Re: [Harp-L] good Chromatic choice

[yumpin_yimminie@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Hi Ed,

This is one difficult question.  Chromatic harmonicas are not even close to being like peas in a pod. 

There are so many different aspects to a Chromatic.  Plastic or wood combs, 8, 10, 12, 14, or 16 holes.  One of the very best Jazz harmonica players in the world is Toots Thielmans.  He plays a Hohner chromatic harmonica named after him (Toot's Mellow Tone and Toot's Hard Bopper)....those harmonicas run less then a couple of hundred dollars.  Hohners line up of Chromatics include what they term professionals which include such as the 'Amadeus' about a thousand dollars and there is the Meisterklasse at about half a thousand. 

The thing that amazed me is just how much work there is to get several of the models of Chromatic Harmonicas to play well right out of the box.  

I'm going to suggest you let your fingers do the walking to a website that has a forum devoted to Chromatic harmonicas.  There are some really good players there.  Several of them also participate on this list as well.  I'm not going to try to name them.  But they can give extraordinary advice.  

The website is:

 http://www.slidemeister.com

Their are primarily 4 main manufacturers of the Chromatic Harmonica that is typically found in this section of the world.  They are Hohner, Suzuki, Hering, and Seydel.  In addition there are a host of very good Chromatic harmonica customizers as well.  

In regards to where you are actually going to purchase a harmonica.  There are two or three really good internet sites.  Good prices and good reputations.  I will let others point you to them.

Chromatic harmonicas are not like horns or flutes.  Most of them take some maintenance.  Some of them take a lot of maintenance.  Some of them even need to be pampered.  

Good Luck with your shopping.

Have a Great Day,
Jim

p.s.  just for your info....i am one of the lowest of the low in regards to talent and harmonica.  i hate doing maintenance on a harmonica and avoid any chromatic harmonica that has a wooden comb like the plague.  




----- Original Message -----
From: EVedock <evedock@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Saturday, July 21, 2007 23:04
Subject: [Harp-L] good Chromatic choice
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx

> I want to buy a chromatic for my 2 sons for Christmas whether 
> they want one or not. They both doodle a little with diatonics 
> from time to time and guitar. They are both musically inclined. 
> One plays sax and reads music and can improvise and one is a 
> graduate of Carnegie Mellon University college of music and 
> knows in depth music theory and had to write a musical piece for 
> small symphony to graduate.  He also plays guitar, piano 
> and trumpet.  (but is not a guitarist, pianist or master of 
> trumpet) His thing is "music composition", but he likes 
> harmonica.  
> 
>  I want them to have good chromatics....not the thousand 
> dollar custom jobs but very good "out of the box" 
> chromatics.  What brand should I buy them and what 
> key?      Ed Vedock, Johnstown, 
> PA  
> 
>  PS:My 'mind set' is Hohners, but what is out there that I 
> should get for my boys. One is 25 and one is 29.
> 
>