Harmonica

[djdell]

What is the best harmonica for playing along with mando: Hohner,Oskar or other?

[DHopkins]

My personal favorite is the Hohner Blues Bender followed by the Blues Band

[Charlie Bernstein]

I know one harpist who only plays Seydels. And several harpists who can't figure out how he can afford them.

[Charlie Bernstein]

And here's an interesting Hohner chart: Harp guide

[Ron McMillan]

I don't see how there could be any reason why one brand would be better than another for playing along with the mandolin.

[pops1]

I used to play honer, but went to lee oscar as I could rebuild them cheaper than buying new ones. Then honer didn't offer reed plates separately. There is a difference, but it is mostly the feel against the mouth, the lee oscar is fuller and the honer slimmer feeling against the lips. Took me a while to make the change but I liked being able to replace reed plates and I liked the minor harps. Sound wise either would work just fine.

[mandroid]

the comb material preference? (absorbent) wood vs spit proof plastic?

As said above, Lee OsKar , the reed plates are replaceable, so you can clean them out as well..


Need several to play along, in multiple keys.. so there is the cost factor..

[jaycat]

. . . Need several to play along, in multiple keys.. so there is the cost factor..

Not if you get the capo.

[JeffD]

There is a CD called "Old Time Mandolin" by Clyde Curly and the Oxymorons. Clyde Curley, mandolin; Joel Bernstein, banjo, harmonica; Creighton Lindsay, guitar, pump organ.

On that CD there is a tune called "Hunting the Buffalo", a great tune in any event, but really really enhanced by the edition of harmonica. Nothing outrageous, but the whole is better than the sum of the parts, and until I heard that I never would have thought of putting a harmonica together with a mandolin.

The CD has a lot of great stuff, obviously, but that tune sticks out in my mind as a particularly tasteful and effective use of mandolin and harmonica.

[allenhopkins]

I went from Hohner Special 20's to Lee Oskar 10-hole diatonics, for the reason pops1 outlined above. The various Hohner models differ in sometimes subtle ways; I went from Marine Band to Blues Harp to Special 20 over the years. Being able to replace just the reed plates, rather than having to buy a whole new harmonica when a reed wears out, saves about 50% of the instrument's cost.

If you're going to play the "standard" 10-hole diatonic, remember it only works in a few keys -- one for "straight harp," one for "cross harp," and you can squeeze incomplete minor scales out of these instruments. So probably you'd need to get a harmonica for each of the more common mandolin keys -- depending on if you're playing bluegrass, old-time, blues or whatever style of music you like. I usually carry a case with seven harmonicas -- A, B-flat, C, D, E, F and G -- so at current prices, that's over $200 in harps.

I do like the harmonicas with plastic rather than wooden combs, because they don't absorb moisture from your saliva when you play them. Wooden combs can swell when wet, and then the corners of the dividers between the holes stick out enough to irritate your lips.

When I started playing harmonica, a Hohner Marine band was $3.00, a Blues Harp $3.25. Times have changed. I'd get a good quality harmonica -- Hohner, Lee Oskar, Suzuki, or one of the other better Asian-made brands -- in a "common" key, and play for awhile with mandolin on tunes in that key. See how you like it, before investing in a larger "arsenal" of harmonicas.

[Charlie Bernstein]

I don't see how there could be any reason why one brand would be better than another for playing along with the mandolin.

You're right that it's the player, not the instrument, that matters. But different makes and models can be more penetrating, smooth, mellow, jangly, bright, or warm than others, and that probably matters to Djdell.

[Paul Busman]

I don't see how there could be any reason why one brand would be better than another for playing along with the mandolin.

I agree.
I currently have a Seydel with stainless steel plates that are supposed to last a lot longer. I also retuned it myself to "Paddy Richter" tuning which is better for Irish music which is what I mainly play. It involves filing reeds and is a bit nervous-making, but it wasn't all that difficult. There are guides online.

[Charlie Bernstein]

PS - I'm going to ask some of my harp-tooting friends to see what they say. Stay tuned:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XY9jQq7U85c

[mandroid]

Not if you get the capo.

Neck Capo for the harmonica player?

[Tom C]

You should see where I tell my friends to capo when they cant sing a tune in a higher pitched key.

[keithb]

I like the feel of the Suzuki Bluesmaster - no sharp edges and less catching of the mustache hairs.

[John Kelly]

A plug here for the Hohner Highlander, a special one developed in consultation with the great Scottish player Donald Black. One side is in D and the other in A Mix for getting the right notes for pipe tunes. Some of the tremolo harmonicas are good too for Scottish/Gaelic waltzes.
As you can see my preferences are for Scottish, both pipe and fiddle tunes!

[CarlM]

You should see where I tell my friends to capo when they cant sing a tune in a higher pitched key.

Probably really, really not something we want to see

[Jeff Hildreth]

Chromatic such as the Hohner 270, 280, or CX -12.. Plays in all keys.

Seydel makes them, not my favorite
And Suzuki makes many fine chromatic models.

[Charlie Bernstein]

Just heard back from one of my harp buddies. He says:

"Golden Melody, of course. It just hits those sweet fills better, as you are aware from my 'magic.'"

And hey, look, here's one now: Golden Melody

[Charlie Bernstein]

Folks are bringing up a big point, DJ: What kind of music is this for?

The Highlander might be just right for Celtic music, a chromatic harmonica would probably be better for jazz and classical (but harder to learn to play), a blues harp could be ideal for blues, folk, R&B, or gospel, and something more aggressive (like a Lee Oskar or Hohner's Special 20) might stand out better in a bluegrass band.

So which way are you leaning?

[Loubrava]

All the harps mentioned above are perfect. After you've played a few different brands you will have a favorite. If your buying a 10 hole diatonic there cheap enough you buy the 3-4 brands in different keys and see what YOU like. I'm partial to a plastic or aluminum comb they just seem to last longer and be more consistent as in being in tune right out of the box. Buts it's been years since I've played a wooden comb harp so maybe production of them has improved.
Have fun with it it's a blast to switch instruments and blow your brains out at the same time.

[Phil-D]

Be careful of HAS. No one has mentioned the Suzuki Manji. A bit pricy but worth a try. I'm also a fan of the Hohner Golden Melody.

[allenhopkins]

...I'm also a fan of the Hohner Golden Melody.

I like this model too, but it doesn't fit well in a neck rack for playing with guitar (banjo, mandolin, ukulele...).

[Charlie Bernstein]

I don't see how there could be any reason why one brand would be better than another for playing along with the mandolin.

Yup, it's like wondering what kind of guitar or banjo or dobro.

In fact, I was at a guitar/mando camp a couple of weekends ago. I went to one of the jams, and there were so many strings going that I pulled my harps out to add a different sound. All of them were Hohners, but different models. They all sounded good and were well received.

It's HOW you're playing, not WHAT you're playing.