MY LATEST SINGLE: "Blues Is Still Alive" (feat. Walter Trout): open.spotify.com/album/3O6B52e8n83PbZAU8CkSWS?si=HqrdsruzTkakNCxAvV7rsw TOUR DATES: 6th Dec 2024 - Friday Night Blues Club, Reading 8th December 2024 - Bournemouth Blues Weekend 1st March 2025 - Blues At Barleylands, Billericay 4th March 2025 - 100 CLUB LONDON, OFFICIAL ALBUM LAUNCH SHOW 5th March 2025 - Guildhall Studio, Portsmouth 6th March 2025 - Eel Pie Club, Twickenham 7th March 2025 - Library Theatre, Leighton Buzzard 13th March 2025 - Login Lounge, Camberley 15th March 2025 - Coolham Live Music Club, West Sussex 21st March 2025 - The Carlisle, Hastings 2nd April 2025 - Bjørgvin Blues Klubb, Bergen, Norway 3rd April 2025 - Haugesund Blues Club, Haugesund, Norway 4th April 2025 - Blueslaget Lokst utøve, Odda, Norway 22nd April 2025 - Tuesday Night Music Club, Coulsdon 23rd April 2025 - Temperance, Leamington Spa 24th April 2025 - The Tree House, Frome 25th April 2025 - The Bear Club, Luton 9th May 2025 - Emsworth Live Music Club, Emsworth 10th May 2025 - Kwadendamme Blues Fest, Netherlands 16th May 2025 - Crookham Memorial Hall, Crookham 5th July 2025 - Bird In Hand, Fareham 22nd August 2025 - Blues In The Garden, Darmanesti, Romania SEPT-OCT Germany Tour - Dates TBC 30th October 2025 - Teignmouth Blues, Teignmouth 20th November 2025 - Hanger Farm Arts, Cotton More dates being added all the time, follow me on Bandsintown to find out when we're playing near you: www.bandsintown.com/a/3002342-will-wilde
His comments on being at a certain level of proficiency to feel/understand the benefits of customized harps are spot on. My very good buddy is a top shelf customizer (does Rod Piazza's, Harman rip, Billy Watson, Johnny Mastro, Tom Richmond,etc), so I get all my customized harps very cheap and can afford to experiment with any harp I want. I even have a customized Low F Thunderbird with a Zajak comb. I don't care what comb the harp has, I'll play it if it's in tune. Once you get a customized harp, it'll last longer, play better, and stay in tune longer BUT once you're at that level to understand it. A tuned harp drawing 3-7, 4-8, 5-9, or 6-10 octaves will flutter with precision. And that makes me wanna play. Happy Harpin!
Yes he is legendary I agree. The first time I saw him playing in one of his videos I couldn’t believe my ears. I had no idea a harmonica could be played like that. Will is like the Jimi Hendrix of the harp. Totally unbelievable.
Thanks Will for this video; its very informative. This year I switch from Hohner to Seydel, the main reason was because Hohner reeds tend to break even though playing soft and taking care of them. So in the long run it can become a money issue is you are learning to play harmonica seriously. When started to play Seydel it to me a while to getting use too them. Now I prefer Seydel over Hohner; I feel that the tone is better, no raspy sounds, clearer notes (sound more defined). And like you said they don’t get out of tune. And the reeds don’t break. I feel with Seydel ratio price vs quality of the instrument is fair; not the same with Hohnner. Once again thank you for this video a liked it a lot!!
Do all Seydel harps have steel reedsI’ve a number of Hohner Marine Band Deluxe, Crossovers and Lee Oscars. I’ve one Seydel steel…. So far…, I don’t like it much. May just take getting used to.
I had the Suzuki harp, identical to the one you demo’d. It went out of tune VERY quickly, despite of being well cared for and not stressed. I primarily play Neil Young, etc. ,not doing much in the way of overblows. While I liked its tone, to fall out of tune after only a few plays was a total waste of money. Very disappointed.
I have played hohner harps for years and never had the reeds break.I think it's a matter of personal preference,depends on what sound you like best and go for it.
Thank you for this video. It says a lot about an endorsed artist and the company they endorse when they acknowledge that others may also make a good product - thanks for being genuine!
The best harmonica for blues, is the brand/model that you can carry with you at all times, and one that you’ll be compelled to practice on the days you don’t really feel like it. For me, it’s these: Cheap: Fender deluxe (w/reed gapping) Easttop 008k Kongsheng amazing 20 Better: Special 20, LO, blues steel Best: Rocket, Seydel 1847(favorite), Crossover After many attempts at finding the perfect harp, I’ve realized… The secret isn’t the harmonica, it’s the person holding it! Also, learning to adjust reed gaps and flattening the reed plate is huge. With a little bit of know how, anyone can make a cheap Easttop play like a much more expensive Hohner.
I've just started playing an 1847 classic after playing Hohner harps exclusively for the past 30 years. I love both but I'm slightly preferring the Seydel now :)
I finally got a Lee Oskar and my playing is instantly better than on my Hohners or Suzukis, which inspires me to try for the same sound from them. Really impressed with the Fender Blues Deluxe. For a third the price, they seem like a pretty great way for a beginner to collect all keys. Most at that price are only in C.
I remember getting my first Special 20 and Marine Band after playing and learning on the $8.00 Fender harp I got with Musician’s Friend rewards. I love that with harmonica playing your technique and musicality really shine over your equipment to a huge degree.
I have C keys for Hohner Marine Band, Special 20, Blues Harp, Golden Melody, Crossover, and East Top. My favored harps though are Lee Oskars, and I have a range of keys for them.
For my playing style, (a lot of first position and at a 45 degree angle), the Kongsheng Mars1 and Mars2 are my choice. ...round holes that sit deeper into your mouth, so smooth your hands roll across it. My top notes don't sound so shrill... The Mars1 plastic comb gives your the sense of playing a guitar with nylon strings, while the Mars2 gives you a nice brass peal with its chambered aluminum comb. To me, breath control is important and these allow me the most. Most ship requiring no modifications, but of course knowing how to easily gap a 3, or 2, or lowering a blow 3, gives me an amazing airtight instrument that's a joy to play.
