I'm 71 years old. Back in 1968 I was a fan of Stevie Wonder and longed for a Hohner 64 Chromonica. My mother gifted me one at Christmas, total price $20. I still have it, although all the reeds are shot. I also have a brochure from Hohner with the price list. In 1974 I picked up a Marine Band (which I also still have), retail price $3. The Blues Harps were far more expensive, a whopping $5.
Hello Mr. Brendan, greetings from Brazil! Congratulations on their constant and tireless commitment not only to improve and extend the capacity of our beloved instruments, always taking them to new levels, but also to generously share and disseminate their projects with the community of musicians interested (from all levels) around the world... And, in this intúito (dissemination), I dare to give a little tip to the noble friend, configure in the editing of your videos here the authorization of "automatic subtitles", because these can be translated into other languages and enable even more all the rich content of your posts in videos here. That's it, then, a fraternal embrace and total positivity always!
Ahhh Brendan, when you say so ....they must be good ! You have always been a superb reviewer, an ingenious developer and an exceptional harmonica builder ! Your word is a guarantee. Thanks for the super reviews.
Great video. Totally agree with you about the Easttop Forerunner. I own the Seydel Saxony and Seydel Symphony. I never play them due to persistent valve issues. Love the Forerunner.
Thank you for the very informative demonstrations of these harps Brendan. It seems the Asian harmonica makers are concentrating more on creating a lot of added innovations with the player in mind. It is quite exciting to see, and be a part of this. I had the unique opportunity to test and critic the Forerunner 2.0, which is, as you stated, an attractive model for the diatonic player. I love the expression I can apply to my music using either the slide or bending. I like the Boogieman as well. The design is hard to beat.
Thanks, Brendan! Glad to know u r still powering on 😉 You've piqued my interest with the Forerunner. I have some Easttop Harps, both blues & chrom', but this valveless model is interesting. The fact that notes r more bendable on it reminds me of your Asiabend (which I actually bought from our mate Roland, when I lived in Shanghai - shoutout to Roland!). Some folks in the comments r questioning your choice of country in touting these. Having lived in China for 10 years, I can safely attest to the Kongsheng model as "copied", not "inspired". That is the culture. Regardless, kudos to the designers for actually eliminating all the niggly, annoying things of the CX-12 (mine is gathering dust, having blown reeds and simply being made superfluous by my other, more lovely, Toots & Gregoire signature chromatics). I'm always up for good quality affordable harps though, so when I'm flush with cash again, the Forerunner and the JDR evolution could be on the shopping list. ✌🏽🐨🎶
Thanks for this, I had been looking for a valveless chromatic, something I can just pick up and play when I've got 10 or 15 minutes to spare. So thanks to this I bought the Forerunner. That KB 12 looks good though, I've got more harmonicas than ability😁
Nice demo Brendan! Perhaps worth mentioning that the Kongsheng Boogie Man is also available from Rockin' Ron's. I too have been super impressed with the Boogie Man, although I find the CX12 tone to be a bit sweeter. But yeah, the quieter slide, etc... are big improvements and the price is great. I haven't yet tried the other two you demoed. BTW, I've been super happy with the Kongsheng Lyra Gold -- currently my favorite recording axe.
Always good to hear from you Slim! You know your chromatics, so I'm glad you agree with me about the KB-12. I like the look of that see-through one, which I hadn't seen before: very striking! Happy New Year, BP
In the last few days i have recieved two of these harmonicas that both came earlier than expected and they were both ordered through Ali express The Forerunner 2 which is a wonderfully made solid valveless ( Uk price paid :Total: ￡64.59 inc tax ) Being a valveless harp there is a bit less volume especially from the lower notes which requires some adjustment in your playing ( perhaps amplification )..The other one came today which was KONGSHENG BoogieMan KB-12 ( Uk price paid :Total: ￡76.97 inc tax ) Sounds really nice, the slide is very quiet when pushed in but a little noisy when let out as it hits the harmonica body.I purchased the crystal see through body which came in handy because there is no sticker or writing to indicate the harmonicas key, so i wrote it on the inside of the body/case with magic marker; Both great for money: Thanks Brendan for all you do! Harmonicas are getting better all the time and often the price does'nt always equate to the quality.
Thanks so much for that Brendan. I have always been a Hohner man & looked at other competitors with a skeptical eye until I stumbled across your review. Given your musical pedigree I trust your judgement. I have ordered both the East top Forerunner 2 / KB 12 & now subscribe to your channel. Cheers!
