The New Golden Melody Progressive Review/Unbox Hohner's Newest Harmonica. Ben Hewlett.
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 15 ต.ค. 2024
- 2023 link training.harmo... T The New Golden Melody Review/Unbox. 2023 model. Hohner's Newest Harmonica. This is hot off the press, this is one of only 6 currently in the UK . I was honoured to get to try this so soon for you guys. To be able to see how good it is.
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I am part of the global harmonica community. I guess being interested and involved in the harmonica community over many years has lead me to be elected as Vice-President of HarmonicaUK, and that's quite an honour - the President is Paul Jones from the Manfreds/The Blues Band
If you love harmonica lessons but don’t love me try Joe Filisko, David Barrett, Tomlin Leckie, Liam Ward, Adam Gussow, Ronnie Shellist and there are others!
When I heard Elwood Blues playing blues harp in the Blues Brothers film from the 80s, I couldn't get over the crazy sound of the harmonica. I watched the film over and over - even watched it last night! Had to get me a harmonica...
Seeing Paul Lamb playing the Station Tavern in London was the final straw - I started having lessons from him and became a Sonny Terry nut. From there Little Walter, Big Walter and gradually found out about all the greats.
Brendan Power introduced me to other players such as Charlie McCoy, JJ Milteau, Howard Levy and then I was hooked !
I started teaching professionally in 1995 while studying how to teach and began running workshops in London inherited from Brendan Power as he was joining Riverdance. The first lesson in school I taught in was Dulwich College in London and then in Bristol.
I've had the luck to study personally with Howard Levy (one week residential), Paul Lamb, Brendan Power, Joe Filisko, Richard Sleigh, Carlos del Junco, Sonny Terry (recorded lesson) and in workshops with Charlie McCoy, Lee Oskar, Steve Baker, Keith Dunn, Rick Estrin, Rick Epping, Adam Gussow amongst lots others - and thanks to all of them for the help which I now pass on to other students.
Performance wise, I have played in many blues bands, and different musical groups as well as performing solo and on cruise ships. I've played on the same bill as Larry Adler in 2000, jammed in concert with Jools Holland and had a long, hilarious and fascinating lunch with Billy Connolly showing him some harmonica techniques he wanted to know about.
Fine players of the harmonica include Big Walter, Little Walter, Sonny Terry, Sonnyboy Williamson Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, Jason Ricci, Adam Gussow, Mick Jagger, Brian Jones, Robert Plant, Steve Tyler, Taj Mahal, Kim Wilson, Charlie Musselwhite, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Reed, Larry Adler, Dave Gage, Furry Lewis, John Popper, John Sebastian, Neil Young, Bruce Willis, Sugar Blue, William Clarke, Paul Delay, Tom Ball, Mark Hummel, Jerry Portnoy, JJ Milteaux, Rod Piazza, Gary Primich, Rob Paparozzi, Joel Osborne, Shakira Starr, Alanis Morisette, Bono, David Bowie, Darth Vader, John Mayall, John Gindick, Jonny Mars, John Lennon, Allman Brothers, JP Allen.
Types of music to play to play on the harmonica: Blues, jazz, country, rock, bluegrass, folk, funk, classical, rock, hiphop, rnb, r and b, reggae, r'n'b
Makers: hohner, seydel, suzuki ,hering, sonnyboysmusicstore.co.uk
Models: Marine band, crossharp proharp crossover, big river, marine band deluxe, special twenty, special 20, pro-master, blues bender, golden melody, mostly Richter tuned.
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26 2 2023 added progressive . 2100 hrs
I really like it…thanks for the video, I’m going to grab one now…and not just because I’ve got a problem with buying harps
I’d say it’s worth trying
I’m not alone with this problem
Fantastic, just purchased one of these in the key of G. My Hohner G went flat and sour on the 7 and 8 reeds. LOL It stamped 11/97. So it was worn out. I took it apart to clean and put back together there was variable improvement except for 7 and 8... I'm playing and re-creating my grandfathers music catalog for Sony/ATV/Acuff-Rose. He was a country western star. He toured with Hank Williams, Buck Owens, Cliffie Stone, Terry Fell, Little Jimmy Dickens, Les Paul and Mary Ford from 1946 thru 1954. He recorded on until 1968. I'm playing harp in place of the fiddle interludes that were recorded on the original recordings... You can see what I'm doing at my youtube channel. Thank you for this video. I just subscribed .
What a story!
I ordered a 542 and got a new one by mistake.
Almost sent it back. Kept it and love it for country
ok thank you
Wow, Great Video. Thanks
Thanks GG
I love the look. It look great!
Thank you!!
Got mine just last week in D. Really had to fiddaddle with the 1 hole draw reed because all it did was whistle, and the blow 1 was stuffy. So, not a great first impression! But, after some tweaking I brought it along to a fair score, mid register and top was nice and bright. OK, all the best! 🎶🎶🎶
It's like that sometimes. Glad it worked out.
