Re: [Harp-L] Does anyone know what's being done about Marine Bands???

[Winslow Yerxa <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx>]

The Marine Band Deluxe and Crossover both use wood that is not supposed to swell, while using the same everything else (sealed pearwood for the Crossover, bamboo for the Crossover).

That said, the reed design and materials for all Hohner "handmades" have changed in the last few years. Hohner claims that this leads to longer reed life.

When you say it you "blew it out" that doesn't tell anyone what happened to it. I take it that it didn't burn up or crumble into powder. Did one reed go flat or break off? Two, three? - details please.

Hohner does have some kind of warranty for manufacturing defects. If reeds broke or went out of tune so quickly, you might have some recourse too warranty.

Why play one harp for two solid hours? Why not swap out to give it a rest?

You might check out the new Suzuki Manji. It's designed to come close to the Marine Band in sound and feel, and uses a composite comb (contains wood fibres but is some kind of resin amalgam). It has a suggested list price of $49.95, and street price is likely to be significantly lower. 

Winslow Yerxa

Author, Harmonica For Dummies ISBN 978-0-470-33729-5

--- On Sat, 8/29/09, Nicholas Lovett <lovett.nicholas@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

From: Nicholas Lovett <lovett.nicholas@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] Does anyone know what's being done about Marine Bands???
To: Harp-L@xxxxxxxxxx
Date: Saturday, August 29, 2009, 10:03 AM

All of us guys who do the classic stuff depend on them.  No other harmonica feels the same or plays better.(I've got the logo tattooed for Pete's sake!!)  I just bought a new one for an astronomical 31.50, and it blew out after a two hour practice sesh. I'm a working guy, I can't afford the Filisko's or Deluxes.  And I can't not practice either. The tone keeps getting brighter, the wood continues to be unsealed,they need to be gapped, the price keeps going up, and what's worse is that many of us depend on them to make our sound.  I bought a blues harp and it's really giving me the blues.  The recessed comb is a real bummer.  Is anything being done about this?? Has anyone tried to write letters to Hohner or organize some kind of peaceable campaign to raise the quality?  I remember in the halcyon days of five years ago, I paid 19.99 for my first Marine Band.  I guess "materials" have gone up, but how much "materials" are there?  It doesn't seem
 like other
 instruments have this problem.  Is anything being done about this?


      

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