I have about 10 harmonica's. From Special 20's , through Marine Bands , Golden Melodies to Seydel Sessions. I just love harmonica and listening to great players. Lots of styles Jazz/Funk/Classical/Traditional/Blues/Country etc,etc. Your some player Will, that's for sure. So my harp journey is on going , if I can learn from the greats and you guy's & girl's that are doing it today, then I'll be happy to keep "Harpin" around. Thanks Will 🙏 👏👏🏴😁👍
I play a range of hohners. Special 20's, blues harps, and marine bands. Got every key with some of the flats. I like hohners. They sound good and are readily available in the US music stores. The point is you need all of them to be effective as a harmonica player. Not just a "g" or "c"... Especially when playing cross harp style
What do you think about the Big River Harps? It seems to me Hohner have been changing the alloy or temper of their reeds on Big River Harps and Marine Bands and now instead of them tending to go flat in time, they go sharp. Have you noticed the same? Maybe in the U.S they are made there under licence rather than Germany in Europe?
I've been playing the harmonica since l was 7yo (now 70yo.) and l wholeheartedly agree with you 100%. I'm one of your 'many subscribers' and l greatly admire your harmonica playing. I think you're fantastic. I love your style of playing and listening to your channel l have learnt so much from you, which has made me a much better player, thank you. Watching from Australia. 😊👍👍
Hi Will. First off, your playing is amazing... blows me away with every note. I'm an "intermediate" harp player (mostly southern & classic rock, with some country & light blues thrown in) who has been playing for about 4 years (not counting the pandemic year and recently, since I moved to Tennessee and had to find new people to jam with). I started out with Hohner Blues harps (wood comb), and while they played well, I found that every single one had a sharp edge on the upper reed plate, and had a propensity for slicing my lips & tongue. Some quick work with a jeweler's file remedied that, but it was an annoyance. I tried some Marine Band (also Hohner) harps, but the reeds seemed to fail more quickly than the Blues Harp reeds did. Then I moved on to the Special 20s, and they didn't have the sharpness problem, sounded great, and the comb didn't shrink or swell. I was still going through reeds though. Finally, I discovered the Suzuki/Hammond harps, with aluminum combs. A little heavier in weight, and requiring more air, but I found that the reeds did not fatigue nearly as quickly as the Hohners. Regardless of model, they all sounded fine (especially when just broken in), but the Hammonds remain my favorite. It's sometimes difficult to find them in the less common keys (mostly flats & sharps), so I still have some Hohner's in my gig bag, but I change them out when needed, with the Suzuki/Hammonds, if I can find them. That's my 2 cents worth. Again, love your stuff. Keep posting!
Will: As a total novice to harmonica, but someone who owns both Seydel (1847 & Lightning) and Hohner Rocket Amps, I can tell you that the Rocket Amp is much easier for me to bend notes on than the Seydel. The Seydels make very clear, precise notes, as does the Rocket Amp, but those steel reeds are really hard to bend when you are just learning. When I got the Rocket Amp, I was able to bend notes within five minutes of taking them out of the box. Which do I prefer? Both! And one day I want to get some of your Wilde Tuned Seydels when I get better at playing. Great video! Cheers.
7:54 - hahahaha... yes indeed. My first harp was Hohner Blues Harp in Bb. And I bought it because it said "Blues Harp" on it. LOOL Excellent harmonica... I still have it ~15 years later. I don't play it much anymore but it still sounds great when I do pick it up.
One of the most radically different feeling harps are the Hohner Golden Melody and the Seydel 1847, but those are the 2 harps in my setup. I like that they are so different in their feel. The GM’s are really good for gentler playing. The Seydels have a bigger low end and are great for harder playing. . .but, not too hard - on any harp, unless ya wanna keep replacing reed plates.
Thanks, quite helpful. Always been a Hohner player and when I decided to give Seydel a try, I have made the mistake apparently of going with the Session Steel, which was not responsive enough, even on a D harp.
I've got a east top in the key of D and I don't know if it's a different build style but I don't notice the leaky sound granted I've only been playing for almost 2 years
I'd really like to learn how to tune my harps. Especially to make them more airtight. I have a Hohner Blues Harp that is so leaky, I hate to play it. I'd like to use this one to learn how to tune. Any improvement would be obvious to me.
I realize there are other harps you couldn't get to but was surprised no Marine Band. Anyway, one probably not too many people know about are Yonbergs, made in France. They are totally unique in design, look and sound great though I have had some out of the box that weren't as responsive as I like. I'd still like to try your Wilde tuned harps. And maybe Brendon Power's tunings.
Great review! From what I hear - also the better models produce a ringy sound when you stop playing, as the reeds continue to vibrate a bit, which you can't hear on the cheap models. Also - it sounds a bit incomplete if you don't demo Marine Band and one of the Lee Oskar harmonicas - after all he's the other major seller, besides Hohner and Seydel nowadays. I don't have experience with his products, but met him few years ago - very nice guy.
Very similar to guitars. The more you spend the more diminishing returns you get in sound and playability. The main investment should be in your investment to become a better, more proficient player. Unfortunately, this only comes through dedicated practice and repetition. 40-years of guitar collecting thinking the more expensive guitar was going to make me sound better and now after selling off all have kept a few good quality models understanding that it is my playing skills that matter much more than the instrument. Assuming the instrument is not crap and in today's world most budget instruments are not. In fact the value to performance is getting better and better every year as you all know. Thanks for the great video!
I moved to the Special 20 because they are pretty cheap and the plastic comb means I don't have to worry about the wood and the nails in the standard Hohner MB are a pain. But recently I got a Hohner Crossover and quickly noticed how responsive the reeds are, particularly up the top. The reeds also have a kind of pleasant ring.
The first time I recognized you, was in that incredible "Free Bird Solo" video and I thought, you were an american. But then, I heared you talking and I was surprised, that you are an english guy :) I like that so much! Keep up the good work mate :)
i enjoy your music . my dad listened to Charlie Musselwhite a lot when i was young ,he could play along really well and you remind me a lot of that sound . thank you for sharing .
I was wanting the Seidel and after watching your video I am going to pull the trigger on it. I just love that a) it’s German b) handmade and c) they’re the oldest manufacturer of harmonicas. Definitely a nerd for those details and backstories 😆
Will, no Lee Oscars? No Marine band? You are a master no question. But personally I find the greatest difference is the comb material. Wood is always leaky, plastic good except on the cheapest harps and I own a Suzuki with an aluminum comb. Excellent. Any Lee Oscar plus Special 20s too, but the 20's reeds blow more easily. Thanks for your inspirational work.
