeth before playing the harmonica. ;) Just teasing of course!
Last Edited by on Sep 07, 2012 2:14 PM
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HarpNinja
2648 posts
Sep 07, 2012
12:11 PM
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I had all my teeth pulled so I could wear dentures and take them out when playing for better tone.
A very quick look through the usual suspects - Hohner, Seydel, and Suzuki - to see who was making a quality harp with solid comb that WAN'T recessed, and it was impossible for me to find any under $44.
Granted the Folkmaster and Blues Harps fit the qualifier of a solid non-recessed comb, but they aren't really considered "pro" level.
Based strictly off this, I am wagering it would be hard to use a composite comb and not jack the price. I thought about wood too, but whether it be maple, bamboo, or pearwood, the sealed wood combed harps were more expensive.
I am really just speculating (asking a question here) that a recessed comb or comb like the GM already has is an easier design to work with interms of cost. This might be true due to the fact they don't have to be flat sanded?
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Mike
VHT Special 6 Mods
Quicksilver Custom Harmonicas - When it needs to come from the soul...
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HarpNinja
2649 posts
Sep 07, 2012
12:16 PM
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I just thought of the Crossover again...they took a $30-ish harp and had to double the price to turn a normal profit on a harp with the same brass, stainless steel plates, stainless steel screws, close to ET tuning, and bamboo comb you'd need to make a GM with a decent wood comb.
I bet the GM hasn't been upgraded for fear of a more expensive model not selling well. I am sure it falls way behind a MB and SP20. That's ok by me as I've hit a stretch where a MB with nails is where it is at (taken a part, flat sanded, customized, and reassembled on a bamboo comb).
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Mike
VHT Special 6 Mods
Quicksilver Custom Harmonicas - When it needs to come from the soul...
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MP
2445 posts
Sep 07, 2012
1:12 PM
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oddly enough, my fav GM carry harp with a cherry red dymonwood Hetrick comb developed the same annoying problem that they have with stock combs. it crushed in the rear and chipped the comb on one side.
i like them in spite of their flaws, real or percieved. any HM Hohner is fine w/ me. i just change the ET tuning to compromise and i'm good to go.
i'm mystified as to why anyone would like Hohner to bring back the pre-MS Meisterklasse. i owned several. they are beautiful but tonally are dull and lifeless.
i sold my last one to Todd Parrott for a song.
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MP
affordable reed replacement and repairs.
"making the world a better place, one harmonica at a time"
click user name [MP] for info-
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groyster1
2006 posts
Sep 07, 2012
1:48 PM
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somebody on this forum said the MS meisterklasse are only good for paper weights...expensive paper weights
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Todd Parrott
1030 posts
Sep 07, 2012
2:56 PM
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I think a plastic or acrylic comb would be fine for the Golden Melody. (I don't like wooden combs or bamboo either, though they look pretty.) Most people are into replacing their own combs anyway. It would just be nice to have a better, usable, solid comb that didn't chip apart. Anything would be an improvement over the current comb. Again, even the Huang Star Performer has a better comb and covers.
Hohner realizes that the Golden Melody doesn't sell as well as the other models, but I think this is partly because of what it is - its design and tuning, and reasons mentioned earlier in this thread. In other words, it's not a blues harp, but appeals to players of other styles like jazz, etc. However, they do realize that a lot of players like them and use them pretty exclusively, so I don't think an upgrade is something they won't at least consider.
As for the old style Meisterklasse... the magic of those was really in the cover plates IF you like the warmer sound. You can put those same covers on a Crossover and get the same sound - great for high keys. Once again, the center support is a problem and caused crushing at the corners. Christophe Dortel resolved this pretty easily in his cover plate design by adding 2 supports - a perfect solution and looks cool too.
If they brought back the old style Meisterklasse, they should consider designing the covers so that they are interchangeable with a Crossover or Marine Band Deluxe, to give players both options. Of course, the quality of old style Meisterklasse reed plates were inconsistent. Still a beautiful harp!
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nacoran
6065 posts
Sep 07, 2012
7:01 PM
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Is the crushing maybe just because the cover sits directly on the comb? Pretty much every other harp the cover sits on the reed plates. If you think about it, unless you do some careful bending of the covers in the design stage, the downward facing edge of a cover is going to be like a little wedge pushing down on a sliver of the edge of the comb. Maybe instead of messing with the comb they should be using a slightly larger and shaped reed plate. Looking at the chip in my GM F# that looks like that might actually be the problem. (I had another harp with that problem once. It was the reinforcement piece pushing down on the edge of the comb because I had the cover seated too far back). That would tend to chip replacement combs too.
