Johnson Blues King Harmonicas Set
From Johnson
This set of 12 Johnson Blues King harmonicas is new and also comes with an extremely practical carrying case complete with handle and shoulder strap. Each harmonica has a chrome finish with brass reeds and a blue body designed for note bending perfection! There is a harmonica for every key (A-A FLAT-B-B FLAT-C-D-D FLAT-E-E FLAT-F-F SHARP & G) so the right harmonica for the song is always available. The hard-shell case is covered in black nylon and has a soft plush interior to keep all the harmonicas in perfect condition.
Amazon Sales Rank: #478 in Musical Instruments Color: black Brand: Johnson Model: BK-520-SET Dimensions: 2.00 pounds
Great case, ok harps (off key, low volume) not for beginners The case is excellent, very light and protective, although some of the screws in the handle fell off and had to be reattached with superglue. That said, let's talk about the harps. Well, first of all, I'm used to the hohner blues harp MS, so have that in mind. Comparing to the hohners, my first impression is that these harps sound like they have half of the volume. I tried to use more air but that would result in no significant increase in volume (and sometimes in a non-sounding hole). Also, as a first impression I noticed that these harps are very light weighted. Almost half of the harps in the set are somewhat off key (some more than others), but I just notice it when I play chords. Another issue is that in order to get some notes to sound properly you must have good air control (like the one you need for bending). These harps are easy to bend, but not so different (probably less easy) from what I'm used to with the hohner. Also, you must get to know the harps in terms of air flow. If you don't know your way around them or have poor air control you might end up with many dead notes (the holes just won't sound). I found that by playing around with them for a while until I realized the right amount of air that I should use to get the notes and the bends (this air amount might vary from harp to harp). Even though I could get all holes to produce their respective notes, sometimes I had to used so much air (probably due to air leaks) that I consider these holes (mostly upper ones, like 9th or 10th) unusable in practical scenarios. With all these restrictions (having to use weird variations of air flow, low volume, off-key harps, etc) I don't thing these harps should be used by beginners at all. Also, having to take care of all of this to get a proper sound makes you have a low/shy volume playing. If you are a beginner buy a good C diatonic harp, learn the basics with this harp first, and then consider buying this set (probably to have more keys, I can't think of other reason). If you're not a beginner, well, what can I say? All arguments will fall based on the price (btw, I bought mine for 49 bucks). These harps are damn cheap, dude! It's almost like you're buying a case and getting back-up harps as a bonus. Also, I think if you have the skills to tune then up you might end up with good harps. So I think it's worth a shot. Blues King 12 Harmonica Set: Best musical gift idea for quality and value One of the best gift ideas on the market for musicians that want a full selection of popular keys, harmonicas with quality tone and projection plus a durable storage case. The Blues King harmonica has brass reeds that are recessed into its blue plastic body. This prevents air leaks and allows for generous note bending. The most popular set includes 12 Brand New Harmonicas and a custom plush lined DuraGuard case with carry strap. One each of the Harmonica keys: E, F, F sharp, G, A flat, A, B flat, B, C, D flat, D, E flat. Each Harmonica in this set has a 90 day limited manufacturers warranty. Defective harmonicas are rare, but recent state health laws prohibit return or exchanges on harmonica sales due to health reasons. For your protection: Choose sellers that ship only brand NEW and UNBLOWN harmonicas. Factory warranty prevails after the sale. Harmonicas Feature: * brass reeds * stainless side plates * durable blue plastic body * hard plastic case. Constructed with brass reeds recessed into a durable plastic blue colored body, with high lustre chromed polished metal exterior. Precison construction prevents air leaks and allows for generous note bending. This complete set includes all 12 keys and a BONUS plush lined Duraguard carrying case with shoulder strap! Review by Bob at SoundAssociatesMusic.com Nice Harps, good value. This is a good price for a nice set up blues harps. The notes are easy to bend and the set comes with a nice carrying case.
