How Long Does a Harmonica Last?
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- Опубликовано: 2 авг 2024
- A lot of people break harmonicas in the early days and so I get emails asking how long harmonicas last and if there are brands that last longer. The quick answer is that it really depends on what kind of a player you are, how hard you play and what kind of harmonica you use. I figured I would put it to my students and see what brands last longest.
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I’m 68 years old and I’ve bought three Hohner Special 20s back in 1972 I loaned my G harmonica to my best friend back in 1979 lol and he gave to to his nephew it is still working….my A and D Is still working
Your channel covers everything about harmonicas! Never a bad time to watch your videos!
Thanks for watching! Don’t forget to ‘Subscribe’ and turn on notifications to never miss another Harmonica video. :-)
Very fine lessons here, thnx very much !
Cheers, Ad
Excellent tutorial. I know I went through more harps when I first started because I played "too hard"...as many newbies do. Now that I have (more or less) perfected my technique, I seldom have issues with bad reeds. Cheers!
Yeah... I agree with you. In the beginning of my journey with the harmonica.. I would go through them quickly, but once I learned how to "finesse" them.. they started lasting a lot longer. Of course, when I first started playing, instructions were limited to books and the occasional video tape.. (Marcos & Lonnie Joe Howell come to mind). Not a lot of emphasis on breath control. However, you have taken harmonica lessons to a whole different level! Thanks for being so thorough and understanding with raw beginners!
I was googling this question this morning. Well played
I’ve been using the same Lee Oskars for the last 22 years and I haven’t needed to replace the reeds at all in that time. That being said, I did go about 15 years where I hardly played them at all which may account for that! I’m a fairly gentle player anyway, having learned the bulk of what I know from Jon Gindick’s books and CDs, and that guy has such a laid back approach to teaching and playing it’s unreal! (Although, I hasten to add, Tomlin is also a great teacher!)
After a long break, I came back to the harmonica during lockdown and have been learning lots of new(to me) and interesting techniques to add to what I already know, so I expect the reeds to take more of a hammering now!
The good thing with Lee a Oskars are that replacement reed plates for them are readily available without having to by a new harp, which saves a few quid. But I do also love the tone and responsiveness of them. I’ve heard a fair bit of criticism for them, but I’ve had no trouble, and when I saw Nine Below Zero live a good few years ago, I was gratified to see the phenomenal Mark Feltham was playing Lee Oskars. Although, ironically, I’m not a massive fan of Lee Oskar’s music (shh, don’t tell anyone).
Glade to see someone likes the Lee osker l got there or four that I have hade four years still sound good
I've had the same harp for ten years, two new combs, four new sets of reeds and a new set of cover plates, and still plays like new 😁
Signed... Trigger 🤣
Lol..
Good tip about the 5 draw. Through 50+ years of playing, I first used Hohner Marine B's then Special 20's, but in those days no one was talking about replacing reeds. They were assembled with nails that only looked like screws on the top. I still have not forgiven them for that.
Then I discovered Lee Oskars. Fantastic. The only complaints that I have heard, I found not true, but by then I had more experience. I LOVE Lee Oskars. Great tone.
Then I finally tried Seydel stainless steel and fell in love again. They might be the most durable, but I have also found the Lee Oskars to be so.
Air pressure does not have to be attained by blowing or drawing hard. A good air-tight hand grip is important. A TEST - is to be able to play very quietly and yet still be accurate. That comes with good air pressure from a proper grip, not blowing hard. There is far more control at a quieter acoustic presentation.
Yeah I've had the same experience, early on when I was learning to bend I wore the reeds out quicker, now they last a lot longer, I play mostly Marine Bands and sometimes Special Twentys.
Hi Tomlin. Thank you for your excellent tutorials, I am starting to get good sounds from my harmonica. For some reason I cannot get the tabs through the email subscription I just dont get an email. Apart from that thank you once again for your time and your clear tutorials. Stay safe
I've got 6 m.hohner about 35 years back. I store it in a perfect environment. I don't play it often. it's still perfect.
Wish I'd seen this 10 yrs ago ha ha thanks for sharing 😁😁
i've got 4 Lee Oskars that I bought in the 90's, I haven't played them to death, but I've used them and they still play great. Now I've bought two Marine Bands, one Deluxe and one classic, I hope I can still use them in 25 years time :D
If you know how to take care of them I would say that they will never wear out. I myself have a 1930's M. Hohner Echo that was passed down to me and I have owned it now for several years. This Harp is still in perfect condition and happily so is the box it came in. I did wear a nice Hohner Double Comet out years ago before I learned how to take care of them. I miss that Harp.
Hey Tomlin, I have a question for you. I know with other "wind" instruments (reeds, brass, flutes etc.), musicians are taught to warm up their instrument before playing it by softly blowing air through it. This not only helps with tuning, but supposedly increases the longevity of the instrument. Is the same true for harmonicas? (Not the tuning part, but the part about increasing the life-span of the instrument.)
You make bending notes so easy. As a beginner imma bout to pull my hair out.
Hi had my seydel session steel key of c over two hour
My Hohner Crossover I hardly play great harp still rock,Hohner SP 20 I have over 18 months still kicking I can't say the Same 4 my Easttop I'm learning how to clean them and I always brush n floss thk to J.P.Allen Tomlin I not as good as I want to be but getting there thks to u!
Hi, Tomlin! Do you play chromatic harmonicas also? How long do they last?
Thanks Tomlin! It looks like I know what I'm gonna do this evening :) I hope this helps to get some of these harps play smoother. I'm kind of fed up of buying a new harp every time a single reed starts to sound out of tune or gets less responsive than the others.
