Seller 99.6% positive. Learn Harmonica! It could also be interesting for someone like me who has been playing harmonica for decades, and enjoys the challenge of a new tuning to explore. This was part of Hohner Modular Series that came out in the late 1980s and whose original concept was to replace the hand made models with instruments made on a computer-controlled assembly line. In 1896 they created a new harmonica and named it the Marine Band. It is very easy to tell the Marine Band MS from the Classic/Handmade version. Known for its full tone, wood comb, and its patented cover plates, the Marine Band harmonica was there when harmonica blues was born. Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. Just leave plenty of length so you can twist the other end like a fern frond using needle-nose pliers, then possibly hammer the swirl perpendicular against the harmonica shell. The reed plate is 0.9 mm thick with a stainless steel cover plate. For basic cleaning just rub the covers down with a microfiber cloth and use a toothpick to get the gunk out of the holes (hold the harp so the stuff falls out, not in). VAT Number: GB287764345. ate 1970s), and the Super 64x version (1980s). The original version of the Blues Harp was introduced in the late 1960s and despite the stories about the reeds somehow being different (see this pagefor more details), was essentially a Marine Band with different covers. Is a PhD visitor considered as a visiting scholar? 1896 Key Of A Original HARD CASE | Musical Instruments & Gear, Vintage Musical Instruments, Vintage Wind & Woodwind | eBay! 1896 Harmonica Made in Germany by M. Hohner with Box. and GESCH. The labels on the inside of the lid and bottom of the box were unchanged from earlier versions. Look at the openings inside the round holes, with the slide in the out position (i.e., not pressed in). But if youre only saving $5 or $10, Id say, just save up and get the Marine Band. Chromonica 260 Reed Plate Set Key C Major. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. The picture of the US Marine Band is now printed directly on the top of the box, rather than being a separate piece of paper pasted on. Site design / logo 2023 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under CC BY-SA. It is also probable that you are now considering emailing me for more information on the possible value of your harmonica. It is probable that you found this page with a search engine, as you sit at your computer with an old harmonica in your lap, curious as to how much it is worth. Compare. All this has changed. Translated: 1-216-1011018/1 is the article number. I absolutely LOVE the Golden Melody. As I mentioned at the start of this article, there have been many other models made with the name Marine Band. Rivets and pins are essentially the same thing. Is the harmonica straight tuned or cross tuned? To get the best out of our site and for it to function correct, please read, accept and understand our 'Cookies Policy'. Calculating probabilities from d6 dice pool (Degenesis rules for botches and triggers). Responsiveness From hole 1 to hole 10, the Marine Band is not sluggish anywhere. This next one probably dates from the late 1920s: The only significant difference between this one and the previous model, is that cuffs in the trademark have lost their jagged ends. Wow! The Harmonica Company is the trading name of The Harmonica World Ltd. The Hohner Marine Band was introduced in 1896 and is probably the most commonly played harmonica in the world, which is why shortcuts in its manufacturing process had such profound repercussions. Its uniquely authentic sound has defined the role of the harmonica in the blues tradition and made it the benchmark by which all others are judged. $137.00. Heres my Hohner Marine Band 1896 full review. This harmonica has a rich and expressive sound that defines what most people think of when they imagine the sound . Sturdy zipper case allows moisture to evaporate while keeping dust out. The box is only slightly changed from earlier versions. There are many other small variations in the Hohner trademark that may help give a rough approximation of the manufacturing date, but they are a little beyond the scope of this article. this excerpt from my Fender Blues Deluxe Review. How can a harmonica make some different sounds? Harmonica Construction and its Effects on Sound and Feel, Original cover design from 1896 ensures the classic blues sound, Greatly reduced swelling behaviour through double-coated pear wood comb. All parts are thoroughly cleaned & sterilised before custom work is done. The concept failed and is often frowned upon by professional 48 chord players. More on the way soon. I had a lot of them and you can just take them out and back without any problem several times. Even my friend Lee Oksar (who makes the equally awesome Lee Oskar harmonica) acknowledges that Hohner makes great harmonicas. As I always say: if you want to sound like the old blues masters, why not play the harmonica they played? Is a