Has anyone had any experience with this model Hohner chromatic, and if so, could you help me out with some opinions. I haven't played a chromatic, but I want to start.
Thanks for any help...
The best,
Whitelight
Last Edited by Whitelight on Oct 24, 2015 2:05 PM
I've had one since they were first introduced. It's loud with a punchy tonality, and with its radical design is by far the easiest chromatic to take apart for maintenance. I find the slide to be a bit noisy, but it's a great little 12-hole chromatic. I'd recommend it.
A lot of people really like them. a lot For chromatic harps I'm a fan of the rounded metal Suzuki mouthpiece and quiet smooth slide. They can be had for a decent price too. Rockin Ron has SCX 48 for $160 and Danny at NewHarmonica has them for 175. And then you get the nicer more durable (in my opinion) Suzuki Reeds.
I like the CX-12, but the valves can be sticky, it's very airtight and easy to work on. I am the Suzuki harmonica tech for the US, and all our harps come with a one year warranty. My first chrom was a CX-12 tenor, that's a pretty nice horn.
I reviewed the CX-12 Jazz for Mel Bay's HarmonicaSessions.com webzine awhile back. You can find the review, with photos and audio samples (and all my harmonicasessions articles) at my website:
I've had my cx-12 tenor for about a month, and I really dig it. I played 16 holers, as I love that low c. My favorite was a CB 2016. With the tenor, I've got the first three octaves of a 16 holer, with a really comfortable mouthpiece, easy and fast to play. I can play it without the slide making noise if I'm careful. I love how easy it disassembles, and it weighs only 6.4 ounces.I don't miss the upper octave at all.
I want to give a big thank you to everybody, for all your help...I have only been playing a Marine Band Deluxe and Golden Melody diatonic for a year, but I have listened to the late, great George Fields, play Moon River on the opening scene, and throughout the movie Breakfast At Tiffany's, and the song, was made for the plaintive chromatic.
My last question is, do all chromatic harmonica's in the key of C, sound the same? I am aiming to get the same sound and tone as Mr.Fields, when I purchase one, since they cannot be returned. Thanks again everybody.
I only play 3rd position blues on mine but do use the slide button. Had mine for about 20 years so can say they last pretty good! Easy to clean and work on and for me comfortable to play.
To get George Fields' sound the surest method is to be George Fields. Back then he'd have been playing either a Hohner 270 12-hole chromatic or a 16-hole 280, because that's all that was available.
While different chromatics do sound different, the biggest element is the player's skill and natural sound. =========== Winslow
You are quite right about sounding like George Fields', but I'm going to work hard, and give it my best, to get as close as I possibly can. I think it would make him proud.
I have 3 ; I like them for all the reasons mentioned. The only negative - this happened to a friend's - if you drop it and it breaks the slots that hold it together; the cost of the shell is nearly as much as a new cx12 ---------- No Harm In Harmonica !
I have a C and Bb CX12. I recently had them worked on by 'chromaticblues" who is here at the forum. I sent them to him to gap, tune and tweak them. They came back in about 2 weeks, and they play like butter. I love sticking the whole damn thing in my mouth and playing chords and the octaves ring so nice. And I can bend a lo of notes, the dude does great work.
All this talk got me to shopping and my new CX-12 (black) in D should be on its way shortly. I've been itching to try a chrom for quite a while, so I hope this one lives up to the hype. Thanks to everyone for the info, especially Winslow's fine review. ----------
Last Edited by mr_so&so on Nov 04, 2015 8:17 PM