I'm getting back into it again, can't believe the price of the harps now - Lee Oscars were £11 when I was last playing. Has the reliability changed much? Nothing worse than starting to play and realising that some of the notes won't play
I purchased the honer special 20 in C about 2 years ago. I really need to pick it up again. I arrived here via your free bird video. Jaw dropping. It’s given me the impetus to dust off the honer. 👍👍👍
In a nutshell, they're all the same but different. Nice video. I perhaps think people thinking about starting (e.g. me) are trying to figure out what would be best before stumping up some cash when they won't really know until they dive in what is going to work for them.
Whin I first started around 15 years ago or may I a bit less I bough a Suzuki ‘pure breath’ MR550 I think it was called. Rosewood comb and plates. Described as a ‘warm and breathy sound’. But it sounded really bright to me. A lovely tactile thing though.
i have 7 hohner marine band and im planning on making that 14 because i have a spare case from my hohner piedmond blues set of 7 i learned with and i have a hohner 280c chromanica i have a Hohner harpblaster hb52 that goes to my zoom g1x four pedals to my Yamaha AG06 interface mixer but yeah i get that my grandfather gave my his marine bands to learn as a kid i was 5 at 15 i kind of gave up on it lost most of them so when i started again i taugh the cheep peidmond blues if i could learn play them at 21 i could play any other harp now that im 28 almost i can say watching you and all the other youtubers thats make harmonicas video i now know how to play and i got rid of my piedmond blues set 5 years ago i stuck to marine bands in memory of the person who started me my paternal grand father i might play alot more but my marine bands will remain close to me always my grand father passed away when i was 8 so i kind of lost my mentor back then but im happy to be playing thankyou will
As a noob player I can say that not being able to play on $50 harmonicas is much more pleasant than on $3! I have anniversary marine band C and rocket low F, can make basic chords, clean notes, a couple leaks and some bends, and on my babies these stuff still sound cool even it’s not something advance, so it motivates to keep training
Yes I think the idea of a cheap instrument for beginners is wrong because a bad instrument of any sort is discouraging. If you can get a good sound you want to play it.
You are absolutely right, you get what you pay for. When I brought my first set of cheap harmonicas, I developed a bad habit of playing too hard, so when I brought my first Hohner special 20 I blew it across the room, but right now I'm really enjoying Wilde tuned seydel, thank you for sharing.
Things come full circle .I remember the $5 , made in Germany, chrome & wood ,Hohner "Blues Harps". My reenrty into music , and sanity, came by way of a $ 5 children's (junk)model , plastic Hohner in C .Now, have found an affordable sub , a Fender in G , for 12.00.
Thanks Will, never played a Seydel harp before, but if I buy another harp, I might try one. Anyway, I think you would make a plastic party favor harp sound good. Like you said, some harps might be set up better than others, but in the end, it's the guy or gal playing it that really makes the difference.
I've played Marine Bands for ages and I love them, I bought a Wilde tuned 1847 in Bb not too long ago and I have to say, the tone is incredible, but I still think I prefer how a marine band feels, the Seydel almost feels like it takes more effort to play, but it's still a great harp and once I got the hang of it it wasn't really much of a problem. I have a (richter) Seydel Blues Session too and it has the same thing, it seems to take a fair bit more air to play, but I actually really like its nice mellow tone compared to the roar of its big brother
Yeah, that replicates my experience. I love the Seidel feel and tone, but it just leaks/takes a lot of air. Not sure how Will can consider them to be more airtight than others...to me it seems it's their biggest/only weakness.
@@genericnameinc For me I think it may be the shape of the "mouthpiece", because when I first played it, it felt like it was leaking like a cheap harp, but if I'm very conscious about my embouchure it gets a lot tighter, it doesn't feel leaky anymore but you need to draw harder than a MB (which is probably just because it has steel reeds, brass ones are softer so will ring out easier, steel will take a bit more force but will last a lot longer)
Great coverage of an age old debate. I love the pros/cons and demonstration. The arguments seem to stem from playing style. I don't expect a player like Mark Hummel to have a use for puckering. I do feel like lacking some degree of blocking skills is a matter of "missing out", like not having bends or overblows... This is another excellent WW video. It's nice to hear the simple approach of keeping learning fun! Are we cheating by having this type of expert instruction at our finger tips?
I was laughing about the beginners buying a Hohner blues harp because it has “blues” in the name comment lol! I’m one of the guilty ones sad to say. I couldn’t play Mary had a little lamb but thought the blues harp purchase would automatically make me sound like Big Mama! 🤣. Too funny! I about died when Will made that comment because that was exactly me. Oh well! What did I know? Haha!!
I have trouble with marine bands comb because it always swells up if I use the key a lot that night so I switched to Lee Oskar‘s harmonicas which interestingly, at least to me, Sonny Terry switched to because he found them more durable more rugged, and he loved the sound so my two cents. LOVE your channel, thanks
there is another important difference between seydel and other harmonicas (in my opinion- as a bigginer). It's about the holes. the space between the holes is more in the case of Seydel than other brands.This helps especially beginners to play the notes more cleanly. This is one of the features of this kind of videos. so that beginners don't waste their money and choose the right harmonica to start with
@@willharmonicawilde it's like riding a bike for musicians of your caliber. that you are skilled, there is nothing to think about the rest and falling👌
@@willharmonicawilde how could you not? That's interesting. I like my Seidel, but I kinda dislike that I feel I need to readjust whenever I swap to/from it (bought different brands for different keys as a beginner, so that I could get a feel for what I like while buying the keys I needed. So I play my Bb Seidel a lot, then swap to manji or mb and I definitely need to readjust for the Seidel or I'm less accurate.)
@@genericnameinc I don't know, it's never occurred to me to be honest. I've played nothing but Seydel's every day for the past 10+ years. I just dug out all those other harps that I had lying around to make this video. I didn't notice any problems switching straight from one to another.
Thanks Will I am now spoiled. I got your Wilde tuned harp last Friday… I can no longer play any harp other then that seydel ya sent me (I own many harps never a seydel). Your tuning is so much fun and useful. The seydel is ridiculous. Totally buying another few after the holidays.
