Hohner Marine Band harps

[Harpman]

Hello everyone (of the 2-3 who might still be here). Happy Holiday
season. Those of you who have seen me here the past 10-12 yrs. know me.
I have been gigging the last year and a half all over N. California
and in the last 12 yrs. have collected close to 60 diatonics of numerous
well known brands . However I do not own ,nor ever played a Hohner
Marine Band, only because I heard horror stories of swollen wood, ripped
lips, not lasting very long, etc. Now all I read about them is that they
have the most original and best blues harp sound around!So what's your
thoughts on the harp!They look somewhat more expensive then the Suzuki
Promasters I use and like but many online sites have a Marine Band 5
pack with case that holds 7 harps for $130.00 Thanks. Allen

[Tim Finnegan]

Hi Allen

I have been learning Harp for the past 18 months. I play in a 4 man harmony
group singing an eclectic mix of everything from Mamas and Papas to White
stripes and play solos and fills when not required to add a voice. I own
Marine bands, Pro harps and a Special 20. The timer comb of the Marine band
and Pro Harp are my favourite for tone and feel.

While I don't contribute much, as feel I don't know enough, I do check this
group every morning and it is sad that it is less and less active.

Merry Christmas to everyone reading and hopefully this group keeps going
next year.

Tim

"Harpman" <har...@sonic.net> wrote in message
news:4b27ccc8$0$2002$742e...@news.sonic.net...

[DeerInTh...@deerinthetraffic.com]

I played a Jambone (5GBP) side-by-side against a Marine Band (20GBP)
and couldn't hear the difference.

My studio-operator pal (who listens to a *lot* of audio) couldn't hear much
difference, either.

The tone of the instrument owes far more to the qualities of the resonant
cavity
(You, the player!) than the comb material.

I *have* had the comb on a Marine Band swell and protrude,
but this was only after dipping in boiling water, followed by rinsing in
cold water
to clear dirt out of the reeds.

To cure this, I sanded the front of the comb flush with the plates
and re-lacquered with a thin coat of superglue.

Naturally, a plastic-comb harp survives this procedure.

Elmo' 7#9

[Eric Stahl]

Howdy, Harpman

In the past I'd used Marine Bands and Golden Melodies. Over the last
three years I've tried several other brands/models... and settled back
to Marine Bands and Golden Melodies - plus Seydels, that have quality
and variety of design.

There are many good harps out there, at various prices. I think that
the important thing is to be playing. Any harp.

Merry Christmas,
-Eric

[Harpman]

Hey everyone, Thanks for the responses. Allen

[Mukluk]

I've had a couple Marine Bands over the years and found them to be
O.K. I still have a set of seven Hering Vintage 1923's that I use
regularly. Their tone is comparable to Marine Band's, but they're held
together with nuts and bolts instead of nails. My everyday gigging
harps always have been and still are SP20's. Merry Christmas everyone!

Chuck

[Spider]

I like the MB tunning for blues much better then the Promasters any
big feeze dry day of the week. But like most harps out of the box
most need some tweaking to play well. You might want too try
the Hohner Crossover its a hotrodded MB with a bamboo comb
that want swell.

Spider

[Harpman]

Hi Spider. Thanks for the response. I think that Crossover is rather
expensive,isn't tit? Allen

[Spider]

On 2009-12-18, Harpman <har...@sonic.net> wrote:

> Hi Spider. Thanks for the response. I think that Crossover is rather
> expensive,isn't tit? Allen

yea they ant cheap but by the time you setup a MB like
a CrossOver you will have spent hours of tweaking.

Open cover plates in back
replace all nails with screws
sand and seal the comb
reed setup work

your marine bands are going to need all of that work
before they play very good.

spider