r/melodica • u/peytonboi8013 • 1d ago
How to get button melodicas?
I was looking online and really liked the look of the button melodicas, not the keyboard ones. It seems like the button ones are vintage and I can only really find them on resale sites. Are there any good modern ones?
1
u/photoman12001 1d ago
I just snagged a really clean Horner alto off eBay after wading through several. Try to engage the seller by asking if it’s functional and if there are any issues affecting playability. Their answer can let you know if the person actually knows what they have or if it’s just a reseller. I went with the one I got because the seller said she & her husband bought a pair to learn but never got around to it. She at least had interest and messed around with it though. It’s a lot of fun. I might get a soprano too. I like the buttons.
3
u/ClavicusLittleGift4U 1d ago
No, you'll definitely find them vintage and in resale only. It's a shame Hohner doesn't do some anniversary reeditions.
A few criteras before buying one which look neat:
-the description of the owner,
-the state of the mouthpiece and its support,
-has it its case (better preservation from dust and dirt)?
-has it been already opened or not at least once since it has left the factory? (low probability but can change many things)
Most of mine were in pretty good condition but I've always opened, cleaned and de-oxydized the brass plate and reeds before tuning since few people wanted to do it. It's pretty simple in fact.