Yeah man I don’t think I can go back to a regular diatonic. I’m a bass player main. My mind likes patterns when it comes to music. With Wilde Tuning having the bottom and top holes blow/draw patterns the same my harp playing increased almost instantly. Absolutely brilliant man!
I rather pay a little more for a Seydel, Suzuki or Hohner harp. I love the Hohner SP 20 and still playing. Recently I bought a China made Easttop 12 hole chromatic, found it takes a lot of effort to play probably due to leaky.
hey there bro nice to find your channel yesterday:) i started playing around on a $3 harp from a cheap shop had it for years and worn out the reeds lol but i started copying techno songs and violin awesome fun. Thanks for your time :)
I played on an old standby for a bit then bought a special 20 that became my favorite to play. Is there anything that plays or feels like a special 20?
It does in fact not. For example, the Marine Band is thin and bright tonally, the exact opposite of mellow (fat and dark). The biggest difference in tone comes from cover plate design, and NOT from the comb material. Scientifically speaking, there's just not enough material to make the comb resonate, so there's ZERO measurable difference. What you're experiencing is called bias, and that's just part of the human condition... We all like different things, and that's totally fair. Wood, however - has several drawbacks.
One thing about the wood 'comb' is this - [the classic Hohner Marine Band is built on a wood comb] - after you've wailed away on it for quite a while the wood begins to get wet and it expands so that, where the comb meets your mouth, it begins to resemble teeth; it protrudes beyond where the metal top and bottom housings curve down to meet it. You'll find that this tears your lips apart. This never deterred me from continuing when I was learning (all summer long, alone behind the school, in 1972). This expansion will also happen if or when you boil your harps to clean the crusty, unsanitary gunk out of the reeds and the comb, something I learned from Sonny Terry's book. *I hate inhaling that stuff * Might not try that with a plastic one; they didn't exist yet when I was doing that. At any rate, and in both cases, the wood shrinks back to its original dimensions once it dries out again. Obviously, having more than one harp lets you play on until you're exhausted to your heart's content, as long as you don't need to continue in the same key....if you were playing along with a Little Walter record, trying to learn a particular song, for example. I never had more than a few Marine Bands, and later a couple of 20s; they were kind of expensive for me at the time, even though it seems funny now to think that $4.25 was a lot of money. Considerable harpflation since way back then. LOL
Yeah, swelling was an issue with the original Marine Band. The wood comb on the 1847 Classic is sealed (coated in some kind of varnish/lacquer) so this doesn't happen.
@@willharmonicawilde Oh, thanks for letting me know! I'm out of touch with recent developments, aside from seeing all the new products on the shelves...enjoyed your playing btw, you sound great, and kudos to you for keeping it alive.
Great video, as usual, Will! You could wrap a piece of paper over a comb & make it sound original! Always looking forward to the next video! Hope you & your family have a blessed time over the holiday season! 🥂
I think the real problem is you cannot test it in store to see which one is for you. When you order product, you cannot return it easily, even if it has malfunction. I think tonation really matters in terms of overblows. As overdraws are quite easy to learn. I'm thinking as guitarist about low F just because even for tinwhistles like Bb, low sounds better and full to me than D. However, probably low tonation will be difficult to do overblow on harmonica? Marine bands low F are much more expensive than standard C. But I've also heard that Marine ones are easier to do overblows due to wood than plastic. Maybe you could recommend manufacturer basing on low F wood and having in mind the time you started to learn overblows? Btw. great video tutorial on that but I ended with squeaky sound on my suzuki bluesmaster A 😅 In the end I consider non diatonic ones...
MY LATEST SINGLE: "Blues Is Still Alive" (feat. Walter Trout): open.spotify.com/album/3O6B52e8n83PbZAU8CkSWS?si=HqrdsruzTkakNCxAvV7rsw
TOUR DATES: 6th Dec 2024 - Friday Night Blues Club, Reading
8th December 2024 - Bournemouth Blues Weekend
1st March 2025 - Blues At Barleylands, Billericay
4th March 2025 - 100 CLUB LONDON, OFFICIAL ALBUM LAUNCH SHOW
5th March 2025 - Guildhall Studio, Portsmouth
6th March 2025 - Eel Pie Club, Twickenham
7th March 2025 - Library Theatre, Leighton Buzzard
13th March 2025 - Login Lounge, Camberley
15th March 2025 - Coolham Live Music Club, West Sussex
21st March 2025 - The Carlisle, Hastings
2nd April 2025 - Bjørgvin Blues Klubb, Bergen, Norway
3rd April 2025 - Haugesund Blues Club, Haugesund, Norway
4th April 2025 - Blueslaget Lokst utøve, Odda, Norway
22nd April 2025 - Tuesday Night Music Club, Coulsdon
23rd April 2025 - Temperance, Leamington Spa
24th April 2025 - The Tree House, Frome
25th April 2025 - The Bear Club, Luton
9th May 2025 - Emsworth Live Music Club, Emsworth
10th May 2025 - Kwadendamme Blues Fest, Netherlands
16th May 2025 - Crookham Memorial Hall, Crookham
5th July 2025 - Bird In Hand, Fareham
22nd August 2025 - Blues In The Garden, Darmanesti, Romania
SEPT-OCT Germany Tour - Dates TBC
30th October 2025 - Teignmouth Blues, Teignmouth
20th November 2025 - Hanger Farm Arts, Cotton
More dates being added all the time, follow me on Bandsintown to find out when we're playing near you: www.bandsintown.com/a/3002342-will-wilde
You can play a Zippo lighter and it will sound awesome. You are simply a master.
Will Wilde makes a £3.50 harp sound like a £100 one, whereas I can do it the other way round!
Lol!
Haha. Still an accomplishment of sorts.
لعنتی واقعیت را گفتی😂
Me to
😂😂😂
His comments on being at a certain level of proficiency to feel/understand the benefits of customized harps are spot on.
My very good buddy is a top shelf customizer (does Rod Piazza's, Harman rip, Billy Watson, Johnny Mastro, Tom Richmond,etc), so I get all my customized harps very cheap and can afford to experiment with any harp I want. I even have a customized Low F Thunderbird with a Zajak comb. I don't care what comb the harp has, I'll play it if it's in tune. Once you get a customized harp, it'll last longer, play better, and stay in tune longer BUT once you're at that level to understand it. A tuned harp drawing 3-7, 4-8, 5-9, or 6-10 octaves will flutter with precision. And that makes me wanna play.
