Chromatic Difficulties - Lesson 3
Mon, 10/22/2018 - 12:37
I have inherited a Hohner Chromatica 10 hole. When trying to use it for lesson 3 I have been shocked how "airy" it is. Now I don't know if I have a poor specimen or this is a common problem when switching over from a diatonic.
Any advice on the matter would be welcome.
Thanks.
Hi, Bob. I’m Winslow Yerxa, and I’m filling in for David Barrett while he’s on his honeymoon.
Some Hohner 10-hole chromatics are very airtight, but some are not. Also, some 10-hole slide harps have no windsaver valves, and chromatics really need these to prevent air loss.
Have a look inside the covers. If you see draw reeds (the outside reeds) alternating with little strips of white or brown plastic (maybe leather if the harp is really old), those are the valves. If the harp doesn't have any, it will definitely be leaky.
Of course wood combs can also be leaky, due warping or just poor cutting in the factory. Also, on old ones, often two pieces of wood were used to make one comb, and the comb can split apart where the two pieces join, introducting another source of peakage. Look for a gap in the wood along the back of the comb.
I've even had old wood combs crumble to pieces when I pried off the nailed-on reedplates.
My advice would be to buy a new valved 12-hole chromatic. While the Hohner 270 Deluxe and CX-12 are both great choices, they've gotten pricey. There are some under-$100 chromatics from companies like Swan, but I've seen major defects with some of the really cheap ones. One good choice is the Caberet model from newharmonica.com, which runs a little over $100. Also, the East Tops in that price range are very good.