Heard there was a new design golden melody coming soon.thanks for your video ben👍
Yup, this is it.
Impressive, right out of the box!!!, I play hohner and Suzuki
Surprisingly good, I think you could say
Nice review Ben ... thank you🙏
Thanks Jonny
@@harmonicamasteryHave been scouting for prices ... look like they'll be around the £50 mark given Thomann's listing. The extra £15-20 I'm trusting will be reflected in extra quality. Thanks again...
@@jonnynice42 I would expect the same quality rather than extra quality. Gerhard said they had to make new tooling so guess that extra investment would add to the cost
What is the best key for country eg The Highwaymen style.of music?
Actually, I don’t know what key of music that would be because I’m not familiar with that group but country music can be in any key typically more sharp case and flat keys
Ben, Mlle Plas has been on the Golden Melody box for several years. I am glad you found out, though. She is a great player - and she’s getting better all the time. One of my faves.
Cool, thanks! She's a good friend, I'm very happy for her!
How long did it take to get it once it was orderedr? Just curious, I live in the US and just ordered mine two days ago and they (Sweetwater Music) said they are back ordered and I won't get mine until the middle of May!! I can't wait. . .
One day - but mine came from Hohner direct
I've just got one. It sounds a little too bright for me but nice to play. I still like the Special 20.
Thanks for the fedback!
it works. you encase the entire harmonica in your hands. cover every bit of space, except the ghost hole that you want to play. in other words, you create a wind tunnel.
Yes
When does this get released to the public. I bought a golden melody progressive harmonica but I believe I bought an older one.
Last Thursday was the Grand Release
@@harmonicamastery thanks
It only took six months for my Golden Melody, key of G to malfunction with sour notes on 4 & 5 during the draw. Purchased April 15, 2023 off eBay from Harmonicaland USA. Tried to remove both screws to see the problem. Only one screw would back out. The other screw was never ending and wouldn't back out. So now I have a bad Golden Melody. Purchased new on eBay M544BX-G on the box. I can't get this harp apart to check it. Now I'm back to my Special 20 key of G. Not sure how to take care of this issue? Anyone hear of or had a similar issue?
I think you have several options here. One is talk to the person you bought it from. Two is to get the special tool you need to unscrew these instruments. Three is talk to Hohner direct. And for us to send it to a customer for a repair. Usually the way instruments get broken is by people blowing and drawing too hard I by bending the notes more than they should be better. My experience of breaking Harmonicas is very similar to that of my students, which is that as a beginner it tends to happen a lot, but as you get more experienced, it tends to happen less. Hope that helps.
@@harmonicamastery Great info, It's happening on the draw 4 & 5 during my performance on a 1946 song my grandfather wrote and recorded on the Courtney record label called DOWN AND OUT BLUES. I have the tool but it only backs out one of the screws. I've no reply back from Hohner or the eBay seller yet it's only been 8 hours. I'm fricken jamming like a mad man. Perhaps I'm drawing in way to hard? It's dead air sometimes. Sounds great on the push. Thanks for help. I'm not sure why one screw backs out and the other doesn't either.
🙏
@@harmonicamastery Do you have the name size of the tool for the screws? My guess is the tool I have is inferior. Thanks
HI Ben for a harp with it's tuning should over blow out of the box or only need small adjustments to do the job its made for. GREAT REVIEW 😎
Thanks!
Hi Ben, i am wondering what is a price on it right now? just struggling to find
No idea, look on Amazon or visit your local music store
More expensive than the previous model. 😂
@@31416 are you surprised? They had make new tooling for it apparently
@@harmonicamastery Not surprised. It is not much more either. Could also be some pre-order price bump. In a few months it could come down a bit.
@@31416 don’t hold your breath!
Warning the older IMHO better model is being phased out. New Progressive Golden Meloody model major redesign. Bought 2 of the new model Golden Melody harmonicas last year 2023 at SPAH. Tried to open one up today to work on reed gapping and tuning. Stupid Torx screw is stripped. Got one removed. Can not get the other one out. ANY HELP HERE. When I bought it nobody ever told me you will need a special tool to remove the screws. Why use Torx screws. I have played Golden Melodies going back to the late 70s. BTW your You Tube videos are excellent.
3:13. Starts playing
I'm not fond of the comb hanging out. Doesn't look as good.
I'll have to try one though
Yes go for it
Is it possible to bend with cheap harmonicas? Thanks
Yes but much harder than a decent harp
Impressive. I always wonder if the manufacturers perform some "in house" fine adjusting (gaps, reed shapes, embossing, etc) on the harps that they send to people that have large audiences (like yourself) and where they know that a review will be made and published to that large audience ... I hope that is NOT the case.