Nice one Brendan I will NEVER waste my hard earned busking money on another German harmonica love the forerunner & the kon sheng can't find a J D R but when I can I'll get one BLESS m8
Hi Brendan, greetings from Brazil! I have a friend of yours (Marcio Sciallis) which is leading a project to build a group of harmonicas luthiers here. He's always saying how much he learned from you ( he loves you!) and we discuss a lot in this group, I got your video suggested by RUclips and I liked your review very much. But I would recommend just to "use them with caution!". I'm an engineer (EE) and I could discuss for hours the "chinese way of manufacturing", but I will not do that. I would just tell what I tell to everybody regarding products manufactured by Chinese brands (note that I didn't say Made in China, because even Hohner is there): Ok they are fine, sometimes working equal or almost equal of the great brand (Ctrl+C), they have a positive side to show us that some brands really charge a lot; but, 1) don't expect them to last long, 2) Buy it knowing that the brand can vanish day from night. So, for study and emergency applications, fine, no problem. But for pro's a warning: they will fail someday soon, and you'll be left behind. Don't expect support from them. Their support is bad, terrible. I'm not talking just about harmonicas here. As a musical instrument (a mechanical device), remember they will need corrective maintenance one day. And when this day arrives you may have to spend almost all the savings you did buying them or you gonna find that buy another cheap model is almost the same price of repair it, and you'll be trapped in the loop and complaining to yourself why I didn't buy a .... ? So buy them, if you like, but don't through your “traditional brand” away, keep one around because it could save you. I would know an intermediate solution, but it involves talk about a specific brand and I don't want to advertise for free in your channel. But if you like, we can talk afterward. Thanks again, and sorry for the long text.
Another positive side is they allow many many many people try the instrument easily. And there are many many many people who play that are NOT pros. And this is not saying a pro can't have several Chinese harmonicas for other uses such as teaching etc. Many Chinese products, not only musical instruments, meet the needs of different kinds of uses and benefits the many. One problem is some of the "many" forget about the benefits of having something while not breaking the bank. Some want best or none. And then what? Then there is a big chance of having none.
Great I really like the Easttop brand I have 2 sets of diatonic harmonicas and 2 chromatics with valves (King Dream) I will have to get this new version :)
Hi Brendan, I got an Eastop forerunner to learn on about 6 months ago, and then bought the Hohner 270 Deluxe for a better tone, but found the 1&2 draw very sluggish. I opened it up and found that the windsavers were responding no problem, and if like most people in the harmonica world say that it is my emboucher, then how the hell am I going to get an octave split with it! I checked on Pat Missin's site, and an american chap explained that he has fixed many a 270 by shifting combs/plates east to west because of the physics of a 12 holer is incompatible with the long 1&2 reeds. So I bought a Planetone 16 holer, and found it was not as sluggish. When I go to my open mic sesh at the prince Arthur in Euston on 26/1/23, I'll be playing my Eastop forerunner as I know it won't let me down. I would like to thank you for teaching me how to hit a single note on a diatonic (puckering), simply by shifting the harp minutley (Play irish music on the blues harp), no other harmonica instructor seems to know this simplicity! Happy new year sir.
Wonderful review, Brendan, I will share with my local group! Funny that you've mentioned JDR handling the top octave comb, I looked for those models to see prices and keys + colour options, and on JDR GM-0648 store images I've noticed white inserts, similar to the ones I got from you for my Suzuki SCX! I wonder who they got the idea from... About the slider, besides flat-sanding and perhaps changing the spring to match (or cutting it shorter to reduce tension), I have silicon tubes I use for buffers, which are usually softer than those stiff & sturdy ones coming from China. I also fancy the KB-12 a-lot, got one in A/Bb and it does need some work to perfect it, but very nice OOTB! Cheers and respect!
Thanks Zvika. One thing I found with the KB-12 was that it can help to straighten out the rear spring a bit to reduce the pressure if the slider appears a little sluggish. What mods did you do?
@@BrendanPowerMusic I see what you mean My current and main concern with the KB-12 is the rattling windsavers - when I next attend cleaning it, I will also trim the layers (spring and valve) and replace any stubborn ones with Hohner. A bit of fine-gapping and fine-tuning will help to maintain constant playability from bottom to top. With good air tightness of this one, I think the ODD ones can drop to get some nice bends, and I might also retune it to Bebop (lowering 4th blow on each octave by 2 semitones, so I get an extra D scale from the A channel, and Eb from the Bb channel). Mods... OK here's what I would consider: 1. I initially thought about playing Bb/A on it, with my Trumpet tunes, but it will require carving an opposite snag hole for the back spring to land on when the slider is reversed. 2. The slider movement can be reduced by half, if a new slider is cut, with the holes blocked to their half on the slider button side (so you only need to push in half of the slider to completely shift to the opposite channel). 3. I would also remove the top MP metal plate, sand the comb and plate flat and even drop a silicon / gasket between the plate and the comb, to make sure that zero air is lost there. I can see even without my reading glasses that there IS a bend up there, so if there is a new version coming up for KB-12, I hope they add 3 screws in between those 2 edges to fasten the top metal plate tightier to the comb. 4. I never tried this, perhaps its worthwhile to pull out the slider spring and try to attach the slider button to the 2nd finger with a keyring or a band so they move together - there are some easy scales you can run on a single channel with minimal "accidentals" on the other, especially if you're using Bebop tuning (extra 4th key) and bends (valves off on Odd holes), so... maybe once I'll try how it feels (no springs attached :) ) Cheers!
