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beginner forum: for novice and developing blues harp players >
Kinda Puzzled about Hohner Rocket and Rocket Amp
Kinda Puzzled about Hohner Rocket and Rocket Amp
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New but determined
67 posts
Feb 26, 2016
7:05 PM
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I really like my Crossovers- to be honest and yes I'm a beginner but I've watched so many UTube videos about doing simple stuff on harps like sanding the combs and reedplates flat and gapping that when I take apart and reassemble a Hohner, it's just enough to make me really appreciate the construction of the Manji's which seem to me to be exceptionally well made compared to my Crossovers and SP20's which are starting to appeal to me more than the Crossovers, by just a tiny amount.
But I've watched Ronnie Shellist's (sp?) several times and it seems like the Rocket really is a good idea, then they turn around and make the unavailable Rocket Amp and I'm reading zip about these harps now. WTHeck? The Hohner's prices are almost obnoxious since they don't seem to be improving quality (yes my cover plates are rusting on my SP20's) and the last one I bought didn't even have the screws in the reed plates screwed down, like they were sticking up out of the top plate.
I want to stick with Hohner (starting to ask why but some of that is American Pie stuff- I admit) but are they really in trouble, I'm old, so I've seen a lot of good products go south in my life and the writing appears to be on the wall for Hohner, at least that's my impression and I get a lot of my information or most- on this forum.
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SuperBee
3450 posts
Feb 26, 2016
8:39 PM
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nobody here knows. looks like Hohner USA is in a muddle. i dont have any dealings with them. i deal with Hohner in Germany and ive had no problems but Tiggertoo is in Germany and said he has had a marine Band Deluxe on order for a while. first ive heard about the unavailability of Rocket/Amp. someone on the other channel was speculating about MBD recently but they didnt back it up with any info.
Tom Halchek posted that since the move to TN it seems they dont know what theyre doing. i expect there has been a lot of staff changes there.
i think its extremely unlikely Hohner are on the verge of going under, but i'm kinda glad to be able to deal with the German shop...
oh..i heard that the australian importer just received their first shipment for the year so maybe things are about to settle down...i dont know what impact the USA upheaval may have had on supplies from Germany, but i believe USA ran down their inventory prior to moving and Germany may have been hard pressed to resupply them, hence a slowdown for everyone else as well.
i'm expecting this is no more than a hiccup.
Last Edited by SuperBee on Feb 26, 2016 8:41 PM
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Killa_Hertz
635 posts
Feb 26, 2016
9:41 PM
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Yea, but with so many good harps out there now, I'm not playing hohners much anymore. And some people are awfully upset about hohners recent quality. People aren't very forgiving when they spend good coin on a crossover and get barely better than the raw parts slapped together.
Ide rather spend my money on seydel Harps or manjis. They re competitivly priced and much better more solid harps. That's my opinion. I like marine bands, but not sure if I'll buy any more for a while. Hohner needs to get their priorities straight and remember that we have options.
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"Trust Those Who Seek The Truth. Doubt Those Who Say They Have Found It."
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SuperBee
3451 posts
Feb 26, 2016
11:23 PM
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who has been saying the quality has been poor? i havent seen any of that at all.
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Tiggertoo1962
27 posts
Feb 27, 2016
6:48 AM
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Like Bee, I think Hohner is a long way from going under, but they do have a lot more competition these days, that's for sure. Not sure where all they have factories, but if they do manufacture in Germany for the world market, I think replacing US stock could well cause supply delays elsewhere. The MBD I'm waiting on is in F, so maybe they are just too otherwise occupied to produce F reed plates ATM.
The first new harps I bought were a couple of BH MS, and I wasn't as impressed as I had expected to be, as I had an old original Blues Harp in G lying around. TBH, as an absolute clueless beginner, I was wondering from the onset why they, with their nice wood combs, had the same list price as the plastic-combed SP20. Meantime, I'm convinced the reason is better quality reed plates on the SP20 - but please bear in mind I'm speaking from a position of only 4 months' playing experience.
Soon after buying the BH MSs, I visited my favourite music shop in Germany, where I usually purchase online as it's over an hour's drive from where I live. I was determined to spend a bunch of money - probably on SP20s - but was convinced by the sales person that the Seydel Blues Session was a better buy. I bought one, so I could actually play it, liked the sound (still do), decided it didn't play any worse than my MS harps, and took another 4 Seydels while I was there. At this point, I still didn't know that most players gap OOTB harps to make them play better.
A couple of weeks later I wanted to order a Seydel in another key. Since it wasn't in stock, I bought a SP20 instead out of curiosity. .. and that was me sold on the 20 after all, as I found it so much more comfortable and easier to play than my Seydels.
Shortly after came a Manji in G (curiosity again, my first more expensive harp) and a Crossover in D, a 2nd hand fleabay bargain. I can't compare these two directly, obviously, as they are different keys, but have enough other harps to make cross references. Compared to my other G harps, the Manji impressed me with its sound, but isn't any easier to play than the others - i.e. doesn't seem any more airtight , the comparisons being Seydel BS, SP20, and original Hohner Blues Harp. The Crossover on the other hand blew my other two D harps (SP20 and BH MS) out of the water, in terms of sound and playability.
Meantime I have learned to do some basic maintenance. Since flat sanding the combs and draw plates on the MS harps and gapping them, they play much better, but I personally still don't seem to be able to get a very big sound out of them. The SP20s have definitely benefitted big time simply from gapping, and my C SP20 is currently my absolute favourite harp. I have to say though, that I have spent more time working on that harp than any other, so that could play a big role.
I have tried gapping a couple of my Seydels, but it hasn't made much of a difference. I seem to find those reeds more difficult to work than the Hohners, and I find the covers are also more difficult to put back on accurately, but maybe someone with more experience could chip in on that. The Manji is still stock, and will stay that way til I've had more practice, as I don't want to risk messing it up. I could be wrong, but I think the phosphor bronze reeds could also make it more of a task for a beginner.
Well, I've waffled on long enough now, so time to get a harp or two in my hands and see about improving my playing.
Fin
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Killa_Hertz
640 posts
Feb 27, 2016
10:22 AM
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Fin. If you don't like the seydels ... ill buy em. 8^).
But yea the seydel steel reeds are stubborn and take a lil doing when gapping.
I think at first, hohner reeds and recessed combs are easiest to play. So its not surprising that your lovin the sp20. Just keep playing and your favorite is likely to change a few times.
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"Trust Those Who Seek The Truth. Doubt Those Who Say They Have Found It."
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Tiggertoo1962
29 posts
Feb 27, 2016
10:34 AM
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Killa. If you're coming over to sunny Germany I'll keep them aside for you :P. BTW, it's just the Blues Session I have, not the Steel Session. Still find the reeds harder to work than the Hohners though...
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Killa_Hertz
644 posts
Feb 27, 2016
8:08 PM
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Aight. Where my plane tickets at? Ok ... I'm on my way. Imma take my GSXR on the autobon. You ll know its me when you hear a sonny boy lick go by at 184 mph.
Or i guess it ll be KmPH. Or however you write that.
Thats weird how the brass are still harder to work with. Wonder why. I think those funny lee oskar reeds are a lil harder to work on. Maybe it's a slightly different kind of brass. Or thicker, the blues harp reeds are kinda more resistant also. You make me want to buy on now just to check it out.
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"Trust Those Who Seek The Truth. Doubt Those Who Say They Have Found It."
Last Edited by Killa_Hertz on Feb 27, 2016 8:13 PM
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