collection of years plural or singular? Help On the upper cover, the wreath is slightly smaller and the placement different, the signature is also smaller and the patent dates are placed more to right than on the 1923 model. If you want to learn more check out my full Special 20 Review. I pulled out this Marine Band 1896, and the thing bends like a champ! We apologize for the interruption. Earlier 270s had a red cardboard box with fancy texturing, while the 280 had a hard red box (1950s) and earlier had a round-top wooden box with fake texture finish and yelow lining. If you need to request an image for publication or other use, please visit Rights and Reproductions. The only key label is a difficult-to-read engraving on the cover plate, virtually impossible to see in a dark club. After pressing the pin/rivet through, set the bottom side of the pin on an anvil (any raised piece of metal like a meat tenderizer or side of some pliers). The reedplates are held in place with screws and the covers attached with bolts, unlike the Classic Marine Band's nailed construction. . If you are really wanting to learn the harmonica, I DO NOT recommend that you purchase the Pentaharp because it is SO DIFFERENT from a regular harmonica. I have two Marine Band harps in G and C,40 years old or more.I took one apart to clean, and it has never been reassembled. Compare. Show details (I go into some detail about the changes of the Hohner Marine Band model on this page.) Hohner 1896 Marine Band Harmonica Key of B (NO BOX) $39.99 10% Off $35.99 Used - Mint Free Shipping Hohner 1896BX-FSHRP Marine Band 1896 Classic Harmonica - Key of C $45.50 Brand New Free Shipping Hohner 1896BX-A Marine Band 1896 Classic Harmonica - Key of A (Small Business) $46.99 Brand New Free Shipping 20K subscribers HOHNER Marine Band When Jacob HOHNER registered his new harmonica design at the US Patent Office on January 30th, 1896, he did not understand the impact it was to have on. Are there tables of wastage rates for different fruit and veg? The number A440 stamped on certain Hohner harps indicates neither a limited edition, nor a model number - it tells you that it is tuned to standard concert pitch (see FFAQ10). Every time I play one of these, Im always like, wow, I forgot how awesome Special 20s are! Ive never heard of anyone purchasing a Special 20 and being unhappy with it. Don't be afraid. The 270 has always had a wood comb with nailed-on reedplates. The Hohner Marine Band 1896 classic harmonica is the original blues harp. 1 bid. The go to harp for players such as Jerry Portnoy and Kim Wilson, although this iant publicised as the Marine Band Deluxe isnt marketed in the US. Learn how your comment data is processed. The wooden comb, and the edge of the reedplate that is exposed between the coverplates and the comb, both help to make this harmonica very rough on the lips when played for long periods of time. Apparently I didn't do such a good job, as the dealer instantly pounced upon me and thrust the harp towards me with the words "You can play it if you like." Money no object? Tomorrow I'll try to get some pictures taken And posted. The first production runs turned out some rather unresponsive harps with short lived reeds, but these problems were address with longer scale reeds, improved tolerances and a better reed alloy. However, the one that concerns us here is their model number 1896, Hohner's best-selling diatonic and probably the most well-known harmonica in the world. The address of Hicksville NY on this box dates it to some time after 1960 (Hohner US being based at Hicksville from 1960 to 1982). Another change occurred around 2000, when the nickel plated mild steel covers used for the last eighty years or so, were replaced with stainless steel covers. Reed plate edges and channel openings with new Ultraglide coating are rounded off for greater playing comfort. The instrument is basically a Marine Band with Marine band Just intonation with improvements such as a sealed comb, screws instead of nails, open covers and comes with a semi solid zipper case. How Old Is My Hohner Marine Band Harmonica. 2/5 Stars. The Golden Melody is the most comfortable of all the Hohner line, has the darkest tone, and is the only harmonica tuned to Equal Temperament instead of Just Intonation, which means it's especially good for playing single notes in tune. The box has different labels to previous versions, both inside the lid and on the bottom. Clicking on the links under each picture will open new windows with close-ups of various parts of each instrument. Ready to suffer a little for your blues? Music: Practice & Theory Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for musicians, students, and enthusiasts. