[Harp-L] Re: Hohner Chrometta harps

[MilwHarmonica@xxxxxxx]

Hello, Rick.
 
The Hohner Chromettas are low priced, great sounding (so they tell me),  
plastic combed slide chromatics.
They have a rounded shape, and a longer slider than other slide  chromatics.
 
I don't own any, so I put in the "so they tell me" quote above. The general  
opinion of the Chrometta owners at the Slidemeister forum is that they sound  
great, are durable and relatively cheap.
 
The Chromettas have a diagonal reed placement system. That is, looking  at 
the mouthpiece slider, with the slider button out, you will see an open  hole 
for the top reed plate, then the next hole will be open for the  bottom reed 
plate. 
 
The holes are slightly larger than on a "straight" reed placement,  like the 
Hohner #270, where all of the scale's reeds are on one plate. The  Hohner 
company states that the diagonal reed setup allows more resonance  than the 
smaller holes of the straight reed setup.
 
The mouthpiece of the Chrometta features large squares, compared to the  
smaller squares of the Hohner #270 Super Chromonica models. This is sometimes  a 
negative for a few players, but it's a minor problem, 
if any.
 
If you are a "tinkerer," you may want to maintain your Chrometta  
periodically. With the diagonal reed placement, repairs and maintenence are more  
difficult than the straight reed placement. It is harder to 
find an out of tune, stuck, broken or lost reed when the reed placement  goes 
go from one reed plate to 
the other.
 
>From what you've said in your post, the Hohner #250 Chrometta  8 would be a 
great selection for you. 
As far as I know, it's the world's smallest slide harp. It will easily fit  
in a pocket. According to the Hohner note chart, it has a range of C-C, 2  
octaves. It's available in the key of C only.
 
Other Chromettas include:
 
#253 Chrometta 10. I couldn't find a note chart fior this  one, but I seem to 
remember that it has a range 
of  E-C, 2.5 octaves. Someone may correct me on this. Key of C only.  I'd 
think that a chrometta 10 would 
be pocket portable.
 
#255 Chrometta 12. This Chrometta has the range of the  Hohner #270, C-D, (or 
G-A), that's 3 and 1/6th octaves. It's available in C or  G. The 12-hole harp 
might be a little large for a pocket.
 
#257 Chrometta 14. This slide harp has an extended range  of nearly 3 and 
2/3rds octaves. It would probably be too big for a pocket. In C  only.
 
John Broecker
 



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