Side by Side Comparison of: HOHNER vs Music Sales America vs imusti vs Hal Leonard

nice for practice, but don't confuse them for the heavy horse, chrome, marine band jobbers. I am giving them a five star is because they are easy to pack and you have full spectrum of notes to play with, tune my guitar, or just fart around with, great for students! I say yes!!

Extremely nice quality for very affordable price! True test for harmonica is the ability to bend notes and you can bend notes on these harmonicas. Very nice rich sound and feel the balance vibrating on your lips. If you need a set for a band or for beginner lessons this is it!

I absolutely love these harmonicas! I just started learning blues harmonica last month and I wanted to find a set that would allow me to play in other keys. There are many sets to choose from, but this one seemed like such a great deal that I couldn't resist! There are definitely better quality harmonicas out there, but for the money you can't beat this set! It's perfect for a beginner. The plastic harmonicas are easier on the mouth which makes them way more comfortable for newbies like myself. Great product!

Love this set. Some reviews complain about the quality, which is ridiculous. This is a great set. The third time I've bought it. Harmonicas go bad, as do anything that has to handle moisture. I've actually found these to be more resilient than the metallic and wooden ones that often cost more. Because they're largely made of plastic, they hold longer up to the moisture they have to deal with. Tone-wise, they're not the best. But for most purposes they're a great, affordable route to go.

When I am Busking harmonica Blues and see a child with an active interest in the harmonica, I call the parents aside and ask them if it's OK for the child to have a new harmonica. If they say yes I ask the child if they want one and if they say yes I tell them there it a few rules:(1)don't share, it's just for your own use, (2) rinse out food particles/candy etc out of your mouth before playing, and (3)"The most important rule" When Mum and Dad say that's enough, That's Enough!...lol. These Piedmont Blues sets usually always function for a long time and I have seen many delighted children happily playing their first notes, and parents smiling from ear to ear. They make lovely gifts for me to give,a gift that keeps on giving, as well as they are a great entry level harmonica with seven different keys to choose from. I used them for years for Busking and they served me very well until I could afford professional quality harmonicas. They are a reasonable value at at reasonable cost.

Although I can understand some of the negative reviews regarding these little chaps, I couldn't be more pleased with them. They are lightweight and suitably durable. Sure, they wouldn't survive being run over by a car, but neither would a regular harmonica, now would it? The tone is bright, clear and boy do these things scream if you put a little power behind them. They do have a very strong "warehouse" smell when they arrive which made it unpleasant to play at first, but I let them air out for a little while and now they are as right as rain.Simply put, these are the best deal for the money out there. You get seven fully-functional harmonicas and a sturdy carrying case for very little money. There are some idiosyncrasies, but you'll learn to work with what you've got, just like all the old Bluesmen did.

Beginning musicians need lots of books & videos to shorten the learning curve & practice time for any instrument - This book is a winner for the harmonica - well worth adding to your collection - you'll be playing a simple song after an hour of practicing from this book. Use the CD to get a feel of the rhythm and learn the basics. A few sips (not too much!) of wine (or any beverage) to relax a bit and keep your lips moist and you will be surprised at the music you can make in such a short time with this book. If you have grandchildren (I have two) they make a great audience for a short time. The older we are, the longer it takes to learn music, this book helps to get you playing faster.

This is great

Love the songs and very well made to start learning, great buy.

Perfect first book for learning to play. CD is helpful lessons are easy to follow.

Great beginner book.

I haven't used the CD yet but the book is wonderful!

As a back up kit this is ok. Compared to my other Hohners these ones require a more forceful air flow to make music. The case is nice.

Very cheaply made product as one might expect for the price. The entire body, the plates and the comb are plastic. No real surprise there. I bought these for my son to play with. They work but they take a lot of air to get a poor quality sound. I would strongly recommend spending a few dollars more and get a decent set unless they are for a kid. The one positive side is that the case the came with is decent.

