CX 12 shells and Koch chromatic questions
Hello Winslow
I'm back with a few questions.
1. I need to replace the shell of my CX 12 the notches on the button side wore through. I do like the CX 12 because every time I pick it up I know what to expect, I just wish the tone was a little more like the 270. I was told by Hohner the gold shell was made out of slightly different material and of course the CX 12 Jazz shell is shaped differently. Have you ever noticed a tonal difference from one shell to the next.
2. I'm thinking of purchasing a Hohner 980/40 Koch. For what ever reason I findiit easier to improvise on a chromatic and I have even started playing quite a few of the study songs on the site on my chromatic. I listen to allot of William Clarke and have noticed he has a chromatic version and a diatonic version of a few songs he plays, do you know if he ever played a Koch and if so what songs.
Am I correct the Koch has no valves and is tuned differently from a traditional chromatic. What should I expect from this harp. I usually find it easier to play a chromatic with a wedge shaped front so I'm also kind of using this as a test to see if I can adapt to a more traditional construction of the mouth piece and the cover plates before I spend the money on a 270 deluxe.
Thanks for any advice you have
Hi, Dave.
I have the regular black CX-12 shell and the Jazz shell; I don't have the gold. I haven't noticed any difference in sound.
CX-12 shells are made of a type of plastic called ABS, and special glue exists for ABS. If parts have broken off and you have the broken-off pieces, you may be able to repair your existing shell by gluing the pieces back together.
If not, you can buy shells from Hohner, but they can be expensive, at least in the US.
http://www.hohnershop.com/cx-12/
The Koch 980 has a note layout that is just like a standard diatonic, but with one reed bank that's tuned just like a C diatonic, and another tuned like a C# diatonic. So if you're used to the layout of a standard solo-tuned chromatic (such as the CX-12 or 270) you'll have to learn a new note layout that is not consistent from octave to octave and has missing notes in the first octave.
Also, not having any valves at all makes the Koch very leaky to play. Slide harmonicas need, at the very minimum, valves on the inside slots, to be airtight enough not to leave you gasping.
I don't know whether William Clarke ever played the 980. However, I do know that Little Walter did, on two numbers: Oh Baby (you're gonna miss me when I'm gone) and I Love You So.
If you're looking for a smaller, less expensive chromatic with valves and in standard tuning, I might recommend the 270's baby sister, the 10-hole model 260.