@@ZvikaDror interesting points. Bebop is a very good tuning 👍 #2. Personally I wouldn't opt for smaller slider holes. Big holes give you more power and volume. That's the whole point of the criss-cross slider, which you'd lose by reducing the holes. But try it anyway to be sure! #3. I don't think you need worry about this. The rear spring pressure pushes the metal plate firmly onto the front of the comb when the chrom is assembled, and it has a bit of light oil already between the parts. #4. Check out Dutch player Wim Dijgraaf. He's been playing for about 20 years with no slider spring, and a finger ring instead. it works great, and he's a fantastic jazz player 👍
Love this break down! I'm stuck between getting the easttop forerunner 2.0 and king dreaM.... Any advice with between the two which I should get... I'm super new and want to try to play some pop cover styles
Nice to see your name here Pibe :-) Especially as we're in the middle of a cold English winter - it brings back memories of our stay in your beautiful home town in Mexico. It sounds as if you know these models well, better than me! What's your favourite?
@@BrendanPowerMusic now I play with eap 12, I changed my cx 12 for easttop, you recommended to me this brand, I was tester of eap12 and fall in love in performance and tone, now I want buy a asía bend that you created , regards from barra de navidad México You are welcome always !!
@Pibe Arcega Asiabends r great! But they suck in a big way too 😜 (joke). Just pretty much all draw & no blow. Definitely fun to challenge yourself with! 🎶
I truly admire you or I wouldn't be subscribed. I also admire the courage it takes to stick something that came from CHINA in your mouth in this day and age but I think I'll stick with Germany.
I’m in on the forerunner. Is the lowest a Db? Have you tried half-valving to get “vaved” bends for the blow notes. Over the years, I’ve come to appreciate the nuances and character of “valved” bends But being able to do sympathetic bends on the draw notes without excessive air loss is quite appealing. Retaining the ability to do “valved” blow bends would be a bonus.
This is a very interesting question Randy. I tried half-valving a CX-12 once, but it was too airy for my preference, and my exploration ended there. If this valveless Forerunner 2 is as air tight as hoped, then it would be interesting to add some half-valving on the blow notes to get both valved bends and un-valved draw bends that Brendan is describing here. If you Google half-valved chromatic, Brendan describes how to make a half-valved chromatic on a CX-12 (that comes fully valved). I guess it would be the same instructions but in reverse (ie adding valves instead of taking them off). Also maybe add embossing to make the harp even more air-tight. If you google Brendan’s instructions on a youtube called “New Tool Embossing”, there is an innovative approach to make any harp even more responsive. It would be interesting to have Brendan chime in on this! :)
At this writing, Amazon (US) is showing a 40% off coupon for the KB-12 (grey). Curiously, it’s currently mislabeled as a “CX12” in the title. Also lots of incorrect info in the product description.
I bought an Easttop Forerunner 2.0 in the F# Scale in mid January. But the numbering & the on the cover plate got completely erased showing how poor quality conscious the Chinese are. By end of February, the 8th hole draw was not responding. When sent to Mr.Chayan Chatterjee, he reported the 8th hole draw Reed was broken. Overall poor quality from Easttop. Looking forward to better quality in future.
Excellent video. What is the difference between the Kongsheng Boogie Man and the Viking Age harmonicas? First I thought that it was the same as between the Hohner CX-12 and the Jazz but I'm now not sure. The Viking Age is more expensive.
I have both. The innards are the same. Only the outside molded body is shaped slightly different (and the branding logos on the bar). The reeds and inner body, comb, slider etc, are the same and swappable. The Viking Age outside body flares out a bit more at the bottom, and the curve of the mouth section, like the jazz, is a bit more curved in as compared to the Boogie Man. I find the Boogie Man more comfortable to hold and play because the bottom flare of the Viking is a little in the way for me. I do like the color red that the Viking comes in. The difference in embouchure between the two is a toss up for me. The Boogie Man a little less curved in. Both are comfortable. AliExpress sells them both. They are only a few dollars difference. I have the Kongsheng in the see through translucent body which is cool. Happy with them both. Wang Ecki at Kongsheng has offered me great support. I hope that they eventually offer purchasing reed plates.
Hello, Brendan! I'm thinking of getting the KB-12 to my brother, but I was wondering how comfortably can you play one handed? He's lost most of his left arm on an accident earlier this year. He loves music and picks up new instruments really fast. He's currently taking piano lessons, but I think he'd like to learn other instruments too, since before the accident he played guitar, flute and percussion. I don't think he would like to play a diatonic (which is smaller and thus more comfortable to hold), as he likes mainly popular brazilian music, bossa nova, samba, etc. What do you think? If this is not an option I'm sure I'll find something else, any tips and thoughts will be greatly appreciated 🙏
Another great evaluation Brendan! Do you or anyone know if any of these are available in a 12 hole C tenor tuned model? (That is, so hole #1 blow would be an octive below middle C.) ... thanks!