No idea. I think not but who knows? They didn’t know it was going to anyone in particular
they certainly didn't with Jason Ricci's. He ends up doing some quick adjustments "live" during his review. However his also did play pretty well right out of the box. So hopefully that means the QC on them is tight.
@@TheCheeksMiller yes hope so
No I don’t, it’s a special tool, but I’m sure Hohner can sell you one!
Maybe just me, but I prefer the old design, especially the flat cover plate. Also, the cardboard box is cheap compared to hard plastic. When I saw other reviews on the new model, I tracked down the old style in the keys I needed to complete my set! Not sure why they would change the shape of the cover plate when the old style worked so well.
Fair enough!
Interesting video. Two others have thumbs downed it with another thumbs up. I guess I’ll pre-order one from Rock8n’ Ron.
I'm sure Ron will have them
Hohner sure has been pushing these.
Indeed
❤
thanks
They put BMW slant eight grill on the front. LOL.
Looks like it!
Ok so you have to use a t9 or some odd tool to take apart, boo and then to top it off you can't spot adjust reeds on 4and5 hole because of that weird indentation yay...if it ain't broke don't fix it!
Sorry, I don't understand what you are saying - is it a question?
No my finger goes beyond the indent,most harmonica's don't need a T9 to take apart and if you want to spot adjust reeds 4and 5 you can't because of the indent thing that seems to have no purpose in other words the old design was awesome and the new design sucks!
@@mattspinny1048 ok understood, thanks for the reaction!
Shame Hohner doesn't offer the Golden Melody in different tunings.
Have you checked if they are offering or will offer different tunings? Otherwise you can learn to do it yourself or take it to a customiser. It’s not very difficult to organise.
@@harmonicamastery only equal temperament as far as I can tell.
@@oweedoin526 ok, quite likely. Customisers can do this for you if you can't do it yourself. Whereabouts do you live?
@@harmonicamastery I'm in the UK, and a member of Harmonica UK 👍
@@oweedoin526 Then you just send it to John Cook to retune
Emperors new clothes kind of moment, to my ear they sounded the same.
ok, thanks. Do you think Hohner wants them to sound the same?
@@harmonicamastery given the reed size, they will sound the same. But Honher are in the business of selling harmonicas, so obviously they look for another version of the same harp simply to flog more.
@@gooderspitman8052 You sound surprised that they want to sell harmonicas? That's why they are in business isn't it? To provide instruments for us? Are you not grateful someone is making harmonicas for harmonica players. You are not going to make one yourself; they are helping. You say 'obviously they look for another version of the same harp simply to flog more'. Is it obvious? The launch show had Gerhard Muller (Product Manager) explain why the new version came about so you might want to watch that if you want to know. It's NOT an obvious reason.
@@harmonicamastery you have totally misconstrued my comment, I support Honher, I have at least twenty including their high end diatonic range. All I’m saying it cannot sound radically different if the new version contains the same gauge reeds.. P.S you may like to wind your neck in.
@@gooderspitman8052 yes I guess I did misconstrue your answer🤣
Old one looks sexy. I like the design of it, but new one looks just meh.
I’m sure the old one will be available for a while so stock up now!
@@harmonicamastery I did, bought 2 in "C" tuning.
Seriously card board box? For the price very disappointing. Really not acceptable.
Well that's an interesting point of view, thank you. Personally I was delighted - less plastic is good news for me
@@harmonicamastery I have Hohner Golden Melody Harmonicas over twenty years old in their plastic case. I feel the plastic case is one reason they have survived all these years of use. Card board boxes that Hohner Blues Harps come in don’t hold up to the test of time. And since Harmonicas are now significantly more expensive than they were twenty years ago , so feel cheated a we bit knowing I’m going to have to come up with a separate protective case. Shame on Hohner.
Well the Seydel Lightning comes in a cardboard box and that’s over a hundred quid.
Sustainable packaging is good.
@@faethe000 I agree and add that all Seydel harps arrive that way, some even come with the leather pouch
I bought a new HOHNER harmonica last year and much to my disgust, it was made in...CHINA!!! 😕
Probably one of the Hohner International models. They make a lot of harmonicas in China, it's not surprising really
My new Hohner Rockets (C and LC) are stamped on the cover plate, Made in Germany.
What is this? at least get someone on the video that can play the thing. Look I play on all 12 keys and used the old ones for years the new is rubbish by comparison. It is OK but that's it. A few years ago I turned up at a day of Harmonica where this guy was tutoring on it I played dumb and went along for the ride with a friend of mine one of the finest session guitarists in LA USA. I am a Brit. It was terrible and my yank friend couldn't believe the BS.
Somebody pissed in yer Wheaties??
@@bobsullivan5714 !!!!! Just showed this comment to incoming class to highlight the average IQ is below 75