Hohner 270 Deluxe Chromatic
Thu, 09/27/2018 - 12:12
Hi David;
I had a couple questions about the 270 Deluxe. First, if I understand correctly, the pearwood comb is not sealed. Is that an issue? Secondly, and I suppose this applies to any chromatic, I have heard that it is important to warm one up before playing to avoid valves sticking. Have you found this to be accurate?
Thanks,
Greg
Fri, 09/28/2018 - 11:21
#2
Thanks David...
...I'm glad to hear that the unsealed pearwood is a non-issue. I will ask Winslow about sticking valves and warming up of the chromatic prior to playing.
Hello Greg. The pearwood comb is not an issue (I, and my students, have played this model for years with no issue). I do not warm up my chromatic and have no issues with sticking valves. I have heard from many players that it is a common issue (even though I don't tend to have the issue myself), so they place the chromatic under their armpit, in their shirt pocket, or even place it on a fancy heated pillow! If you have an issue with sticking reeds, try experimenting with techniques to get the harmonica closer to breath temperature. Winslow Yerxa can also be of help with this, since the chromatic is one of his specialties.