Dear Brendan, please tell me which of the Forerunner keys has the lowest tonal range? I asked a vendor and he says it is 'D'. Yet that confuses me, for I am expecting what I am used to from a chromatic, which is a 'C' reaching one octave below 'Middle C'. Please would you explain how they key they Forerunners? Thanks in advance for any advice. ❔🙋♂️
@@BrendanPowerMusic you are a great innovator with your harmonica design,s I,m glad to see your still going strong ..as for the Easttop forerunner 2 ,I have been playing my SCX 48 with 1/2 reed for a good few years ..
Are there any chromatics that don’t have the tonic note repeat in holes 4 and 5 ? I think it’s also on holes 8 and 9. Is there a harmonica where this does not occur? If so, that’s the one I want to try.
There's an infinite number of ways to tune a chromatic harmonica. However virtually all commercial models are made in Solo tuning, with the repeating tonic. It's easy to buy one if these and retune reeds to other notes if you wish.
You can get custom tunings with Hohner and Seydel (~50€ extra). I have a Seydel Chromatic DeLuxe Steel tuned in diminished tuning. Just make sure to test everything because they messed up a single reed in mine.
You can make any chromatic bend by removing the outside valves. It will only bend where there's at least two semitones between the blow and draw reeds.
I JUST unboxed my new KB12 Boogie Man. Plays a lot like my CX12. Right now I've got tingling lips and tip of tongue from the plastic??? WTF? I'm gonna wash it and hope it solves the problem. Never has any new harp done that to me. UPDATE: the cleaning of the mouthpiece did the job. That was a C. I've since gotten an A. I washed it first and love it. Just paid for a G and expect it soon.
Sir, I fail to understand why don't u mention the price? I, earlier also commented the same. How one can decide to buy which Model comparable to other Make. Pl. do mention every Model price.
Hi, BRENDAN POWER ( Q U E S T I O N ), the 12-hole East Top FORERUNNER I ordered arrived in the KEY of C. I just did another thorough search for any 12-hole Forerunner in the key of Tenor, D, E, F, G, A . . . however every seller carries ONLY in C key. PLEASE let me know where I can find the (valveless-design) Forerunner in any other key than C. Thanks for everything.
It depends what sound you're after, and what budget you have. In this video I provide some useful information about the three models. You need to decide for yourself which would suit you.
Q U E S T I O N , P L E A S E - P R O B L E M THAT'S UNIQUE TO THE CX-DESIGN CHROMATICS: Unlike the traditional-style chromatics, which merely need the cover plates removed in order to re-adjust any reed, the CX design is somewhat of a problem in that the slide is difficult to hold in place to adjust & play the reeds with the housing/cover removed. Has anyone discovered a solution to facilitating such type of maintenance to the CX-DESIGN chromatics? Thanks a million for any help.
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I'm 71 years old. Back in 1968 I was a fan of Stevie Wonder and longed for a Hohner 64 Chromonica. My mother gifted me one at Christmas, total price $20. I still have it, although all the reeds are shot. I also have a brochure from Hohner with the price list. In 1974 I picked up a Marine Band (which I also still have), retail price $3. The Blues Harps were far more expensive, a whopping $5.
Hello Mr. Brendan, greetings from Brazil! Congratulations on their constant and tireless commitment not only to improve and extend the capacity of our beloved instruments, always taking them to new levels, but also to generously share and disseminate their projects with the community of musicians interested (from all levels) around the world... And, in this intúito (dissemination), I dare to give a little tip to the noble friend, configure in the editing of your videos here the authorization of "automatic subtitles", because these can be translated into other languages and enable even more all the rich content of your posts in videos here. That's it, then, a fraternal embrace and total positivity always!
Thanks for the suggestion Waldo, I'll look into it 👍
Eu iria sugerir exatamente isso,tmj👍👍👍
Me pasa lo mismo, ojalá habilite los subtítulos
The Kongsheng Boogieman sounds like a good harp you just bring along with you everywhere to practise some scales and play some songs during off times.
Ahhh Brendan, when you say so ....they must be good ! You have always been a superb reviewer, an ingenious developer and an exceptional harmonica builder ! Your word is a guarantee. Thanks for the super reviews.
Thanks Upendra! 👍
I have an old hohner c chromatic, I have learned to play it crossed, ie only 1/2 opening the button, very interesting sound!!!
Really appreciate your evaluations and demos. Thanks, Brendan!
Amazing video! Thank you so much for the incredible perspective.
I like that Kongsheng!!!🎶🎵🎶
responsiveness, it's really great, but i hate the responsiveness of the slide. you can see that it's struggling even in the video.
this is probably the best video I've ever watched on the subject. Congratulations, sir!
Thank you Brendan..
Nice to know about other brands and options.
I bought the Eastop Forerunner, and I love it.
Great video. Totally agree with you about the Easttop Forerunner. I own the Seydel Saxony and Seydel Symphony. I never play them due to persistent valve issues. Love the Forerunner.