The comb actually seems to flair a bit in the back, which would make it tricky, but Sp20 reed plates (presumably MB's too, but I don't want to pull apart nails to check right now) are longer... maybe still not enough longer. A LO reed plate looks like it would run the full length, although I'm not sure how the squares on the end would line up, and you could just about fit it so the reed plates, carefully cut, would protrude all the way around, maybe stopping the splitting. If people have the same problem as MP with custom combs splitting too, that might solve the problem (although you'd probably be better off starting with a custom comb because of the flair on the back of the GM comb, and you'd essentially have a LO with a GM comb and cover). Does anyone know of any other harps with really long reed plates?
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Nate
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Rubes
576 posts
Sep 08, 2012
5:12 AM
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Red acrylic comb would suit the GM I think. This material seems appropriately 'entry level' to make a price increase small.
Open backs on lower harps?? maybe.......leave the rest it's a classic platform!
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One of Rubes's bands, DadsinSpace-MySpace
Old Man Rubes at Reverbnation
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Steamrollin Stan
552 posts
Sep 08, 2012
5:49 AM
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OOTB,GM's seemed like a harp to play irish jig tunes or something, so i just kept away, i got stung once with a Lee oskar A harp and hated it, i'll stick to what i'm used to, sp20's, but i would like to try a GM without paying first.
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Todd Parrott
1032 posts
Sep 08, 2012
1:18 PM
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Nate, other harps have the same problem of the covers crushing in - Promaster/Hammond/Fabulous, old style Meisterklasse, etc. The single center support just isn't the best design. Support beams solve the problem, but just don't look good on these types of harps in my opinion. The best option I've found so far are the opened covers with a crease.
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J-Sin
119 posts
Sep 08, 2012
1:53 PM
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After trying dozens of different harps, GM is still my no.1 choice. I play mainly melodic styles in all 12 positions, so ET just fits my playing way better than JI or compromise. I love the warm, mellow sound of GM, and I think even the overbends sound more pleasant. It's a playable, sweet harp - my precious.
If you ask me, there are way more models suited for the needs of blues players than melody players, so changing the finetuning in GM to something else just sounds unfair. So whatever they do, they should not change the tuning IMO.
That said, I agree with all of you here what it comes to the comb. You could probably build a comb out of marshmallows and it would play better than the present one. It's very brittle and cheap, and holds back the playability, too. I have one ebony comb and several Dick Sjoeberg combs, and these harps fill all my requirements. The one with custom ebony comb is a real monster, bend/overbend control is the best I ever experienced on a non-custom harp.
In short: just by changing the comb I can transform my favorite stock harp into a Beast.
But I'm not sure if I want GM to change too much – if I wouldn't like the modifications for some reason, I wouldn't know what to play anymore! But I still think it's safe to say the COMB NEEDS AN UPDATE.
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Reed To The Beat!
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nacoran
6069 posts
Sep 08, 2012
6:24 PM
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I'm not even thinking about the crushed covers, I'm thinking more about the chipping issue.
It wouldn't be practical for a mass produced harp, but if you cut away (or folded) the support beam away and cut a very fine hole in the very back of the comb you could slide a coin through. Might look sharp on a clear comb. Maybe instead of a slit you could do a notch and glue the coin in place. It might even help with quarter notes! (badumpum!)
On a plastic comb they could put a plastic support like they do on Sp20's and LO's. Your right, screws don't look great. It would take some real precision cover bending, but maybe you could fold a stronger piece of metal lengthwise into the cover? Is it the metal bending? I haven't actually had that, but I only have on GM. The cover digging into the comb has been my problem.
I don't know what size you'd need, but some of those screws like Seydel uses, that screw into each other might look better. Placed right you wouldn't see the threading at least. They might look even less obtrusive in brass, if anyone makes them. I don't even know what that kind of screw is called to search for.
If they bent the back of the cover up into a fin more like on the standard models the shape might be more resistant to bending. (Until I thought about it just now it seemed like it was just a good place to put your finger, but it's probably actually to prevent crushing.
For a GM that still had the fairly closed back it might be possible to hide a screw support behind the regular center support. There are other things that might work, but would be a lot harder to mass produce. A thin, strong arch, sort of shaped like a stretched out omega might work- the little hooks on the end could slide up against the main part of the cover. It might get in the way of the reeds though, particularly on the ends, especially on the low reeds. It might at least look nice though, although it would be a pain to put in place.
Even just extending the reed plate might help a bit with the crush issue. I imagine when the cover starts to slide off the ends it makes it so their is more torque on the middle than if they were anchored, but I'm less sure about that.
