HOHNERSpecial 20 Diatonic Harmonica, C-major - Professional, Responsive Reeds, Injection Molded Plastic Comb with Projecting Mouthpiece

I almost gave up on learning harmonica after I bought a Hohner Bluesband set of 7 on impulse. The sound was off key and the effort to make a decent sound in any key was tough to stay motivated...Being a Blues Traveler/John Popper fan, I did a little research and stumbled on the Hohner Special 20 Key of C, and I have to say, the difference in quality was obvious out of the box. The instrument was in tune, and the draw notes were so much easier to hit. The overall sound is worlds above the the lesser quality Made in China Bluesband Harp Set, and as a beginner the Special 20 was so much more motivating to play. When you know you have a quality harp, it allows you to focus more on your progress, rather than question your instrument.Once more, I can't say enough about the quality of these harps, the Special 20 is made in Germany, has an air tight plastic comb which makes it less susceptible to moisture than wooden combs, and in my mind easier to clean.Since switching to the Special 20, I have ordered this 5 harp kit and have been very happy with the collection. It comes in the Keys of A, C, E, D, & G, with 2 additional slots for expanding your collection. Recently I have added the Keys of F, Bb, and Eb to my collection, as well as 2 Special 20 Country Tuned Classic reed Harmonicas in the Keys of C & E.I do have one negative aspect that I have noticed with the Special 20...sometimes my facial hair gets caught in the sides. But given my lack of playing experience, I attribute this to my incorrect form, and assume I would have similar problems with other brands in this price point.Bottom Line: If you are interested in playing harmonica I suggest skip the bargain Made in China blues harps, and start off with a Hohner Special 20 in the Key of C...the price is worth it and you won't regret it. When you decide to add to your collection, the Case of 5 Special 20 Harmonicas is a great deal, and will give you plenty of Keys to be able to jam in.

Lots of different types/models of harps. Some obviously better for certain situations. But if want to LEARN harp, don't get a $12 harp. Spend the difference in money and you will be well rewarded. Same is true for most instruments, certainly a guitar.This is one of the easiest harps to learn how to play and they sound great and are quite durable. Most of mine last for years, which is good, because they are getting expensive (1 per key, really?). Used to be $25 all day long when I first started buying them.

It has been 55 years since I last purchased a Hohner Marine Band harmonica in D for A cross-harp blues. Needless to say, prices have gone up eight-fold, but this Special 20 plays even more easily than my old Marine Band. It is priced considerably lower than the Marine Band Cross Over model, so I can only imagine the top-of-the line plays. That said,I'm gigging with this little harp, and it is sounding great! Super value for the price!

I'm actually a professional keyboard player, but also double on harp. I don't put it on my business card, but have been playing harp for over 25 years . I've been around the block with Blues Harps, Lee Oskars, and the special 20's I used to always default to blues harps, but always hated what happens to the wooden comb, and the sound was always a bit harsh. They also started getting more expensive. I flirted with a few Lee Oscar's because I liked the availability of minor keys and that they were repairable.After trying a Special 20 a few years back, I fell in love with the comb and sound. Though pricey, I started gradually switching to them exclusively; at least for all the common R&R keys. They sound like what blues harp sounds like in my head. The 20's have got the right balance of sweet but still cutting tone, bend-ability, and playability. They break in easily, comfortable to hold, and pretty well made.I recently had a gig with a country artist that does his album stuff tuned down to save his voice- so all the usual suspects were in flatted keys. I play mostly amplified cross harp and had to cover his recordings signature fiddle parts on harp (while also playing piano...). My stable of old worn out flatted key Hohner blues harps were not going to cut it. I also needed a new D & A harp. I was about to just order SP20's but thought I'd save a few bucks by buying and trying a Suzuki bluesmaster first, before I replaced the rest of the harps I needed. I loved the way the Suzuki felt in my hands, and the sound was very good. I actually preferred the shape of the Suzuki over the 20. But the spacing on the comb felt odd and the tone wasn't loud enough for me. I'd say the Suzuki was "similar" to the 20 but something just didn't feel the same, like it was 70% there.... It was a good test (and alternative) for harps in keys I don't regularly need. But for the primary harp keys I promptly sucked it up (or draw'd- in harp speak...) and ordered Special 20's. Now my harp box is 80% SP20's. I'm no John Popper, but I just feel much more confident and inspired using these, and happy to just use nothing but. They react and sound like I expect them to, and don't take a lot of effort to play- so bottom line: worth it. I know the Seydels are supposed to be great and would love to try them, but since I've also got a huge investment in keyboard gear, the Sp20s work well as my "second job" tools. If you're just starting out, have gone past your starter harp, and have decided to stick with it, the Hohner 5 pack is a good value to save a few bucks on quality instrument.

Like the other reviews you really cannot go wrong with this very articulate harmonica. Other reviews talk about the Special 20 bending ability but if you want to bend the high notes the Rocket is a tad easier to get those higher range bends. As far as other Bb harmonicas I can compare it to a Seydel 1847 it's a little easier to play as it can get out louder 3 hole notes with less effort. If someone told me that the Marine Band's answer to the Lee Oskar was the Special 20 that would make perfect sense. Very similar in build and sound to a Lee Oskar Tombo, same black plastic. Rate as 4.5 but for the price it's a 5.