Happy Harpin!
Will Wilde - your harp skills are astonishing, inspirational,and second to none in my honest opinion. You’re fucking legendary!
Thank you!
Yes he is legendary I agree. The first time I saw him playing in one of his videos I couldn’t believe my ears. I had no idea a harmonica could be played like that. Will is like the Jimi Hendrix of the harp. Totally unbelievable.
I’m a beginner at age 56. If I can at least play a sixteenth as good as him someday I’ll be happy. Even 1/32
Thanks Will for this video; its very informative.
This year I switch from Hohner to Seydel, the main reason was because Hohner reeds tend to break even though playing soft and taking care of them.
So in the long run it can become a money issue is you are learning to play harmonica seriously.
When started to play Seydel it to me a while to getting use too them.
Now I prefer Seydel over Hohner; I feel that the tone is better, no raspy sounds, clearer notes (sound more defined).
And like you said they don’t get out of tune.
And the reeds don’t break.
I feel with Seydel ratio price vs quality of the instrument is fair; not the same with Hohnner.
Once again thank you for this video a liked it a lot!!
Do all Seydel harps have steel reedsI’ve a number of Hohner Marine Band Deluxe, Crossovers and Lee Oscars. I’ve one Seydel steel…. So far…, I don’t like it much. May just take getting used to.
I had the Suzuki harp, identical to the one you demo’d. It went out of tune VERY quickly, despite of being well cared for and not stressed. I primarily play Neil Young, etc. ,not doing much in the way of overblows. While I liked its tone, to fall out of tune after only a few plays was a total waste of money. Very disappointed.
I have played hohner harps for years and never had the reeds break.I think it's a matter of personal preference,depends on what sound you like best and go for it.
I just ordered the seydel 1847 silver in low C ! Been years since I played the mouth harp but since I’m retired now I can spend more time doin blues !
I still have a hohner special 20,c, love it,and have worn the crome down so far it shows yellow 😎👍🎵🎶
Thank you for this video. It says a lot about an endorsed artist and the company they endorse when they acknowledge that others may also make a good product - thanks for being genuine!
The best harmonica for blues, is the brand/model that you can carry with you at all times, and one that you’ll be compelled to practice on the days you don’t really feel like it. For me, it’s these:
Cheap: Fender deluxe (w/reed gapping)
Easttop 008k
Kongsheng amazing 20
Better: Special 20, LO, blues steel
Best: Rocket, Seydel 1847(favorite), Crossover
After many attempts at finding the perfect harp, I’ve realized…
The secret isn’t the harmonica, it’s the person holding it!
Also, learning to adjust reed gaps and flattening the reed plate is huge. With a little bit of know how, anyone can make a cheap Easttop play like a much more expensive Hohner.
Fantastic. Playing two side by side you can really hear the difference which you point out.
I've just started playing an 1847 classic after playing Hohner harps exclusively for the past 30 years.
I love both but I'm slightly preferring the Seydel now :)
Thanks
Yes me too, Hohner for the last 30+ yrs, I’ve got to try these 1847’s Seydels…. Thanks master was a really good video. Tony Nashville
Very good comparisons - simply one of the best - Thx
Great video. Thank you. The best harp is the one you play. The one you enjoy playing.
I finally got a Lee Oskar and my playing is instantly better than on my Hohners or Suzukis, which inspires me to try for the same sound from them.
Really impressed with the Fender Blues Deluxe. For a third the price, they seem like a pretty great way for a beginner to collect all keys. Most at that price are only in C.
I remember getting my first Special 20 and Marine Band after playing and learning on the $8.00 Fender harp I got with Musician’s Friend rewards. I love that with harmonica playing your technique and musicality really shine over your equipment to a huge degree.
I have C keys for Hohner Marine Band, Special 20, Blues Harp, Golden Melody, Crossover, and East Top. My favored harps though are Lee Oskars, and I have a range of keys for them.
very interesting comparison. But if you want a harmonica specially designed for overblows, I can only recommend the Arkia harmonicas...
For my playing style, (a lot of first position and at a 45 degree angle), the Kongsheng Mars1 and Mars2 are my choice. ...round holes that sit deeper into your mouth, so smooth your hands roll across it. My top notes don't sound so shrill... The Mars1 plastic comb gives your the sense of playing a guitar with nylon strings, while the Mars2 gives you a nice brass peal with its chambered aluminum comb. To me, breath control is important and these allow me the most. Most ship requiring no modifications, but of course knowing how to easily gap a 3, or 2, or lowering a blow 3, gives me an amazing airtight instrument that's a joy to play.
I have about 10 harmonica's.
From Special 20's , through Marine Bands , Golden Melodies to Seydel Sessions.
I just love harmonica and listening to great players. Lots of styles Jazz/Funk/Classical/Traditional/Blues/Country etc,etc.
Your some player Will, that's for sure.
So my harp journey is on going , if I can learn from the greats and you guy's & girl's that are doing it today, then I'll be happy to keep "Harpin" around.
Thanks Will 🙏
👏👏🏴😁👍
I play a range of hohners. Special 20's, blues harps, and marine bands. Got every key with some of the flats. I like hohners. They sound good and are readily available in the US music stores. The point is you need all of them to be effective as a harmonica player. Not just a "g" or "c"... Especially when playing cross harp style
What do you think about the Big River Harps? It seems to me Hohner have been changing the alloy or temper of their reeds on Big River Harps and Marine Bands and now instead of them tending to go flat in time, they go sharp. Have you noticed the same? Maybe in the U.S they are made there under licence rather than Germany in Europe?
I've been playing the harmonica since l was 7yo (now 70yo.) and l wholeheartedly agree with you 100%.
I'm one of your 'many subscribers' and l greatly admire your harmonica playing. I think you're fantastic. I love your style of playing and listening to your channel l have learnt so much from you, which has made me a much better player, thank you.