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Today it's still manufactured in much the same way as when it was first produced in 1896. $54.95 + $5.75 shipping. I've had it 30 years now. The Hohner Marine Band 1896 classic harmonica is the original blues harp. Cookies 2 Minute Hohner Pentaharp review here, if you wanna see it in action. Although the comb is the same length, the covers have changed substantially. If it don't have little screws, don't take it apart, leave it alone. In 2015, Sotheby's sold a rather battered Hohner Vest Pocket Harp, something that would normally struggle to fetch a few dollars on eBay, for a whopping 4,000 - about $5,425! As it turned out, she was willing to sell the harp at a fair price, so I bought it. As this is a professional service, there will of course be a fee for it - and I should warn you that in the vast majority of cases, the cost of such an valuation will almost certainly be more than the instrument is worth. 4/5 Stars. Pear wood comb is triple-lacquered, minimising swelling and ensuring greater volume and faster response. Harmonica, Hohner Marine Band key of C. Like new and sterilised. Comfort Comfort is the one area where the Marine Band 1896 does not fare well against the competition. But even worse, the Hohner Hot Metal and Hohner Old Standby are what I consider to be terrible harmonicas, and I recommend running in the other direction from them! Get the full low down on the Hohner Special 20. My Vintage harmonicas are stock that i find that have had little or no use. Thanks for contributing an answer to Music: Practice & Theory Stack Exchange! The top is pretty plain. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for VINTAGE M HOHNER ECHO 54/64 HARMONICA C G MADE IN GERMANY NEW OLD STOCK at the best online prices at eBay! It's not difficult so long as you use copper or brass which are soft. Links, Are you a beginner or struggling to sound good on harmonica? The reeds are all brass, and there are 20 of them. They are long they will still work. Co. of New York: The covers on this instrument are "upside down" compared with the current incarnation of the Marine Band, ie. A longtime favorite of many country artists, the model 34B Old Standby is always ready to express spontaneous musical soul. I just had to ask the question again, and please don't vote it up, it's kinda the same as the other one, I don't want any reputation. Prior to about 1937 the 270 had a six-pointed star in a medallion at the center of the bottom cover. $270.00. I just had to ask it, because I received no direct answer to the other question, everyone suggested to unscrew it, but now as you see in the pictures, there's no screws. Improved cover design gives greater volume and stability while preventing reed rattle. Ending Today at 5:24PM GMT 16h 54m. 5/5 Stars. Just to confuse matters even further, the model number 1896 was also applied to similar harmonicas with different names, aimed at different markets. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for NEW Hohner Marine Band Classic 1896 w/ Case - Key of A - Free US Shipping at the best online prices at eBay! Please message me if you are going to be more than 15 minutes late or not coming. My draw notes seemed to have got stuck, so I cleaned them with witch hazel (maybe surgical spirit would do, or lemon juice, but we have run out of lemons) and lifted each gently with the Honner tools to ensure they were moving freely up and down in the reed plate. Preston 410 posts Jun 09, 2009 4:37 PM That's cool Mickil. The MS version is noticeably larger, about 4 1/16th inches by 1 1/16th inches, with a much thicker profile. During the mid-1960s through some time in the 1970s, they had soft wraparound plastic pouches, green for the 270 and brown for the 280. you have to use your ear and i'm not trained enough to know the right tune for each hole, i don't know flip jers, but he seems very professional, he could retune All in all, the Marine Band is a fantastic choice as a first harmonica and also for anyone who still doesnt have one in his collection. The MS covers have integral cover supports at the rear and the upper cover clearly says MARINE BAND MS: The MS Series as a whole went through various charges during the 1990s. Required fields are marked *. How to clean a marine band harmonica that cannot be unscrewed? How do you tell if your harmonica is especially collectible? VAT Number: GB287764345. We finally arrive at the post-WWII Marine Band: The most noticeable difference on the lower cover is the lack of the star in the trademark. Hohner M1896116X Marine Band Classic Bb Harmonica Brand: Hohner Accordions 63 ratings -27% $3812 Was: $52.90 Pattern Name: Single About this item Hohner Marine Band 1896 Classic in Bb Frequently bought together + + Total price: Add all three to Cart Some of these items ship sooner than the others. We accept major credit cards and PayPal. Sweetwater Savings: $ 30 .01 MSRP: $ 115 .00. Got something to say? I always enjoy playing different tunings. Don't be afraid. Recent versions all have a hard plastic box, green for the 270, black for the 16-holers. Ive never had anyone fight me when I say that the Marine Band wins in the category of TONE. Learn more about our approach to sharing our collection online. The lips at the rear of the covers are still flattened, making