geordiebluesman
4 posts
Apr 16, 2008
4:32 AM
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Yes it's official i am thick,i've just written a long message asking for feedback on the Marine Band Deluxe harps then realized that i should have done it as a new topic,so it's now attached to the harmoica scratches posting OOPS!,anyway does anyone have any feedback about these new harps coz i need a B flat harp and i like to try new stuff CHEERS,GEORDIEBLUESMAN
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Luke Juke
1 post
Apr 16, 2008
7:45 AM
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Hi there geordiebluesman. I've tried a few harps and the mb was my fave so I thought I'd try the deluxe in Bb. It is way much better than the stock mb. Cover plates are better, sealed comb which hasn't swollen yet, rounded corners, screws making mine much more airtight. Mine was louder, more responsive, bent easier. It felt like i was playing an instrument rather than trying to draw a tune out of a leaky mb. I've had it a year now and it still sounds fantastic. But it still needed to be tuned. So in my opinion, it is much better than a stock mb. But from what I have read, then a good custom built harp is much better still. But I cant justify paying the money for a custom but I will buy the deluxe again. If you go to the 'Harmonica jam' website forum there's a fella there called Tonyh. He's just started customizing mb's and he's not asking much for them. So I'm gonna give him a try for my next purchase. If his customizing is as good as his playing then it should be fantastic. Hope you're not a newcastle supporter. lol. Luke
Last Edited by on Apr 16, 2008 7:49 AM
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Baker
3 posts
Apr 16, 2008
8:15 AM
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Hi I've not ever played one, but, strangely enough was just reading this before I came over here to MBH.
http://www.harmonicasessions.com/dec05/h-workbench.html
Last Edited by on Apr 16, 2008 8:16 AM
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bluesnut
11 posts
Apr 16, 2008
9:26 AM
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I bought a MB deluxe and second Luke Juke.
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Jeff
53 posts
Apr 16, 2008
10:09 AM
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The MB Deluxe is one of the best stock harps on the market. It's not going to be as loud or responsive as your Suzuki's. But it's definitely a step up from any other Hohner harp.
Ultimately, I still think $50 is insanely overpriced for what the MB Deluxe actually is. Comparing it to the performance of Suzuki, Seydel, Bushman harps, it probably should be more in the $30-40 range.
There are many custom MB's on the net like the Dude Harp that are the same price as the Deluxe and are obviously going to be better (it's gapped, embossed, tip scooped, sealed...).
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geordiebluesman
5 posts
Apr 16, 2008
11:37 AM
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hello harpers,thanks for the swift feedback,very interesting,especially the suggestion about the dude harp,i think i will do a bit of on line price busting and see how costs compare,does anyone have any top tips for best prices? i have recently tried a bushman delta frost in C but i wasn't very impressed i didn't think it was as responsive or as nice in tone as my MB any comments from bushman fans? CHEERS GEORDIEBLUESMAN ps no i'm not a newcastle united fan i'd much rather be blasting on my motorbike or blowin on my harp than watching a bunch of overpaid pillocks kicking a ball around!
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Jeff
56 posts
Apr 16, 2008
1:17 PM
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As far as economical custom harps go, I would stick with the Dude harp or Genesis. Otherwise, you're looking at $130+. Joe Spiers (Jason Ricci's favorite) is going to be switching over from MB's to Suzuki's soon and will be able to offer them for considerably cheaper (as they need much less work than Hohners)
And atleast in America, 9/10 people don't have a clue what Manchester United even is, lol.
Last Edited by on Apr 16, 2008 1:21 PM
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eharp
5 posts
Apr 16, 2008
3:06 PM
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i am the 1 out of 10 that does know!
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Leanground
5 posts
Apr 16, 2008
5:33 PM
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I'm relatively green at all this. I've played out less than 100 times and have really only played out fewer than 5 years but I can't imagine any of the masters we all try to emulate paying more $$ than they can afford for a harmonica...isn't it about conjuring that feeling?
I feel guilty enough playing these blues however much I love it without spending crazy money on finely tuned rolls royce harps...sheeee-it and a shake of the head seems too sum up the imagined reaction of some old timers.
Adam plays 'em out of the box and falls in love with them, caressing and tuning each one to make it his own...
just my feeling
Last Edited by on Apr 16, 2008 5:34 PM
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oldwailer
25 posts
Apr 16, 2008
7:52 PM
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Well Said, LeanGround,
But sometimes I just gotta wonder what Sonny Boy would have sounded like on a really cool custom harp! Of course, he probably just customized them himself.
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Jeff
58 posts
Apr 16, 2008
8:26 PM
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Little Walter paid $18 for his Chromonica when the same Marine Band was less than $2. That's a $270 harmonica with today's prices.
I'm sure many of the greats not only did most of their custom work, but also would have paid the price for a custom.
Though, one thing that many people overlook is that fact of how awesome the stock pre-war Marine Bands actually were out of the box. I have a whole set from picking them up on ebay. I've never paid more then $7 for one. Instead of spending so much money on new harps, I recommend just buying pre-wars off ebay. They're great - 7-limit just-intonation and very airtight.
Last Edited by on Apr 16, 2008 9:02 PM
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geordiebluesman
7 posts
Apr 17, 2008
6:37 AM
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dear jeff,thats very interesting what you say about pre war harps,do you think the drop off in quality after WW2 was due to the death of skilled craftsmen?,if so you wander why the quality hasn't caught back up by now.i can't really comment anyway as i'm very much a beginer in the harmonica world and don't know enough about the subject to comment,i also appreciate the comments about the old timers being disgusted by people thowing cash at swanky custom harps but when you're just learning i think it's better to use good gear coz a cheap leaky unresponsive harp can leave you winded and dejected having said that i love my out of the box MB's i just wondered if the deluxe was any better,anyway i'm off now to practice my newly discovered top end techniche and piss the dog off a bit more!
Last Edited by on Apr 17, 2008 6:38 AM
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Jeff
59 posts
Apr 17, 2008
7:42 AM
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Mainly it's because they weren't made on a production line in China, lol.
They were hand produced in Germany by actual skilled German harmonica craftsmen. Thus, the offsets and gaps have much better geometry and are very airtight-responsive. The backs were opened much more. Therefore they're much louder due to the increased projection.
In an effort to make the reeds last longer, Hohner now makes the reeds out of a softer brass. They technically do last longer now. But the actual sound is muddier and not as crisp (this is the reason customizer Joe Spiers is not working with current MB reeds anymore).
They were also tuned to pure 7-limit just-intonation. So the chords were more rich and full sounding. I'm sure there are many other little nuances that are better that I'm simply not aware of.
I do know that the MB Deluxe is one of the only harmonicas Hohner currently makes wherein some of the production is actually done in Trossingen, Germany. Aside from some chromatics, the rest are all cheaply mass-produced from China.
Last Edited by on Apr 17, 2008 9:05 AM
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