▶▶▶ Johnson Blues King Harmonica, Key of C

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Johnson Blues King Harmonica, Key of C

Johnson Blues King Harmonica, Key of C Review

I bought this harmonica because I needed another inexpensive harmonica -- my leaky Pocket Pal had finally gone squeaky and way out of tune. The price was right (.00, but I've seen them as low as .50 -- as much as a cheap plastic one), so I decided to give one a try. Maybe I just got lucky, but to say that I was pleased would be an understatement.

Like many other inexpensive harmonicas, this one is made in China, but the construction and sound are far above the other inexpensive harmonicas I've used. The reeds and reed plates are brass, the comb is plastic, and the covers look to be nickel-plated steel. The reeds are recessed into the comb, and held down with nine screws, making the whole thing pretty airtight, with little leak. The reeds are all very responsive (even to a slight puff of air), with no squeaks or other funky sounds.

The tone is very good. Probably not absolutely perfect, but still very good (people won't cringe when you play it). I was able to bend notes out of the box, and it got easier as the harmonica was broken in.

The case is a reasonably soft plastic clamshell that fits the harmonica much more tightly than the inexpensive Hohner cases, meaning that your harmonica doesn't loudly rattle around in it, and the case doesn't leave marks on the harmonica. I'm not sure how long the stressed plastic hinge will last, but so far, so good.

As an added bonus, the harmonica comes with a cleaning cloth.

All things considered, this is an outstanding harmonica for the price. A tight, responsive, instrument with a case and cleaning cloth, all for less than other manufacturers charge for their introductory harps. At that price, you can assemble a complete set of the various keys for very little money. If you need an inexpensive harmonica, the Johnson Blues King is well worth a look.