My chromatics are all key of C. My tenor Hohner CX-12s are my favorite.
I agree about Hohner. I think Suzuki is the most innovative of the big three manufacturers.
I have never had any luck with Seydel chromatics.
I have two 16 hole chromatics. My favorite is the Hohner Super 64X. A piano has 88 keys and you have 64 notes in your hand. Amazing!
I also have a Swan 16 hole chromatic which is fine and only costs about $100.
Grab any instrument. Harmonica or dulcimer: make music and have fun.

Don, I often desire a chromatic. Problem is mine have broken reeds. I have sent them to Hohner for repair which gets a bit expensive. I always think of "someday" learning to repair reeds myself, but someday never seems to come. 

This is a great time to get into harmonica since new companies are offering instruments with different tuning options, even custom tuning to order. Sometimes I think Hohner is stuck in the past and is reluctant to innovate... Robert

I have a number of harmonicas. Learning to play the diatonic well is difficult. Google Buddy Greene at Carnegie Hall.
I have primarily play my chromatics. When I need the sharp or flat I push a button. And I like to play Broadway music as well as folk music and jazz.

Hey @kjb , you should talk with fotmd member @terry-wilson .... he is a big fan of playing harmonica for fun!  He plays all kinds of music on his harps, I think just about every day. 

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Site Owner

Those irritated by grain of sand best avoid beach.
-Strumelia proverb c.1990

As a teenager I started playing blues on guitar and harmonica.  I rarely play either now, but still love to play harmonica with other blues musicians.  

I've always wanted to learn to play harmonica, Bob, and your sharing may just be the kick I need...  Thank you so very much!

Now THAT's a jam!  Thanks for sharing this!   My harmonica is 73 years old and still sounds good.  It's a chromatic---I know, some of you will probably think I should just get a guitar....I've heard that before!

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Jan Potts, Lexington, KY
Site Moderator

"Use what talents you possess; the woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best." Henry Van Dyke
updated by @jan-potts: 10/12/16 04:40:02AM

I just stumbled upon this old German movie which has a cute scene where a mandolin orchestra is competing against a 'harmonica orchestra' at a party.  (keep in mind that harmonicas are a German invention).

The music action starts right at the 38 minute mark in the video, 38:00 ....

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Site Owner

Those irritated by grain of sand best avoid beach.
-Strumelia proverb c.1990
updated by @strumelia: 10/10/16 06:14:20PM

i agree with this ! i have one myself and love it.

Leslie, Do you have any Scotch tape? preferably the gift wrap type. After reading about your mom I applied scotch tape to a nickel harmonica cover and the tape in no way hindered my ability to play the instrument. My lips never touched the metal and the tape is invisible. I think its a workable idea. Yes there are chrome harmonicas as an option but if you still have any nickel harmonicas I would go with the tape... Bob.

Bob I love this little story. I wish you could take a photo of your old box full of harmonicas and show it to us!

I have a couple of my harmonicas from 20 years ago, but sadly I think i lost my original two harmonicas I had as a teenagers, which would have been over 40 yrs old now. I always liked fooling around with harmonicas, but never got very good at it.

But I agree, it's always good to keep a little harmonica in your pocket- like carrying around a microscopic church organ!

I keep a set of rhythm bones and a limberjack in my instrument case when I go to music gatherings- like a harmonica they are very portable, and sometimes it's just the thing!

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Site Owner

Those irritated by grain of sand best avoid beach.
-Strumelia proverb c.1990

Back in the late 1960's I got my first introduction to playing music as a blues harmonica player. For myself it was an easy style of music to master but as I became better at playing guitar I put the harmonicas away in a shoebox never to be played again. In the last year I have spent much of my time learning old time Irish and British tunes on the whistle and this was a good time to pullout my old harmonica box and try what I learned on the tin whistle on harmonica. I was surprised by how many harmonicas I had and in so many keys. Its like opening up a time capsule. Everyone should own at least one harmonica. They fit in the smallest pocket and you can make music everywhere... Bob.
updated by @robert-schuler: 02/25/19 11:59:57PM