Watching from Australia. 😊👍👍
Hi Will. First off, your playing is amazing... blows me away with every note. I'm an "intermediate" harp player (mostly southern & classic rock, with some country & light blues thrown in) who has been playing for about 4 years (not counting the pandemic year and recently, since I moved to Tennessee and had to find new people to jam with). I started out with Hohner Blues harps (wood comb), and while they played well, I found that every single one had a sharp edge on the upper reed plate, and had a propensity for slicing my lips & tongue. Some quick work with a jeweler's file remedied that, but it was an annoyance. I tried some Marine Band (also Hohner) harps, but the reeds seemed to fail more quickly than the Blues Harp reeds did. Then I moved on to the Special 20s, and they didn't have the sharpness problem, sounded great, and the comb didn't shrink or swell. I was still going through reeds though. Finally, I discovered the Suzuki/Hammond harps, with aluminum combs. A little heavier in weight, and requiring more air, but I found that the reeds did not fatigue nearly as quickly as the Hohners. Regardless of model, they all sounded fine (especially when just broken in), but the Hammonds remain my favorite. It's sometimes difficult to find them in the less common keys (mostly flats & sharps), so I still have some Hohner's in my gig bag, but I change them out when needed, with the Suzuki/Hammonds, if I can find them. That's my 2 cents worth. Again, love your stuff. Keep posting!
Will: As a total novice to harmonica, but someone who owns both Seydel (1847 & Lightning) and Hohner Rocket Amps, I can tell you that the Rocket Amp is much easier for me to bend notes on than the Seydel. The Seydels make very clear, precise notes, as does the Rocket Amp, but those steel reeds are really hard to bend when you are just learning. When I got the Rocket Amp, I was able to bend notes within five minutes of taking them out of the box. Which do I prefer? Both! And one day I want to get some of your Wilde Tuned Seydels when I get better at playing. Great video! Cheers.
Being easy to bend means they won't last as long. If your just learning ?ight want to get Special 20s.
7:54 - hahahaha... yes indeed.
My first harp was Hohner Blues Harp in Bb.
And I bought it because it said "Blues Harp" on it. LOOL
Excellent harmonica... I still have it ~15 years later.
I don't play it much anymore but it still sounds great when I do pick it up.
I play East top 008 and love it
One of the most radically different feeling harps are the Hohner Golden Melody and the Seydel 1847, but those are the 2 harps in my setup. I like that they are so different in their feel. The GM’s are really good for gentler playing. The Seydels have a bigger low end and are great for harder playing. . .but, not too hard - on any harp, unless ya wanna keep replacing reed plates.
Great video Sir!
LMHO You do tricks
as well... the "Harmonica Finger Twirl" @ 4:09 & 4:19😀😀
Thanks, quite helpful. Always been a Hohner player and when I decided to give Seydel a try, I have made the mistake apparently of going with the Session Steel, which was not responsive enough, even on a D harp.
The 1847's are much better
I've got a east top in the key of D and I don't know if it's a different build style but I don't notice the leaky sound granted I've only been playing for almost 2 years
I'd really like to learn how to tune my harps. Especially to make them more airtight. I have a Hohner Blues Harp that is so leaky, I hate to play it. I'd like to use this one to learn how to tune. Any improvement would be obvious to me.
I realize there are other harps you couldn't get to but was surprised no Marine Band. Anyway, one probably not too many people know about are Yonbergs, made in France. They are totally unique in design, look and sound great though I have had some out of the box that weren't as responsive as I like. I'd still like to try your Wilde tuned harps. And maybe Brendon Power's tunings.
Sounding Amazing
Great review! From what I hear - also the better models produce a ringy sound when you stop playing, as the reeds continue to vibrate a bit, which you can't hear on the cheap models. Also - it sounds a bit incomplete if you don't demo Marine Band and one of the Lee Oskar harmonicas - after all he's the other major seller, besides Hohner and Seydel nowadays. I don't have experience with his products, but met him few years ago - very nice guy.
Learn harmonica with me! Join my free online course: www.willwildeharmonicamasterclass.com
Very similar to guitars. The more you spend the more diminishing returns you get in sound and playability. The main investment should be in your investment to become a better, more proficient player. Unfortunately, this only comes through dedicated practice and repetition. 40-years of guitar collecting thinking the more expensive guitar was going to make me sound better and now after selling off all have kept a few good quality models understanding that it is my playing skills that matter much more than the instrument. Assuming the instrument is not crap and in today's world most budget instruments are not. In fact the value to performance is getting better and better every year as you all know. Thanks for the great video!
Very good playing...
Sorry i wanted to say ..the bending is outstanding
what is best for blues ? a high G or a low G harmonica ? Thanks
Very professionnel very humble no fake. Your a real model Will. I would like you to say something about toots theilemans. Tanks
I moved to the Special 20 because they are pretty cheap and the plastic comb means I don't have to worry about the wood and the nails in the standard Hohner MB are a pain. But recently I got a Hohner Crossover and quickly noticed how responsive the reeds are, particularly up the top. The reeds also have a kind of pleasant ring.
They're both good harps, I prefer the Seydel though- the steel reeds last longer.
@@willharmonicawilde in the 2.5 years I've been on this journey, haven't broken a Hohner reed.
@@Human_Herbivoreyou don't practice enough if you haven't broken a reed.
@@keyjam9 I do practice at least a couple of hours every day.
I use Hohner rockets and rocket lows. Pricey but once you try them there’s no going back.
I'm a Vet and a Vet friend of mine gave me a Eb Marine Band harp. I never played before. Where do I start?
thank you for the knowledge friend. it really helped
Glad you found it helpful!
Got one of your rock tuned Seydels.. I need to collect a set, love the tuning
Nice one Will good info straight from the hip.
You know that this is nothing new to me, but it's always good to hear you playing. Thanks, Will!😎
Cheers Patrik!
You're the type of guy that loves the smell of their own farts.
The first time I recognized you, was in that incredible "Free Bird Solo" video and I thought, you were an american.
But then, I heared you talking and I was surprised, that you are an english guy :)
I like that so much! Keep up the good work mate :)
They said basically the same thing about led zeppelin.
@@vvoof2601 Lol! Very true!
i enjoy your music . my dad listened to Charlie Musselwhite a lot when
i was young ,he could play along really well and you remind me a lot of that sound . thank you for sharing .
