We all know that when it comes to music, it isn’t all about the instrument; the musician behind the instrument can create a wonderful sound that no one else can replicate. However, you may be wondering, do all harmonicas sound exactly the same?
That’s an easy question to answer: no! Absolutely not!
There are tons and tons of different harmonicas from different harmonica brands, made for different music styles, targeting different levels of accomplishments. Each of these may have some general overlapping sounds, but they each also produce a unique sound and have different capabilities.
With some Practice, you too can maximize the possibilities of these harmonicas, which are considered to be some of the best sounding Harmonicas out there!
Suzuki Harmonica HA-20-C
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Each harmonica offers a unique and bright sound. Sometimes they sound loud and pronounced, sometimes softer, happy, and tend to ring on more. All of this depends on what the musician is looking to accomplish in their music. The Suzuki Harmonica HA-20-C is one of the greatest harmonicas you can buy in your harmonica career.
This Diatonic Harmonica beast is an unforgettable playing experience, and one of our personal favorites among the best Diatonic Harmonicas. We know we aren’t the only ones to try out and fall in love with this harmonica; countless others continue to comment on its ease of use and how full the sound is.
Astounding how it is easier to blow and draw, while creating a better sound. All of this and more: it is more durable than cheaper options. That is what we love about this Suzuki Harmonica.
Fender Blues Deville Harmonica
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This is a harmonica that caught us off guard when we first tried it. Though it is decisively cheaper than the previously mentioned Suzuki Hammond Harmonica, it sure does give it a good challenge. Not only does it produce a shockingly great sound for the price, but it is incredibly responsive.
A harmonica that works with you to make music rather than one that makes you word to make sound is one that you need to keep around!
Aside from the sound and playability, this wonderful little diatonic harmonica has some weight to it, letting you know it was built with quality parts. And we could never pass over the design: The Fender Blues Deville Harmonica is one of the most aesthetically pleasing harmonicas we have laid eyes on. Luckily, you’re getting so much more than just a pretty face when you buy this fender instrument.
Don’t let the Fender name scare you off when it comes to harmonicas! They would not have made it this far if they did not offer quality instruments that hold up to the big name brands like Hohner, Lee Oskar, and Suzuki.
Hohner Marine Band 1896
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This is one of the Big names in the Harmonica world: Hohner. They have been around for the major twists and turns, the development, and some might say the dominance. Regarded as one of the best harmonica brands out there, Hohner has proven itself time and time again to be reliable.
This may be your second or third harmonica you buy, and we know it will be a worthwhile purchase! The price is starting to get up there, but not out of reach, and certainly not unattainably high. This is one of the signs of a quality harmonica. The next is how much less effort you are required to put in to get a note out. The Hohner Marine Band 1896 is another instance of how Hohner has lived up to its name.
Our Pick
These are each great picks, and you can’t really go wrong choosing any of them, but we do have a favorite in the bunch. None are decisively better than the others, but they each had some quirks or requirements to maintain them that we took into consideration.
Quality You Will Immediately Recognize – The Hammond Suzuki HA-20-C Harmonica
We led in with the Suzuki Harmonica, and we must end with it since it is our pick for the best sounding harmonica. The Suzuki HA-20-C Harmonica is a beautiful sight with a great, smooth feel, and unbeatable responsiveness and sound.
The Suzuki HA-20-C vs Fender Blues Deville Harmonica
As much as we loved the look of the Fender Deville, this isn’t a beauty contest (otherwise we would have different results!) and we had to look at some of the things the Suzuki did better.
The two major factors were durability and playability: This Suzuki harmonica has been known to outlast this Fender, as some reeds become less responsive over time or even break on the Fender. Of course, this is on a longer timeline. Nevertheless, the Suzuki is worth the extra cash.
The Suzuki HA-20-C vs Hohner Marine Band 1896
A classic comparison is Suzuki vs Hohner. Both are wonderful companies who have really made a name for themselves and have done an excellent job of crafting harmonicas for everyone from absolute beginners all the way up to pro players and soloists.
Though the sound is not identical, the quality is really quite comparable. Normally, at this point the decision would come down to preference. However, we started noticing a little finicky behavior with the Marine Band; After some usage, the 8th, 9th, and 10th holes became stubborn and required a little extra effort. This was not the same ease of use we had experienced when we first got it and expected throughout its time of use.
After a little investigating, we discovered the Hohner Marine Band 1896 is prone to saliva build up on the higher holes. The easy fix is an extra 30 seconds of maintenance as you’re packing up. But if you forget to do that enough times, it takes an extra deep cleaning procedure to fix the clogged holes.
This kind of cleaning is to be expected with any harmonica, but not as often as you have to do it for this one.
Final Remarks
Call it laziness, call it expectation of durability for higher-end harmonicas, we chose the Suzuki Ha-20-C over the Hohner Marine Band 1896 and the Fender Blues Deville Harmonica. All three were wonderful experiences, great sounds, and unbeatable prices for what you received, but some quirks or extras helped make the decision for us.