I bought these harmonicas because the other reviews indicated that they were a good buy and sounded good. That's true and so are the other things that I read. The plastic has a smell and a taste. It takes a lot of air to play them. But they do serve the purpose that I bought them for. I only had harps in C, B flat and G and I wanted to see how some of the pieces I play sounded in other keys. In short these harps are an amazing buy but you need powerful lungs to play them. Happy harping.

Good product, they seem to work just as intended, although the threshold to make sound is a little too much so you end up losing your breath more often than you would with a metal harmonica. They are also a bit lightweight, but this can be seen as a pro or con depending on the person, although the weight does not effect how sturdy they feel, and they do feel quite sturdy.Overall, I'm glad I bought this product, well worth the money if you're a harmonica or just general music lover.

yes these are pretty cheaply made but I am new to this.. ... I did not even know that there was more than one key before I saw these.... I think they sound good and they are a great way to test to see if you might like to play a musical instrument... I love to play around with these and they don't sound bad even when they get a little spitty. I just have to find the time to practice. I will be ordering a single one in the key of G for my more permanent instrument.

The Piedmont blues harmonica set is a great set of harmonicas for someone interested in learning to play the harmonica. they are not high quality as some of the others you would see but they are also not a typical dime store harp either, these harmonicas have a nice sound for being mostly plastic, and they are good for beginners not wanting to spend 50 dollars on a harmonica only to find out they don't like it.these are the first harmonicas I've ever used, and within the second day of owning them I learned how to bend notes, if you receive them and have trouble bending, then maybe you just need to try a bit harder.they aren't the best harps you can get, but the price is good for what you get, seven harmonicas, and all with a great case you can use for more harps a bit later, if you decide to pursue harmonica as a hobby or career.I also remind you that it'd be better to buy seven low quality HOHNER harmonicas for 20 dollars then to purchase one no name brand harp for 20 bucks that will go flat within one week.

Have been trying to play for a while so I thought I would get a book with more songs. good selection of songs. Time will tell.

Very helpful for a novice

This accompanied the harmonica I got my son in law for Christmas. The CD promises to be helpful.

The book seems simple enough. I will just have to wait to see how much I am able to learn.

This book is very nice, I bought it for my 11 year old and he's been able to read through it and use it to start playing.

A good book for beginners.

Ok, for $29.99, I thought Wow! This is a great deal for a full set of harmonicas. I jumped at the opportunity. Unfortunately my excitement was short lived. I was expecting to get a set of steel harmonicas, what I'm used to playing. The harmonics in this set are plastic ): First of all the smell of the plastic hit me. They have a very strong odor. I was hesitant on putting them up to my mouth but did eventually. Breathing in plastic odors doesn't feel good either. Having played steel harmonicas for years, i was disappointed with the sound in comparison.Having said the above, I have to say in addition, this is a perfect set for a beginner. At $5 per harmonica it really is a good deal. The case is very well made and its a great way to keep the harmonicas tucked away safely. My son wants to learn how to play so he's taken over ownership of this set and he loves it. He doesn't seem bothered with the odor.

I bought these as an impulse during Black Friday, and I got what I paid for to say the least. They are plastic, cheap harmonics that are great for musical kids, but not so much adults. The sound quality is not great, even compared to the cheapest of metal harmonics. It takes a lot of effort to hold a consistent note with these.The case is fabulous though, and if you have other harmonics that need a home, the purchase would be worth if for that alone.

After reading reviews (both negative and positive), I'd say, yes, i agree. awesome price for a starter set. I've had them only a couple weeks, and I am a beginner on harmonica. The set is great as sort of a tool to decide "do i really want to learn to play or is this just a crazy idea???" well, yes i learned i do indeed want to play, so yes i do want to get some better quality harps. I can tell there is a ton of air leakage with these, as I find myself out of breath easily. of course this is partly due to technique (being new and all) but i can hear "hissing" and breathing noises. I'll use these to continue to learn but eventually will buy a few better quality and probably use this case. The case seems pretty sturdy and is probably worth at least half the price of the total, if not more. I can see why some people buy this set just for the case, and give the harps away to kids.