Surprised you didn't cover Lee Oskars. I have a whole set and love them! 🙂
So do i
Special 20 in the key of D rocks!
im really liking the golden melody comfy and responsive
I was wanting the Seidel and after watching your video I am going to pull the trigger on it. I just love that a) it’s German b) handmade and c) they’re the oldest manufacturer of harmonicas. Definitely a nerd for those details and backstories 😆
The 1847 is a great harp
So cool to see you perform twice at the SPAH conference in St. Louis, Will. Wow! You inspire me 🙏🎵
Will, no Lee Oscars? No Marine band? You are a master no question. But personally I find the greatest difference is the comb material. Wood is always leaky, plastic good except on the cheapest harps and I own a Suzuki with an aluminum comb. Excellent. Any Lee Oscar plus Special 20s too, but the 20's reeds blow more easily. Thanks for your inspirational work.
Thanks for all this info, I’m new to this and love watching your material my brother. Thanks 💪🏾
Thanks a lot, welcome to the channel!
I'm getting back into it again, can't believe the price of the harps now - Lee Oscars were £11 when I was last playing. Has the reliability changed much? Nothing worse than starting to play and realising that some of the notes won't play
I purchased the honer special 20 in C about 2 years ago. I really need to pick it up again. I arrived here via your free bird video. Jaw dropping. It’s given me the impetus to dust off the honer. 👍👍👍
Wait till you get yourself a Special 20 in the key of G.After playing it the first time,you will never give it a chance to collect dust !!!
In a nutshell, they're all the same but different. Nice video. I perhaps think people thinking about starting (e.g. me) are trying to figure out what would be best before stumping up some cash when they won't really know until they dive in what is going to work for them.
Thanks for the video dude!
Whin I first started around 15 years ago or may I a bit less I bough a Suzuki ‘pure breath’ MR550 I think it was called. Rosewood comb and plates. Described as a ‘warm and breathy sound’. But it sounded really bright to me. A lovely tactile thing though.
i have 7 hohner marine band and im planning on making that 14 because i have a spare case from my hohner piedmond blues set of 7 i learned with and i have a hohner 280c chromanica i have a Hohner harpblaster hb52 that goes to my zoom g1x four pedals to my Yamaha AG06 interface mixer
but yeah i get that my grandfather gave my his marine bands to learn as a kid i was 5 at 15 i kind of gave up on it lost most of them
so when i started again i taugh the cheep peidmond blues if i could learn play them at 21 i could play any other harp now that im 28 almost i can say watching you and all the other youtubers thats make harmonicas video i now know how to play and i got rid of my piedmond blues set 5 years ago i stuck to marine bands in memory of the person who started me my paternal grand father i might play alot more but my marine bands will remain close to me always
my grand father passed away when i was 8 so i kind of lost my mentor back then but im happy to be playing thankyou will
As a noob player I can say that not being able to play on $50 harmonicas is much more pleasant than on $3! I have anniversary marine band C and rocket low F, can make basic chords, clean notes, a couple leaks and some bends, and on my babies these stuff still sound cool even it’s not something advance, so it motivates to keep training
hahaha you not cash haha
me neither :(
Yes I think the idea of a cheap instrument for beginners is wrong because a bad instrument of any sort is discouraging. If you can get a good sound you want to play it.
I played Lee Oskar for 30 plus years now, but have a bunch of Easttop and Kongsheng harps. Lots of options now.
Hohner.
They always rocked hard. They even have a Blues Harp model name.
Try them if you can, i never liked any harps better than the Hohner ones.
great comparison; Thank you Will !
Glad you liked it!
Thank you Sir....
Great info for harp player's ✌🏾
You are absolutely right, you get what you pay for. When I brought my first set of
cheap harmonicas, I developed a bad habit of playing too hard, so when I brought
my first Hohner special 20 I blew it across the room, but right now I'm really
enjoying Wilde tuned seydel, thank you for sharing.
I love your candor!
Things come full circle .I remember the $5 , made in Germany, chrome & wood ,Hohner "Blues Harps". My reenrty into music , and sanity, came by way of a $ 5 children's (junk)model , plastic Hohner in C .Now, have found an affordable sub , a Fender in G , for 12.00.
gracias WILL
Good info
Thanks Will, never played a Seydel harp before, but if I buy another harp, I might try one. Anyway, I think you would make a plastic party favor harp sound good. Like you said, some harps might be set up better than others, but in the end, it's the guy or gal playing it that really makes the difference.
Been in love with Crossover for a couple of months but so $$
I've played Marine Bands for ages and I love them, I bought a Wilde tuned 1847 in Bb not too long ago and I have to say, the tone is incredible, but I still think I prefer how a marine band feels, the Seydel almost feels like it takes more effort to play, but it's still a great harp and once I got the hang of it it wasn't really much of a problem. I have a (richter) Seydel Blues Session too and it has the same thing, it seems to take a fair bit more air to play, but I actually really like its nice mellow tone compared to the roar of its big brother
Yeah, that replicates my experience. I love the Seidel feel and tone, but it just leaks/takes a lot of air. Not sure how Will can consider them to be more airtight than others...to me it seems it's their biggest/only weakness.
@@genericnameinc For me I think it may be the shape of the "mouthpiece", because when I first played it, it felt like it was leaking like a cheap harp, but if I'm very conscious about my embouchure it gets a lot tighter, it doesn't feel leaky anymore but you need to draw harder than a MB (which is probably just because it has steel reeds, brass ones are softer so will ring out easier, steel will take a bit more force but will last a lot longer)
So do the LEE OSKARS,in my opinion.Take more air to play.
So, everything comes good for blues, in special the Seydel 1847 Classic 👍
Very helpfull thks
Thank you Will for this very informative harmonica video! I will check out your tutorials on how to play that harp!
My takeaway from this video - if I want to play badass blues, I gotta be Will Wilde 😄
nice t1ts
Great coverage of an age old debate. I love the pros/cons and demonstration. The arguments seem to stem from playing style. I don't expect a player like Mark Hummel to have a use for puckering. I do feel like lacking some degree of blocking skills is a matter of "missing out", like not having bends or overblows... This is another excellent WW video. It's nice to hear the simple approach of keeping learning fun!
Are we cheating by having this type of expert instruction at our finger tips?
I was laughing about the beginners buying a Hohner blues harp because it has “blues” in the name comment lol! I’m one of the guilty ones sad to say. I couldn’t play Mary had a little lamb but thought the blues harp purchase would automatically make me sound like Big Mama! 🤣. Too funny! I about died when Will made that comment because that was exactly me. Oh well! What did I know? Haha!!