Every time I take apart my Seydel Blues Favorite I have a really hard time getting the supports to line back up on the back edge of the comb. As long as their is only direct pressure down on them they are fine, but as soon as there is any slide involved they are pretty bendy.
Wow, good thing I have my Google safe search on. I just typed 'nutless screws' into the search field and hit enter without thinking about it!
edit- or is that screw on the Blues Harps?
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Nate
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Last Edited by on Sep 08, 2012 6:34 PM
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Lau88
1 post
May 30, 2016
12:53 PM
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I totally agree with Todd about the Golden Melody being updated, it's about time too. It's a great harmonic though but, there are quite a few things that could make it better such as, stainless steel cover plates, stronger comb, thicker reed plates, double back support and obviously a choice in which tuning you'd prefer.
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harmonicanick
2465 posts
May 30, 2016
12:56 PM
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just do not drop them on the kitchen floor
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nacoran
9076 posts
May 30, 2016
1:30 PM
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Lau88, I'm not sure how much of the GMs comb problems are the comb and how much are the cover plates. I've noticed mine chipped right where the cover plate rests on it, and I've noticed that happens on other harps where the cover plates rest directly on comb (as opposed to resting on the reed plate).
Basically, the cover plate acts like a little wedge that chips at the comb when you squeeze it. The two solutions that come to mind both require a little more metal. The simplest would be to make the reed plate bigger so it would rest under the cover plate anywhere the cover plate came in contact with the rest of the harp. (That would take a fair amount more metal, although maybe you could make some weird shape to minimize how much metal you needed. It would probably involve using non-standard pieces too.) Second, you could add just a little bit more metal to the cover plate and fold the edges just a little to disperse the pressure better.
You could do more complete overhauls, like making both cover plates one piece and sliding the rest of the harp in from the back. The Turbolid almost does this. It actually snaps together, but you can look at it and see how you could slide a harp from the back and have the covers completely surround the harp.
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Nate
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First Post- May 8, 2009
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Georgia Blues
207 posts
May 30, 2016
2:20 PM
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I've used golden melodies since about 1980. Saw one in a music shop in Costa Rica and had to have it. It was gold and red. Like in a circus. Comb didn't swell and the tone was great. Even better… it fit my mouth wonderfully and was easy to play. Have been playing them ever since and never regretted a single purchase. That said.. .I am looking forward to getting into some custom combs out of that wood composite they make cutting boards out of, and getting rid of the stock comb. I LIKE the red, but sometimes they do just fall apart. Amazingly cheap shit that plastic they use.
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Lau88
2 posts
May 31, 2016
3:43 AM
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nacoran, you have a point there although I think the main reason for the chipping on the comb has to do with the back support, this obviously puts pressure on the cover plates when you squeeze them and I agree with the complete overhaul of this harmonica too.
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Georgia Blues
209 posts
May 31, 2016
8:00 AM
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Lau88, to paraphrase the old doctor joke... if it breaks when you squeeze it... stop doing that.
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MN
413 posts
May 31, 2016
8:50 AM
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"I'm curious to know what you like or dislike about the Golden Melodies":
* LIKE the playability and the shape is quite comfortable.
* DISLIKE the brittle comb and the weak coverplates.
"why you choose to play them, or not play them."
* The equal tuning doesn't really suit the music I play most. Even though I do use overblows a bit, I prefer more of a compromise tuning. Also (and this is a beef with all Hohners, not just the GM), I agree with harpdude61's post above where he wrote "the reeds look like a side grinder has been used on them. THis has to make weak spots." I guess the main reason I no longer play Golden Melody harps is that the Seydel Session Steel exists. And when I DO get a Hohner it's the Marine Band Crossover or Deluxe.
Last Edited by MN on May 31, 2016 8:50 AM
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Diggsblues
2030 posts
May 31, 2016
9:48 AM
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I think I play GMs because twenty-five years ago I thought it was the best and longest lasting harp around. It becomes different beast with custom combs. Much louder and better control.
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Philosofy
753 posts
May 31, 2016
11:19 AM
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A reason to not play them is that it seems to grab your beard more than any other model.
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Barley Nectar
1225 posts
May 31, 2016
6:18 PM
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I have a bunch of GM combs. Used. 2 bucks each + shipping if you need some.
I played GM's for a few years. They have a full warm round tone. The shape never bothered me. Don't know why I quit using them?? Maybe it was the saving of the LO reed plate...
I would say leave the tuning alone. Why tune them compromise, there are plenty of harps tuned that way now...BN
Last Edited by Barley Nectar on May 31, 2016 6:24 PM
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