Thank you for the very informative demonstrations of these harps Brendan. It seems the Asian harmonica makers are concentrating more on creating a lot of added innovations with the player in mind. It is quite exciting to see, and be a part of this. I had the unique opportunity to test and critic the Forerunner 2.0, which is, as you stated, an attractive model for the diatonic player. I love the expression I can apply to my music using either the slide or bending. I like the Boogieman as well. The design is hard to beat.
Thanks, Brendan! Glad to know u r still powering on 😉
You've piqued my interest with the Forerunner. I have some Easttop Harps, both blues & chrom', but this valveless model is interesting. The fact that notes r more bendable on it reminds me of your Asiabend (which I actually bought from our mate Roland, when I lived in Shanghai - shoutout to Roland!).
Some folks in the comments r questioning your choice of country in touting these. Having lived in China for 10 years, I can safely attest to the Kongsheng model as "copied", not "inspired". That is the culture. Regardless, kudos to the designers for actually eliminating all the niggly, annoying things of the CX-12 (mine is gathering dust, having blown reeds and simply being made superfluous by my other, more lovely, Toots & Gregoire signature chromatics).
I'm always up for good quality affordable harps though, so when I'm flush with cash again, the Forerunner and the JDR evolution could be on the shopping list. ✌🏽🐨🎶
Thanks for this, I had been looking for a valveless chromatic, something I can just pick up and play when I've got 10 or 15 minutes to spare. So thanks to this I bought the Forerunner. That KB 12 looks good though, I've got more harmonicas than ability😁
I have a forerunner 2. Pretty happy with it.
Nice demo Brendan! Perhaps worth mentioning that the Kongsheng Boogie Man is also available from Rockin' Ron's. I too have been super impressed with the Boogie Man, although I find the CX12 tone to be a bit sweeter. But yeah, the quieter slide, etc... are big improvements and the price is great. I haven't yet tried the other two you demoed. BTW, I've been super happy with the Kongsheng Lyra Gold -- currently my favorite recording axe.
Always good to hear from you Slim! You know your chromatics, so I'm glad you agree with me about the KB-12. I like the look of that see-through one, which I hadn't seen before: very striking! Happy New Year, BP
In the last few days i have recieved two of these harmonicas that both came earlier than expected and they were both ordered through Ali express The Forerunner 2 which is a wonderfully made solid valveless ( Uk price paid :Total: ￡64.59 inc tax ) Being a valveless harp there is a bit less volume especially from the lower notes which requires some adjustment in your playing ( perhaps amplification )..The other one came today which was KONGSHENG BoogieMan KB-12 ( Uk price paid :Total: ￡76.97 inc tax ) Sounds really nice, the slide is very quiet when pushed in but a little noisy when let out as it hits the harmonica body.I purchased the crystal see through body which came in handy because there is no sticker or writing to indicate the harmonicas key, so i wrote it on the inside of the body/case with magic marker; Both great for money: Thanks Brendan for all you do! Harmonicas are getting better all the time and often the price does'nt always equate to the quality.
Please turn on automatic subtitles.
I love your videos but, I can't understand many things.
A cordial greeting.
Thanks so much for that Brendan. I have always been a Hohner man & looked at other competitors with a skeptical eye until I stumbled across your review. Given your musical pedigree I trust your judgement. I have ordered both the East top Forerunner 2 / KB 12 & now subscribe to your channel. Cheers!
Thanks Dave!
Better than the over priced & over rated German harps x
Always informative Brendan! The one question I would love answered is how bendable are the Kongsheng and Evolution?
Nice one Brendan I will NEVER waste my hard earned busking money on another German harmonica love the forerunner & the kon sheng can't find a J D R but when I can I'll get one BLESS m8
Hi Brendan, greetings from Brazil! I have a friend of yours (Marcio Sciallis) which is leading a project to build a group of harmonicas luthiers here. He's always saying how much he learned from you ( he loves you!) and we discuss a lot in this group, I got your video suggested by RUclips and I liked your review very much. But I would recommend just to "use them with caution!". I'm an engineer (EE) and I could discuss for hours the "chinese way of manufacturing", but I will not do that. I would just tell what I tell to everybody regarding products manufactured by Chinese brands (note that I didn't say Made in China, because even Hohner is there): Ok they are fine, sometimes working equal or almost equal of the great brand (Ctrl+C), they have a positive side to show us that some brands really charge a lot; but, 1) don't expect them to last long, 2) Buy it knowing that the brand can vanish day from night. So, for study and emergency applications, fine, no problem. But for pro's a warning: they will fail someday soon, and you'll be left behind. Don't expect support from them. Their support is bad, terrible. I'm not talking just about harmonicas here. As a musical instrument (a mechanical device), remember they will need corrective maintenance one day. And when this day arrives you may have to spend almost all the savings you did buying them or you gonna find that buy another cheap model is almost the same price of repair it, and you'll be trapped in the loop and complaining to yourself why I didn't buy a .... ? So buy them, if you like, but don't through your “traditional brand” away, keep one around because it could save you. I would know an intermediate solution, but it involves talk about a specific brand and I don't want to advertise for free in your channel. But if you like, we can talk afterward. Thanks again, and sorry for the long text.