The harmonicas themselves are worthless. They leak so badly, they're unplayable. But the case is very nice for the price. I have the Enthusiast series (Blues Band, Pocket Pal, Old Standby, Blues Bender, American Ace, and Hot Metal). These are 'beginner's harps' -- and I should know, because I'm a beginner! I was impressed by the Blues Band, which I bought a few of years ago for $5 each, as actually being a usable instrument and decided I'd collect the set. I needed a case for them, so I bought the Piedmont Blues set just for the case.The Piedmont Blues harps, with their plastic cover plates, are not beginners' harps. They're toys, suitable for small children who just want to make noise. And that's not necessarily a bad thing. I'm sure kids will love this set. Hand the harmonicas out at a six-year-old's birthday party and keep the case for yourself.I'd give the Piedmont Blues harmonicas one star, and I'd give the case four stars. So I'm averaging to a three-star rating.

I gave the product 3 stars but this is only for the case. I ordered this for the case and did not need these harps. The case is nice but unfortunately most harps will not fit in the slots. Hohner Special 20s will fit with a minimum of pressure to push them into the slots. The following do not fit: Seydel 1847s, Hohner Marine Band, Hohner Blues Harp, Hohner Golden Melody, Hohner Pro Harp, Suzuki Easy Rider, Suzuki Folk Master, Swan, and Lee Oscar. I did not try my Huangs, or Swans but do not believe they will fit either. I will just use it for the Special 20s. A lot of people gave negative reviews to the harps but I was open minded as I have bought a lot of cheap harps and found sometimes they perform well enough after a little breaking in. These are not good harps. The harps are very stiff as some people reported. I wasn't too concerned about the reviews complaining about the taste but I found these harps really do have a horrible taste and leave an after taste. They might play ok after some breaking in but the taste is so bad I will not attempt to break them in. I often give cheap harps away to kids to play with but due to the bad taste these harps will not be given away. They are going in the trash. If you prefer Hohner Special 20's I would buy this set for the case alone.

These are alright for beginners or just to have them rolling around on my backpack for whenever i feel like playing something. These are easily replaceable for the price and you get the 7 most common keys.They're made of plastic, which tends to let the air out, giving kind of a airy undertone.Buy them if you're a beginner and don't want to spend too much, or if you want to carry them and not to worry about getting it lost.

Product as advertised

CD is very difficult to follow. Barely any pauses and keeps running on. so its hard to follow.

Helps dramatically well with learning

Good book but i feel it might be better for someone that already has some musical background.

ok for starting out.

It's ok for learning notes- songs you learn are not exactly what the hubby was expecting...

These would be cool to give to a kid, or various kids since it is a set. Other than that, these are a joke. Air leaks out everywhere, reeds don't all work in both directions, they are quiet, you have to blow HARD to get good volume, notes bend awkwardly, and they are very unresponsive. I know you get what you pay for, but I still expected more from Hohner. Its like selling a "custom motorcycle" and it turns out to be one of those motorized petal jobs with a my little pony airbrush jib on it.Been playing a marine band harmonica since I was a kid, guess I'm spoiled...My daughter will be too. I got these bc she destroyed my marine band with all her slobber. Pretty impressive to be playing notes and bending them at 15 months though. Even she hated thesee plastic jobs. She just gets mad and throws em when I try to get her to use one.

I read the reviews before purchase. The best review was the one about throwing away the harmonicas and keeping the case for your good harmonicas.Well I have to say, that is what I did. At the time $19.00 was a fair price for the case. However, be aware that the case will only hold a certain size harmonica. It fits nicely if your 10 hole harmonica is just at 4 inches long. My Lee Oscar Harmonicas won't fit cuz they are longer.I did try the harmonicas that came with the case. Three out of Seven worked, but the other Three had several bad reads Which I could possibly fix if I were to take them apart, however they leak so much air anyway, I found no practical use in doing that.That Being said, it is a very nice case. I prefer the Lee Oscar Harps they have a slightly better tune and require much less air to operate, and there is a Lee Oscar case available on the amazon site which I will be ordering soon.