PS: I've meant the video about cleaning the harps. And man... you're my bloody hero. It worked miracles. After a proper cleaning, some of these harps literally got a second life. Thanks you so much for this instruction!
How long harmonicas last for you sir?
Thank you, I request your answer if I sundry my Walther 1248 (6 year old) improve tone.
I have a question - I’m self taught and after making my older Marine Band G harp go sharp, I bought a SP 20 and I only use it on about 3 songs a set. I play maybe 3-4 times a month. It’s already sharp a few years later. I play along with my guitar which is always in tune. What should my next step be? Harmonicas are more expensive than I ever have them credit for.
I have had 2 seydels that only lasted a couple of months about $90 each - replacement reeds plates are around $50 and the repairman they referred me to was not exactly nice. My Hohners seem to have lasted longer but the reed plates are around $30 and I have had 3 or 4 drop a reed. I am on the Lee Oskar bandwagon now - they are affordable, sound good and the reed plates are around $18 to $22 and are easy to find.
I gave up on Hohners (20s and Marines) after I bought a Seydel 1847. I've had it for 5 years. It's great. I bought another Seydel 1847 Noble, meh. I think I'm not good enough to draw on it well. I have a $30 Lee Oskar in the car, and it's fine, I like it. I think it is luck of the draw when buying all of them.
@@rtnulb SO now I have to "repent" my rant on the Seydels. A couple of my hohners and lee oskars has reeds that quit, so this may be the way I was playing them or just normal wear and tear. Anyway, I ended up getting my 2 Seydels fixed by Greg Jones in Texas and bought an 1847 Lightning. I have to admit, the lightning sounds great and the 2 he fixed sound better that any of the other brands. So, forgive me Seydel I am back in the fold.
@@cminor333 I'm glad that having them repaired has worked for you. I expect there is a noticeable difference between a factory build tuning and one done at a custom shop. I took a look at the Lightning on the Seydel website and I was looking at the covers. The 1847 and the Lightning both have chrome covers, but the Nobel has anodized chrome covers and they drag a bit on my lips. The rule for me with most things is, buy cheap, buy twice. I'm going to look for a custom shop here and get mine worked one.
There's a limit to how much raw power you can get from a harp, if you need volume to compete with the rest of the group, that's what amplifiers are for.
As a beginner I could blow out a Hohner in a few months by trying for too much volume, but eventually learned the limits. I now have a few harps that are 40 years old
and still play fine.
One more thing, too high air pressure can bend down the tone, and you wind up sounding flat.
Remember, just breathe.
I use Hohner MS harps or Bluemoon solid brass combs. I have had problems finding a good source for replacement reeds. Can you suggest a supplier? Yes by the way beginners destroy harps by playing them way too hard!
I have Hohner Marine Band Harmonicas (Deluxe and Crossover). With an average of 6h/week they lastet for a couple of years. They do not require too much air. So it´s easy to play gently from the start. I do a monthly cleaning with disassembly.
I play east top diatonic harmonica two to two and a half hour every day and my 8th hole blow and draw is troubling me a lot. What can I do for that??? And I am not a heavy player.
I have been very happy with my East top harps. The exception being the G key. Went through 3 in one year. My supplier replaced each one at no cost. Other than that, they are affordable and have a tone and bendability second to none in my opinion . I use them at all my gigs. I don't think they are given the credit they deserve.
Hello there, I am sorry for maybe off topic question but Id like to know if low keys harmonicas plays quietly than classic keys. I ask this because i live in flat and dont want to disturb my neigbours and cant realy think what to do whit loud harmonica sound... Thank you sir for help
I suppose they play a tad quieter, but not really enough to buy them because they are quieter, I think a Golden Melody is a pretty mellow harmonica
As opposed to a marine band, which is very loud and brash
hah i call em saydels. never knew i was wrong lol.... :P thx
Hello everyone, I'm a beginner player and i have a question. The 2 draw is still a bit hard for me, so why i can't use the 3 blow instead?
try watching tomlin's video on 2 draw. im also kind of beginner but 3 draw sound a little different, and on 2 draw you have 2 additional notes so its good to learn it.
@@borisergic8301 I'm asking because i know that the 2 draw and the 3 blow is the same note (G), but i'll sure check the 2 draw video. Thank you for answering
@@alexandrosmiteloudis simple answer is because you can’t bend 3 blow, you can bend 2 draw a full step, that’s why you want to learn it.
@@giusepperesponte8077 Τhanks for the answer, 2 months past from my question and now i am able to play the 2 draw and bend it :)
Tomlin what's there under bullet and shure 545?
If your talking about the red box, that is a Scarlett 2i2 USB audio interface, they run for about $160 US
@@adamr8689 thanks I saw this thing somewhere, maybe in Quist's video. Its for recording?
@@gagisvanidze592 yeah, it's so you can plug your microphones into your computer, or your mixer into your computer. There is a usb port in the back of the interface
And scarlett us a really good brand, so if your looking into one I would suggest them
I don't get the logic of replacing reed plates if they are more than 70% the price of a whole new harmonica of the same model.
i cut my thumb on my harmonica
Tom lee oskar only last 2 or 3 months and i will not.buy enymore they sell read plates but they come out of tune no more lee oscar for me they come out of tune and damage. I hope people will lisinten
Most is this is absolutely rubbish. You can drive hard and get 5-6 years other times not FACT.
MOST IMPORTANTLY do not play gentle as this person says never do that. That is the worst advice for anyone.15k views must mean 15k people that can't play because this guy is not very good in fact in my world he is a beginner. I've played harp for ever and multi instrumentalist session artist both overseas and Europe near on 50 years Most of this is NOT good advice, look I'm doing some a favour here