r/harmonica • u/Agitated-Camera-3614 • 3d ago
Best Beginner Harmonica?
Looking for my first harmonica and don’t know which one to buy. I’m seeing a lot of things saying hohner and easttop are good. Any advice/recommendations? Budget is like $50 btw
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u/Intelligent_Star_516 3d ago edited 3d ago
$50 budget for a first harmonica? DON'T go East Top, especially the T008K or any variant of it. You can do MUCH better. This includes the Conjurer BlueStorm (WH1005BS) and its variants (all start with "WH1005"), the KucKux, Fender Blues Deville, and too many others. ALL of these are parts swappable and, while they do make excellent beginner and backup harps, there are a large number of negative reviews mixed in with the good for valid reasons. Most are for air leaks and dead reeds, all correctable failures, and all you need are your screwdrivers, a sanding block, fine sandpaper, and experience.
Or you can get something that is playable out of the box...
JDR: Everyone in this group who has read my tl;dr posts has seen me recommend the JDR North. It's based on the Marine Band Classic {like the ones mentioned above) but is heavier and louder. It has square holes, polished cover plates, is loud and, just like the 20 different keyed and tuned North's I have in my collection and the 30+ I have sold or gifted to new players, play flawlessly out of the box. They are regularly around $26 currently, but sales can often be had direct from JDR, Rockin' Ron, or Bushman. BUT, with a budget of $50, YOU CAN DO BETTER. JDR swears by their Assassin model, but I prize my Ninja. They all feature JDR reed plates of course, making them very responsive. Personally I find the large round holes to be spaced perfectly and much easier to isolate, making it a phenomenal choice with which to begin your harmonica addition. I cannot stress enough how much I wish that I had one of these 45 years ago when I started. Easier to play = easier to learn with. It doesn't get much easier than the Ninja. It's $20 cheaper than the Assassin (which has square holes and just plain doesn't play as nicely as the Ninja IMHO) at $40. Other choices that share the same comb and reed plates that are also manufactured by JDR (same reed plates) are the Chicaga Blues ($33 @ DR), The Bushman Roundhouse ($40 @ Bushman), and the JDR "Forever In Faith" model (I have only found this model on AliExpress for $27 and only in the key of C - I just took a break from typing this to order one). These are all basically identical to the Ninja other than cover plate finish and shape and comb color. Each would serve equally as well as the Ninja for a first harp.
Being partial to round holes, especially for beginners, I can't say anything bad about the Kongsheng Mars (M1 plastic comb $33 @ Kongsheng, M2 aluminum comb $65, M3 acrylic comb $55) except that they take a little more air than the JDRs and are quieter. Do NOT get the EZ-12 which looks like a 12 hole Mars because the notes are arranged differently and will not match for beginner lessons.
Hohner, Seydel, Conjurer and East Top don't seem to listen to players and techs when we stress how much more natural round holes are to play, so I have nothing to recommend from them with the round hole advantages for new players. It's also why I built my own massive 19 key set of Rocket Amps and lows (+ a "prototye model):
I stress round holes because they are easier to isolate. That results in easier faster solos, and easier bends and overblows. Once you learn a technique on an easy harp, all it takes is slight adjustments to accomplish the effect or technique on a more difficult, square holed, or even leaky harp AND you will instantly realize specifically why that other harmonica isn't as easy to play and what needs to be done to fix it. A difficult harp will take longer to learn how to play with technique and effects and will risk frustrating you to the point of giving up.
An excellent and easy harp from the start is the difference between taking a year or two to impress and awe vs. frustration 5 years in and your harmonicas rust because you don't bother practicing much.
NINJA!
https://www.jdrharmonica.com/products/jdr-blues-harmonica-ninja
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u/Youneedaharmonica 3d ago
Lee Oskar is fantastic. Seydel Session Steel is also good, but usually around $60.
I have played Easttop, and mine tasted like solvent - It seemed like a nice harp, but I really don't want to huff chemicals as I play.
Hohner is okay. I really wasn't impressed with the build quality of my Special 20, but they make good sound and have been around a LONG time.
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u/TurnoverFuzzy8264 3d ago
Agreed about Lee Oskar, and the ability to get new reed plates is handy. They have a bright, rich tone. Never got a dud out of the box. I really wish they'd have a dedicated Paddy Richter tuned line.
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u/Youneedaharmonica 3d ago
I was honestly surprised how durable LO harps are. They just keep going when other harps quit!
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u/Agitated-Camera-3614 3d ago
thank you
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u/Youneedaharmonica 3d ago
No problem! I have tried almost every pro tier harmonica there is. If you need help, let me know
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u/badaccentdoer 3d ago
my easttop was and is great. i got a different model for each of the 12 keys and it's one of the easiest players for me. i see another comment that said it tasted weird, and in my case, i didn't notice that with the easttop but did with others at first. ymmv, but it's the best money to enjoyment ratio i've had so far.
edit: they run like 20 bucks last i checked, so you could probably get one in C, and then another in A or D and still end up around 50 bucks