Another positive side is they allow many many many people try the instrument easily. And there are many many many people who play that are NOT pros. And this is not saying a pro can't have several Chinese harmonicas for other uses such as teaching etc. Many Chinese products, not only musical instruments, meet the needs of different kinds of uses and benefits the many. One problem is some of the "many" forget about the benefits of having something while not breaking the bank. Some want best or none. And then what? Then there is a big chance of having none.
I'm an avid blues harmonica player, glad to meet you! Subbed!
Hi Warren, and thanks 👍
Great I really like the Easttop brand I have 2 sets of diatonic harmonicas and 2 chromatics with valves (King Dream) I will have to get this new version :)
I was about to pick up the king dream but I like the way his sounded so I canceled dream King and got the one he played Forerunner 2.0 e key
How did you like your king dream harmonica
Hi Brendan, I got an Eastop forerunner to learn on about 6 months ago, and then bought the Hohner 270 Deluxe for a better tone, but found the 1&2 draw very sluggish. I opened it up and found that the windsavers were responding no problem, and if like most people in the harmonica world say that it is my emboucher, then how the hell am I going to get an octave split with it! I checked on Pat Missin's site, and an american chap explained that he has fixed many a 270 by shifting combs/plates east to west because of the physics of a 12 holer is incompatible with the long 1&2 reeds. So I bought a Planetone 16 holer, and found it was not as sluggish. When I go to my open mic sesh at the prince Arthur in Euston on 26/1/23, I'll be playing my Eastop forerunner as I know it won't let me down. I would like to thank you for teaching me how to hit a single note on a diatonic (puckering), simply by shifting the harp minutley (Play irish music on the blues harp), no other harmonica instructor seems to know this simplicity! Happy new year sir.
Is the forerunner loud enough to be heard in a livingroom jam with an acoustic guitarist?
Wonderful review, Brendan, I will share with my local group!
Funny that you've mentioned JDR handling the top octave comb, I looked for those models to see prices and keys + colour options, and on JDR GM-0648 store images I've noticed white inserts, similar to the ones I got from you for my Suzuki SCX! I wonder who they got the idea from...
About the slider, besides flat-sanding and perhaps changing the spring to match (or cutting it shorter to reduce tension), I have silicon tubes I use for buffers, which are usually softer than those stiff & sturdy ones coming from China.
I also fancy the KB-12 a-lot, got one in A/Bb and it does need some work to perfect it, but very nice OOTB!
Cheers and respect!
Thanks Zvika. One thing I found with the KB-12 was that it can help to straighten out the rear spring a bit to reduce the pressure if the slider appears a little sluggish. What mods did you do?
@@BrendanPowerMusic I see what you mean
My current and main concern with the KB-12 is the rattling windsavers - when I next attend cleaning it, I will also trim the layers (spring and valve) and replace any stubborn ones with Hohner. A bit of fine-gapping and fine-tuning will help to maintain constant playability from bottom to top.
With good air tightness of this one, I think the ODD ones can drop to get some nice bends, and I might also retune it to Bebop (lowering 4th blow on each octave by 2 semitones, so I get an extra D scale from the A channel, and Eb from the Bb channel).
Mods... OK here's what I would consider:
1. I initially thought about playing Bb/A on it, with my Trumpet tunes, but it will require carving an opposite snag hole for the back spring to land on when the slider is reversed.
2. The slider movement can be reduced by half, if a new slider is cut, with the holes blocked to their half on the slider button side (so you only need to push in half of the slider to completely shift to the opposite channel).
3. I would also remove the top MP metal plate, sand the comb and plate flat and even drop a silicon / gasket between the plate and the comb, to make sure that zero air is lost there. I can see even without my reading glasses that there IS a bend up there, so if there is a new version coming up for KB-12, I hope they add 3 screws in between those 2 edges to fasten the top metal plate tightier to the comb.
4. I never tried this, perhaps its worthwhile to pull out the slider spring and try to attach the slider button to the 2nd finger with a keyring or a band so they move together - there are some easy scales you can run on a single channel with minimal "accidentals" on the other, especially if you're using Bebop tuning (extra 4th key) and bends (valves off on Odd holes), so... maybe once I'll try how it feels (no springs attached :) )
Cheers!
@@ZvikaDror interesting points. Bebop is a very good tuning 👍
#2. Personally I wouldn't opt for smaller slider holes. Big holes give you more power and volume. That's the whole point of the criss-cross slider, which you'd lose by reducing the holes. But try it anyway to be sure!
#3. I don't think you need worry about this. The rear spring pressure pushes the metal plate firmly onto the front of the comb when the chrom is assembled, and it has a bit of light oil already between the parts.
#4. Check out Dutch player Wim Dijgraaf. He's been playing for about 20 years with no slider spring, and a finger ring instead. it works great, and he's a fantastic jazz player 👍
@@BrendanPowerMusic Cool thanks!