Harmonicas were comically small compared to hohner's old chromonicas and they have a very cheap feel as they are very light and the top and bottom sides are plastic. They definitely do not make them like they used too. I bought this set intending them to be instruments for myself but they seem better suited for a child's toy... that is if it were not for a horrible pungent tobacco like smell that comes from each harmonica. This smell did not go away after 2 months. I can't even let my toddler play with them because I do not feel safe with her breathing air through them. That said the sound is decent if you can get past the smell.

These things are no better than a five and dime store toy harmonica. They are made entirely of plastic and getting a decent sound out of them is near impossible. If you are looking to use them to learn to play, I would suggest spending your money on a single good Hohner or Lee Oskar which you can find for between $25-$50. That being said, I would say that the value of these for me is that they provided me with a better sense of the difference in keys so that I can choose a couple of keys to order of the better ones I want.UPDATE: 3.12.15I've had these for several months now. I have to admit, they are getting a little better with time and play. I found it helped a little to "break them in" by blowing them hard into a damp towel, in and out through all the notes. That seemed to "unfreeze" some of the reeds, especially the higher ones, that seemed to be stuck. Still basically "toy" harmonica's, but they do have value especially for figuring out the keys for different songs. Although it has taken a while to get rid of that strange chemical/funk order I think comes from the carrying case.

Lots of reviews on this product already, but I thought I would add my two cents, if only to attempt to boil down the issues:1. The harmonicas: Truly bad, even unplayable. Those who praise these harps are clearly only playing some wistful major chords, because you can't actually draw in and make a sound with this design. Some reviewers said that the plastic construction is what causes the leaky air flow, but I tested that theory by putting tape over the seam between the plastic and the reed chamber, and the results were no better. It's embarrassing that Hohner has put its name on something that is designed not to work.2. The case: Really nice, and as several have noted, you can't buy a good stand-alone case for this price. It's a shame to waste the resources, but from a financial standpoint, it makes sense to buy the set, keep the case and throw away the harps.****** BUT WAIT: Before you throw away those crappy harmonicas, consider this: If you have some faulty Special 20 harmonicas or other harps of a similar build, you can harvest the reeds from these unplayable units and use them to repair your busted harps. I did this successfully with a G harp-- fixing a BRAND NEW Special 20 that I got from a place that was closing (and hence could not return). What is happening to Hohner's vaunted quality?

These are worth the $30 you pay for them, but they just do not stand up to a quality harmonica. I am a beginner player and bought a Hohner C Marine Band harmonic to start out and have been playing that for about 6 months. It was time for me to buy harps in a different key and the 7 harmonicas in this set looked like a good way to get a variety of keys at an affordable price--and it is. However, after having learned on a Hohner Marine Band harmonica, there is no comparison in quality. The Piedmont set has no where near the tone or sound quality and the amount of wind required to produce the same volume or note is very noticeable. These can not way match the quality of a better harp and there is simply no way to go back. These are fine for the price, but if you want to play for real, get a quality harp like the Marine Band, even if you're a beginner.

I am very disappointed in this book. A waste of money. The songs are strange and very few that I would expect to be able to play from a beginners book. Don't waste your money. I'm gonna look for better deals out there for a book that has many harmonica songs at the beginning level.

The book is very short. The CD won't play. The 15 pages of written instructions are clear and simple, but rigid ("hold your harmonica as shown in your left hand"). Several songs besides. Good for absolute beginners maybe - I'm returning after decades of not playing - needed tips on making the seal and moving on the harp with false teeth and slow hands - nada.

