Basic harp set
Hi David
My apologies for repeating this often asked question - I know I've seen it on here and seen your answer, but I can't for the life of me find it anywhere.
Just starting Level 4, I discovered I needed a D harp so put in an order and decided to move on to another section. Ooops... Bb for that one! Before I put in another order, would you mind giving me a quick recap of which others I'll need on here?
So for I've got (or ordered) C, A, G, D, Bb... was it just the F# you recommended for the basic set or also an E (or any others)?
Thank you
Joel
Great. Thanks for the summary and the Thunderbird recommendation. I'll add that to the basket so I'm covered for the foreseeable future.
Joel
I understand that David Barrett is recommending the Thunderbird for good reasons, but it is quite pricey.
How does the Rocket low tuned harp compare to the Thunderbird?
Thanks!
Hello dougmon. The Rocket is a good harp. I find the Thunderbird plays better, but for the price, the Rocket is a good choice too.
Thanks. I am far away from the level where I would use the Low F, but I did want to have a less expensive option.
I keep a Rocket Low F in my kit. Plays nicely, and comes in handy pretty frequently. Just don't expect easy bends on the 1 and 2 draw.
I wanted to buy a low F, but did not want to spend much money on it, and I was curious about the Kongsheng Mars harmonicas, so I bought one in Low F. I really like it. If you are curious, and just want something that is pretty good, I am not an expert by any means, you might give it a try. I really like the Mars.
Thanks cspear322
I'd never heard of the Kongsheng brand or the Mars model, but I've looked into them today and I've seen they've got some pretty good write-ups. The smooth edges, plastic body and round holes have sparked my curiosity, too.
I've already got the Low F Thunderbird and I'm still a way off getting to where I'll be using it, but I've bookmarked the Kongsheng Mars for if I want to try something different.
My favourite harps so far are the Suzuki Manjis, precisely because they're so smooth that I can practice for hours without getting sore lips and can bung them in the ultrasonic cleaner no problem, but they require a fair bit more breath until you get the reeds broken in, so I tend to use the Crossovers to avoid breathing problems for new sections I'm learning.
Thanks again
Joel
As I observed earlier in this thread, the Hohner Rocket Low is a really nice harmonica, and as David points out, less expensive (tho' not quite as great sounding or playing) as Hohner's Thunderbird.
At a lesser price-point, Lee Oskar has been making low-tuned harps for a while. The only one I have is the Low F# (which gets surprisingly more use than I thought it would when I added it to my kit), and it plays quite well. One benefit of the Lee Oskars is that they are sold for the same price as the normal-range harps, e.g., street price $49-50. If you're on a budget but want to try different-keyed low-tuned harps, that may be the way to go.
Hello Joel. No worries, questions are always welcome. A basic set is G, A, Bb, C, D, and F. There are two F's, low and and standard (which is high). We'll use the Low-F in your later levels, though a standard F is also good to have. If you get the Low-F, get a Thunderbird, which will just be just labeled as F (because the Thunderbird series is low to begin with).