I'm 99% sure I was referring to how Wim is playing his chrom with the slider spring off :)
I've got the original Forerunner... and now I'm thinking that maybe a v2 model might be in order - or maybe the Kongsheng as I love their diatonics!
Brendan! Configura para aparecerem as legendas👍abraços do Rio de Janeiro
Love this break down! I'm stuck between getting the easttop forerunner 2.0 and king dreaM.... Any advice with between the two which I should get... I'm super new and want to try to play some pop cover styles
Thanks Brendan. I want know more about JDS vs Eap 12 and Viking Ace vs Cx 12 in performance,. This are my favorite chromatics in the market.
Nice to see your name here Pibe :-) Especially as we're in the middle of a cold English winter - it brings back memories of our stay in your beautiful home town in Mexico.
It sounds as if you know these models well, better than me! What's your favourite?
@@BrendanPowerMusic now I play with eap 12, I changed my cx 12 for easttop, you recommended to me this brand, I was tester of eap12 and fall in love in performance and tone, now I want buy a asía bend that you created , regards from barra de navidad México You are welcome always !!
@Pibe Arcega Asiabends r great! But they suck in a big way too 😜 (joke). Just pretty much all draw & no blow. Definitely fun to challenge yourself with! 🎶
I truly admire you or I wouldn't be subscribed. I also admire the courage it takes to stick something that came from CHINA in your mouth in this day and age but I think I'll stick with Germany.
Thanks for the informative video.
Brendan, do you know if the parts of the KB-12 and CX12 are interchangeable?
NOT interchangeable
I’m in on the forerunner. Is the lowest a Db? Have you tried half-valving to get “vaved” bends for the blow notes. Over the years, I’ve come to appreciate the nuances and character of “valved” bends But being able to do sympathetic bends on the draw notes without excessive air loss is quite appealing. Retaining the ability to do “valved” blow bends would be a bonus.
This is a very interesting question Randy. I tried half-valving a CX-12 once, but it was too airy for my preference, and my exploration ended there. If this valveless Forerunner 2 is as air tight as hoped, then it would be interesting to add some half-valving on the blow notes to get both valved bends and un-valved draw bends that Brendan is describing here.
If you Google half-valved chromatic, Brendan describes how to make a half-valved chromatic on a CX-12 (that comes fully valved).
I guess it would be the same instructions but in reverse (ie adding valves instead of taking them off).
Also maybe add embossing to make the harp even more air-tight.
If you google Brendan’s instructions on a youtube called “New Tool Embossing”, there is an innovative approach to make any harp even more responsive.
It would be interesting to have Brendan chime in on this! :)
At this writing, Amazon (US) is showing a 40% off coupon for the KB-12 (grey). Curiously, it’s currently mislabeled as a “CX12” in the title. Also lots of incorrect info in the product description.
I bought an Easttop Forerunner 2.0 in the F# Scale in mid January. But the numbering & the on the cover plate got completely erased showing how poor quality conscious the Chinese are. By end of February, the 8th hole draw was not responding. When sent to Mr.Chayan Chatterjee, he reported the 8th hole draw Reed was broken. Overall poor quality from Easttop. Looking forward to better quality in future.
Excellent video. What is the difference between the Kongsheng Boogie Man and the Viking Age harmonicas? First I thought that it was the same as between the Hohner CX-12 and the Jazz but I'm now not sure. The Viking Age is more expensive.
I have both. The innards are the same. Only the outside molded body is shaped slightly different (and the branding logos on the bar). The reeds and inner body, comb, slider etc, are the same and swappable. The Viking Age outside body flares out a bit more at the bottom, and the curve of the mouth section, like the jazz, is a bit more curved in as compared to the Boogie Man. I find the Boogie Man more comfortable to hold and play because the bottom flare of the Viking is a little in the way for me. I do like the color red that the Viking comes in. The difference in embouchure between the two is a toss up for me. The Boogie Man a little less curved in. Both are comfortable. AliExpress sells them both. They are only a few dollars difference. I have the Kongsheng in the see through translucent body which is cool. Happy with them both. Wang Ecki at Kongsheng has offered me great support. I hope that they eventually offer purchasing reed plates.
Hello, Brendan! I'm thinking of getting the KB-12 to my brother, but I was wondering how comfortably can you play one handed? He's lost most of his left arm on an accident earlier this year. He loves music and picks up new instruments really fast. He's currently taking piano lessons, but I think he'd like to learn other instruments too, since before the accident he played guitar, flute and percussion. I don't think he would like to play a diatonic (which is smaller and thus more comfortable to hold), as he likes mainly popular brazilian music, bossa nova, samba, etc. What do you think? If this is not an option I'm sure I'll find something else, any tips and thoughts will be greatly appreciated 🙏
Thank's for the insighsful review. Are there brass, steel or phosphor bronze reed's on these models?
Most Chinese manufacturers follow Suzuki by using phosphor bronze.
