Hohner Progressive Series Special 20 Harmonica (Assorted Keys)

Comments about Hohner Progressive Series Special 20 Harmonica (Assorted Keys):

I like the plastic comb; Special 20 is a good all-purpose harp. I play guitar and harp (keys A,C,D,F,G): country, folk, blues, pop, Cajun and zydeco. Eventually I blow them out and have to replace them. I understand they can sometimes be repaired, but I've never been good at it, so I look for deals -- buying the package of 3 saved about $15. Cheaper harps aren't worth getting.

Comments about Hohner Progressive Series Special 20 Harmonica (Assorted Keys):

the best

Comments about Hohner Progressive Series Special 20 Harmonica (Assorted Keys):

The SP20 is one of the gold standards in diatonic harmonicas, but they tend to have quality check issues coming out of the factory. Often you'll buy one out of the box that has flat notes, or gets flat very quickly. The latest one I bought was like this, and when I took it apart to tune and gap it, the draw reed plate was discolored! And the cover plates were put on slightly crooked too. Jeesh.

But hey, I still love the sound and tone, so I come back for more. Also note that the SP20 isn't as durable as the Lee Oskar (another gold standard), so you might find yourself replacing your SP20 more often.

A big issue many have with the SP20 is the sharp comb edges. This becomes a pain when you're playing the 1 and 10 holes. Handy players will usually round out those edges with their tools.

Lastly, something to consider is the tuning. The SP20 is JI/compromised tuned, while the Lee Oskar and Golden Melody are ET tuned. This does make a difference, so try out both. People generally say that JI strikes a good balance between single note lines and chords, while ET is mainly good for single note lines.

Comments about Hohner Progressive Series Special 20 Harmonica (Assorted Keys):

This harp has never let me down. I have tried so many different brands and models. None play as easy and sound so consistentley good all the time. They play smooth so breathing through them is no effort. I've been playing for about 40 years now so they are all I buy anymore.

Comments about Hohner Progressive Series Special 20 Harmonica (Assorted Keys):

Perfect Blues Harp. Suprisingly many professional blues musicians use this harmonica (John Popper from Blues Traveler, although not the best blues harp player, certainly one of the more famous). I learned on this harmonica, have tried others, and you just can't get the same tone or easy bending capabilities from other harmonicas. If you are looking for other styles of harmonica playing, wood might be the way to go, but for blues harp, this is the gold standard.

Comments about Hohner Progressive Series Special 20 Harmonica (Assorted Keys):

i know nothing about music and wanted something to play different notes without having to know anything. this did it. i just played alone along with christmas songs, salsa,kenny g sax songs, etc. BUT U BETTER AT LEAST KNOW HOW THE SONG GOES IN YOUR HEAD.