The book looks fine enough, but the cd is missing. Would have been nice to know this since the talk about the cd in the description. It would have been nice to have the option of whether or not I wanted the cd. If you are going to advertise it with a cd it should have the cd! So annoying!

great

No! Ignore the low price! These are on par with a dollar store harmonica! I knew these were cheap but wanted to have them for casual fun use. BUT, There is no draw so good players can't get sound and new players, or even kids will get wrong impression about harmonicas, which are awesome when they work. These do not work. This is a disappointment for the hohner name being leased out to a poor product. I sent them back and thank you Amazon for returning my money without issue. Love you guys. Just consider taking these off your market so you can save on return postage from returns!

I quote Comic Book Guy.... "Worst harmonicas ever!"Cheap chinese junk...I usually buy Lee Oskar's, but i thought these could be handy as a backup when in need.These are entirely plastic, they smell like a Sharpie marker, and at least 3 were defective with some holes not working at all.Returning asap..I like the case, that's about it.... Buy these for a child maybe, but if you plan to perform using these you might as well stay home.Hard to play fluidly, they take way more air to play than a real harmonica.

I have been playing the harmonica for years but would not consider myself a virtuoso or anything; still, I know how to play well enough to realize that blowing a note into the harmonica shouldn't make you feel like you're bursting a blood vessel in your head- yet that's exactly the sensation you will experience trying to make even the simplest melody come out of any one of these poorly-designed harps. I realize that for such a small amount of money I shouldn't expect great things. I do, however, feel that the Hohner brand name should guarantee at least a small amount of quality even for a cheap set of harmonicas. Apparently I was wrong- these are shoddily made, smell weird like the kind of toy harmonica you can get at the dollar store, and play about as well as the dollar store ones too. I returned my set for a better, slightly more expensive set of Hohner Blues Band harps. Haven't received them yet, but anything has to work better than these abominations.

Really, everything you've read so far about the poor quality of these harmonicas is true. Frankly, I'm surprised Hohner put their name on these. Funny smell/taste, weak sound, some notes don't work, little bits of plastic coming out on the draw. Not a good buy if you're looking to actually play these harmonicas. I was thinking I wanted something cheap to see which key I liked best so I could branch out a little from my special 20 in C, but these are pretty frustrating little pieces of business. I'm not really sore about it, it was only 20 dollars and I knew what I was getting into, and I got a nice case out of it, that I will proceed to put better quality harmonicas into.

I read the reviews by others, but was optimistic. Many people said these harmonicas weren't very loud, or may have been a little out of tune. I figured I could deal with that. After all, they cost very little. But, WOW! Five out of seven of these things are completely unplayable. I first picked up the Bb - the 3rd hole draw won't make a sound. Next the E harp - doesn't make sound on the 10th hole blow. The C harp draw holes all vary substantially on the amount of air required to make sound. The G harp 10th hole blow makes a wavering sound like a siren! The F harp is so out of tune as to sound dissonant on the blow notes. Ahhhhhhh! Resist the urge! I know the price is attractive, but save yourself some time and look elsewhere!!

I use Hohner marine band special 20's and they are top notch (roughly $30 each)I regret ever buying this garbage...Cons:I could spend all day writing about the down fall and short comings of this product.price = cheap quality and I knew this going into it...quality = may cause cancer*** (*** I really dont know or have any proof)My problem is the smell and taste in my mouth after one inhale... I legit thought I may die if I continue. It has such a horrid smell and taste I cant describe much more than dusty? ever eat a spoon full of pure cinnamon? yeah similar to that but more death less flavor... one of the harps came in the case broken and apart... forget trying to fix these...pros:I have a case to hold 7 harps...

If you can't read music,don't but it

The lesson format is "listen, then play." I received the book but not the CD. Looks like you could learn fairly quickly, providing you had both of the required materials. Very disappointed!

I bought a chromatic harmonica and Amazon advised me to but this book. Now I can see the book is for diatonic harmonica. Be careful.

CD is blank, book info looks good, but will probably have to send both back. Disappointed!.

It may have been personalized but it was personalized by an inscription that read something like "personalized stainless steel Hohner" and was thereby made useless for me.