Brenden has Easttop developed wear plate for Forerunner so that the Slider won't stick on Plastic Comb ?
Another great evaluation Brendan! Do you or anyone know if any of these are available in a 12 hole C tenor tuned model? (That is, so hole #1 blow would be an octive below middle C.) ... thanks!
I don't think so
how likely do think it is Konsheng would make a KB-16?
Dear Brendan, please tell me which of the Forerunner keys has the lowest tonal range? I asked a vendor and he says it is 'D'. Yet that confuses me, for I am expecting what I am used to from a chromatic, which is a 'C' reaching one octave below 'Middle C'. Please would you explain how they key they Forerunners? Thanks in advance for any advice. ❔🙋♂️
Sir, pl. mention the price of 3 new models of China Mouthorgans, also.
I might give these I try. Not super interested in chromatics at the moment, but it's nice to try for not a ton of money
Indeed!
@@BrendanPowerMusic especially if one of the best says they're a decent start!
I play reverse slider does it come with 2 holes in slider ..
Would the internal of a cx12 tenor fit into the housing of the kongsheng kb12? Anyone know?
Brendan didn,t you use to make those inserts ? I have something like that in my suzuki C key chromatic I bought from you years ago
Yes, but no longer. It was difficult to get the precision detail I wanted with 3d printing.
@@BrendanPowerMusic you are a great innovator with your harmonica design,s I,m glad to see your still going strong ..as for the Easttop forerunner 2 ,I have been playing my SCX 48 with 1/2 reed for a good few years ..
Is the forerunner 2.0 the highest quality Valveless chromatic on the market?
Are there any chromatics that don’t have the tonic note repeat in holes 4 and 5 ? I think it’s also on holes 8 and 9. Is there a harmonica where this does not occur? If so, that’s the one I want to try.
There's an infinite number of ways to tune a chromatic harmonica. However virtually all commercial models are made in Solo tuning, with the repeating tonic. It's easy to buy one if these and retune reeds to other notes if you wish.
You can get custom tunings with Hohner and Seydel (~50€ extra). I have a Seydel Chromatic DeLuxe Steel tuned in diminished tuning. Just make sure to test everything because they messed up a single reed in mine.
HI brendan, I need a chromatic harmonica on which you can bend the notes like on a diatonic. Is there such a thing?
Just watched the review and realise you've already answered this!! Thanks
You can make any chromatic bend by removing the outside valves. It will only bend where there's at least two semitones between the blow and draw reeds.
I JUST unboxed my new KB12 Boogie Man. Plays a lot like my CX12.
Right now I've got tingling lips and tip of tongue from the plastic??? WTF?
I'm gonna wash it and hope it solves the problem.
Never has any new harp done that to me.
UPDATE: the cleaning of the mouthpiece did the job. That was a C. I've since gotten an A. I washed it first and love it. Just paid for a G and expect it soon.
👍🙏💐
Sir, I fail to understand why don't u mention the price? I, earlier also commented the same. How one can decide to buy which Model comparable to other Make. Pl. do mention every Model price.
Please, are the Viking Age covers interchangeable with Hohner CX12?
I have a Viking Age. Not compatible with CX-12.
@@My2be4u Thanks, Marty!
I just don't understand how this noble gentleman never answered any comment of mine.
Hi, BRENDAN POWER ( Q U E S T I O N ), the 12-hole East Top FORERUNNER I ordered arrived in the KEY of C. I just did another thorough search for any 12-hole Forerunner in the key of Tenor, D, E, F, G, A . . . however every seller carries ONLY in C key. PLEASE let me know where I can find the (valveless-design) Forerunner in any other key than C. Thanks for everything.
Try Ali Express
Which model would you suggest someone buy for first chromatic? Is the forerunner 2.0 worth twice the price of the original?
It depends what sound you're after, and what budget you have. In this video I provide some useful information about the three models. You need to decide for yourself which would suit you.
Is the forerunner loud enough to be heard just jamming in a living room with an acoustic guitar player?
Why 12 holes instead of 10?
Because chromatics use Solo Tuning, which requires 4 holes per octave. 12 holes gives them a 3 octave range.
Q U E S T I O N , P L E A S E - P R O B L E M THAT'S UNIQUE TO THE CX-DESIGN CHROMATICS: Unlike the traditional-style chromatics, which merely need the cover plates removed in order to re-adjust any reed, the CX design is somewhat of a problem in that the slide is difficult to hold in place to adjust & play the reeds with the housing/cover removed. Has anyone discovered a solution to facilitating such type of maintenance to the CX-DESIGN chromatics? Thanks a million for any help.
8:16 that was a hohner cx12
Nope 🙅♀️
I will not buy anything from China if I can avoid it, including harmonicas, and I own over 100 of them.
Aaaaaaah fuck my ears 😢
Je suis déçu du Easttop Forerunner 2 Les marquages sur le capot ne tienne pas ils s' efface au bout de la deuxième utilisation de l'harmonica
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