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Forums :: Blues Chromatic

Which Chromatic?

3 replies [Last post]
Tue, 05/13/2025 - 05:36
Graham Dent
Graham Dent's picture
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Joined: 06/01/2022

Hi,

Currently, I have  CX-12 and love the simplicity of basic disassembly for cleaning and valves. However, tuning is a major pain because, as far as I can see, you have to put it all the way back together, to test your adjustment. That aside, I'm thinking of getting a 16 hole one, for the extra low notes, if nothing else. I'm thinking of sticking with a key of C for now. As a little aside, I'm also following Filip Jers on Patreon to learn some jazz stuff.

So, can anyone advise on which make/model I should go for?

Thanks,

Graham

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Tue, 05/13/2025 - 16:38
#1
UkuleleRob65
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Joined: 06/06/2014
16-hole

Graham:

Depends a bit on your budget. My own 16-hole is a Suzuki SCX-64, which works just fine. If you have plenty of money to spend, Dennis Gruenling likes the Hohner Super 64 and Super 64X. If you're on a tighter budget, check out reviews of Kongsheng's 16-hole models.

The 16-hole adds a lot of real estate, but for blues, well worth the effort.

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Thu, 05/29/2025 - 13:08
#2
Expert Winslow Yerxa
Expert Winslow Yerxa's picture
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Joined: 01/16/2010
Which 16-hole?

Good ones include the venerable Hohner 280, the Suzuki SCX-64 or, for an upgrade, the Sirius 64.Meanwhile, Kongsheng, Easttop, and JDR all have good 16-hole chromatics.

For now, just get one in your hands. Don't go too cheap, but maybe you don't need to spend a mpnth's rent on it, either.

As to cleaning and tuning, most chromatics require you to unscrew the mouthpiece to clean the slide, and *all* of them require disassembly of the reed block to tune the blow reeds. HOWEVER, you can test tuning by clamping reedpates and covers togehter with finger pressure, without having to screw the reedplates back on to the comb.

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Thu, 05/29/2025 - 15:22
#3
UkuleleRob65
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Joined: 06/06/2014
SCX-64

Graham: Don't know about other 16-holers, but taking my SCX-64 apart to clean the slide isn't something I need to do very often. And it doesn't take long to get comfortable to disassembling it. But if you go with the SCX-64 I suggest picking up some extras of the little plastic tube bumpers. In my personal experience, those little bumpers are always trying to escape, and for some strange reason, no matter the color of the carpet under my work area, like chameleons those bumpers take on the exact same color, and are later recovered only by accident, or end up in the vacuum cleaner.

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