I bought them for the same reason.😅
I do have one blues harp it’s actually my Gaborone out of the MS series
awsum brother thanksss
I have trouble with marine bands comb because it always swells up if I use the key a lot that night so I switched to Lee Oskar‘s harmonicas which interestingly, at least to me, Sonny Terry switched to because he found them more durable more rugged, and he loved the sound so my two cents. LOVE your channel, thanks
I never heard of Sonny Terry playing a Lee Oskar
No way
I heard he went to Golden Melody later in his career
But LO
no way
there is another important difference between seydel and other harmonicas (in my opinion- as a bigginer). It's about the holes. the space between the holes is more in the case of Seydel than other brands.This helps especially beginners to play the notes more cleanly.
This is one of the features of this kind of videos. so that beginners don't waste their money and choose the right harmonica to start with
I've never noticed a difference in hole spacing between different harps to be honest!
@@willharmonicawilde it's like riding a bike for musicians of your caliber. that you are skilled, there is nothing to think about the rest and falling👌
@@willharmonicawilde how could you not? That's interesting. I like my Seidel, but I kinda dislike that I feel I need to readjust whenever I swap to/from it (bought different brands for different keys as a beginner, so that I could get a feel for what I like while buying the keys I needed. So I play my Bb Seidel a lot, then swap to manji or mb and I definitely need to readjust for the Seidel or I'm less accurate.)
@@genericnameinc I don't know, it's never occurred to me to be honest. I've played nothing but Seydel's every day for the past 10+ years. I just dug out all those other harps that I had lying around to make this video. I didn't notice any problems switching straight from one to another.
Thanks Will I am now spoiled. I got your Wilde tuned harp last Friday… I can no longer play any harp other then that seydel ya sent me (I own many harps never a seydel). Your tuning is so much fun and useful. The seydel is ridiculous. Totally buying another few after the holidays.
Glad you're enjoying it! The 1847 is an amazing harmonica, and even better when it's in Wilde Tuning! 🤘
Yeah man I don’t think I can go back to a regular diatonic. I’m a bass player main. My mind likes patterns when it comes to music. With Wilde Tuning having the bottom and top holes blow/draw patterns the same my harp playing increased almost instantly. Absolutely brilliant man!
I recently saw the SPAH duet with Jason. Love Jason. But I don’t think there is a better blues rock player than Will Wilde.
best blues harp player. so good to listen to your playing!
I rather pay a little more for a Seydel, Suzuki or Hohner harp. I love the Hohner SP 20 and still playing. Recently I bought a China made Easttop 12 hole chromatic, found it takes a lot of effort to play probably due to leaky.
hey there bro nice to find your channel yesterday:)
i started playing around on a $3 harp from a cheap shop had it for years and worn out the reeds lol but i started copying techno songs and violin awesome fun. Thanks for your time :)
I played on an old standby for a bit then bought a special 20 that became my favorite to play. Is there anything that plays or feels like a special 20?
The wood comb has a more mellow and warm tone compared to the rest plastic one.
It does in fact not. For example, the Marine Band is thin and bright tonally, the exact opposite of mellow (fat and dark).
The biggest difference in tone comes from cover plate design, and NOT from the comb material.
Scientifically speaking, there's just not enough material to make the comb resonate, so there's ZERO measurable difference.
What you're experiencing is called bias, and that's just part of the human condition...
We all like different things, and that's totally fair. Wood, however - has several drawbacks.
One thing about the wood 'comb' is this - [the classic Hohner Marine Band is built on a wood comb] - after you've wailed away on it for quite a while the wood begins to get wet and it expands so that, where the comb meets your mouth, it begins to resemble teeth; it protrudes beyond where the metal top and bottom housings curve down to meet it. You'll find that this tears your lips apart. This never deterred me from continuing when I was learning (all summer long, alone behind the school, in 1972). This expansion will also happen if or when you boil your harps to clean the crusty, unsanitary gunk out of the reeds and the comb, something I learned from Sonny Terry's book. *I hate inhaling that stuff * Might not try that with a plastic one; they didn't exist yet when I was doing that. At any rate, and in both cases, the wood shrinks back to its original dimensions once it dries out again. Obviously, having more than one harp lets you play on until you're exhausted to your heart's content, as long as you don't need to continue in the same key....if you were playing along with a Little Walter record, trying to learn a particular song, for example. I never had more than a few Marine Bands, and later a couple of 20s; they were kind of expensive for me at the time, even though it seems funny now to think that $4.25 was a lot of money. Considerable harpflation since way back then. LOL
Yeah, swelling was an issue with the original Marine Band. The wood comb on the 1847 Classic is sealed (coated in some kind of varnish/lacquer) so this doesn't happen.
@@willharmonicawilde Oh, thanks for letting me know! I'm out of touch with recent developments, aside from seeing all the new products on the shelves...enjoyed your playing btw, you sound great, and kudos to you for keeping it alive.
Great playin' :)
the last harmonica...was a seydel session steel....what key was it in? i like the deep rich sound
Great video, as usual, Will! You could wrap a piece of paper over a comb & make it sound original! Always looking forward to the next video! Hope you & your family have a blessed time over the holiday season! 🥂
I think the real problem is you cannot test it in store to see which one is for you. When you order product, you cannot return it easily, even if it has malfunction. I think tonation really matters in terms of overblows. As overdraws are quite easy to learn. I'm thinking as guitarist about low F just because even for tinwhistles like Bb, low sounds better and full to me than D. However, probably low tonation will be difficult to do overblow on harmonica? Marine bands low F are much more expensive than standard C. But I've also heard that Marine ones are easier to do overblows due to wood than plastic. Maybe you could recommend manufacturer basing on low F wood and having in mind the time you started to learn overblows? Btw. great video tutorial on that but I ended with squeaky sound on my suzuki bluesmaster A 😅 In the end I consider non diatonic ones...
What do you think about the Lee Oscar harmonica?
Cool Will. ThankYou. Very impressive how You blow fine blues though a 3 pound harp😀
Thanks!
Hering is still around but they are now called SHG something, the company was sold a while ago.
Thanks for the info, I wondered why I hadn't heard anything about them for a few years
Great video. Very helpful, thanks Will 🎶
Спасибо за это видео. Ты подтвердил мои взгляды.