the harp more open at the rear, but the M. HOHNER on the lower cover is slightly shorter than on the previous examples and where it used to say MADE BY and GERMANY on either side of the name, it now says MADE IN GERMANY and FABRIQU EN ALLEMAGNE. Next, whether it's a solid pin or hollow tube, tap it in the center with a center punch or large nail. The circle with the star has the words GESETLICH and GESCHUTZT in full, instead of the abbreviated forms GESETL. Enter your email address and hit Grab It to get started. Once the harp has had the chance to dry out thoroughly, there is relatively little danger of any communicable diseases being passed on. The Marine Band is the standard. Acidity of alcohols and basicity of amines. The biggest health risk is when you share a harmonica with someone within moments of it being used by the other person. Visit the IIIF page to learn more. And for dessert, heres avery cool article I found online: How Has the Hohner Marine Band Changed Over the Years? The most recent version of the Marine Band case has the design on the top reduced in size once more: Here is the current (as of 2011) label on the bottom of the box: The most recent changes were made around 2011, when sealed combs were introduced. You can see an interesting list of famous Marine Band players right here. there's no screws on this one, it has rivets, where you have a machine pressing down on the plate and securing it in its place. This next instrument came with a booklet in its case that was dated 1905 and the design of the label inside the lid of the case was trademarked in 1907 (DRWZ 101069). How should I deal with enharmonics on the Chromatic Harmonica? Browse other questions tagged, Start here for a quick overview of the site, Detailed answers to any questions you might have, Discuss the workings and policies of this site. Note: Comment submission is temporarily unavailable while we make improvements to the site. One fairly reliable way get some idea of the age of certain Hohner models is by the trademark on the cover. For some time, the Marine Band was also available in a hard case, as well as the usual card box: Our third example dates from some time prior to WWI and displays several changes from the previous model. To have a look please message me. Categories: Diatonic Harmonica, Harmonicas, Hohner, Manufacturer, Tags: 1896 classic, Diatonic, Harmonica, Hohner, Marine Band. I always hear that the hohner marine Band is considered the best harmonica and almost God like. In the US filing, they claim that Marine Band had been in continuous use since January 30th, 1896. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Listed: 3 years ago Views: 227 Watchers: 1 About This Listing If you don't take the cover, you can't clean it properly. The case is a soft green wraparound. Youve got a harmonica very suitable to learn on. Also, numbers such as 270, 365, or 34B do not indicate that the item was part of a limited edition (as I have seen suggested on various online auctions) they merely indicate the catalog number of that particular model. The front left channel and rear right weren't playing sound, power supply was working and output transistors were working, just had to clean the gain pots and all 4 channels work. If you have a very good condition old Hohner Marine Band, or 64 Chromonica, then there could be a player prepared to pay a reasonable price for it. Its uniquely authentic sound has defined the role of the harmonica in the blues and folk genres and made it the benchmark by which all others are judged. It has been suggested that it was a Star of David and that it was removed because of the Nazis. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Joe Filisko for the loan of several of the pre-WWII examples shown above. Legendary Hohner Marine Band Harp. Return to Fairly Frequently Asked Questions. There were also some changes made to the covers, most notably getting rid of the gaps at the ends of the front edges of the covers that had a tendency to snag facial hair. This page tells you pretty much everything I can about the value of your old harmonica without actually seeing it. Check your inbox in the next minute or two for your first lesson. Links, Are you a beginner or struggling to sound good on harmonica? For the rest of this article, I shall confine myself to physical examples of the instrument, rather than catalog illustrations. Photo courtesy of InterstateMusic.com. Old herings super 20 were like that too, using rivets. As the patent for the Marine Band cover design was granted in August 1897, the following instrument presumably dates from 1896 or early 1897 as the lower cover says PATENT APPLIED FOR: The covers on this instrument are nickel-plated brass and still have the trademark on the top and Hohner's picture on the bottom, the trademark having a small six pointed star inside the circle. Even some fairly common harmonicas may be considered collectible by some people. The size difference is not big but it is bigger. Required fields are marked *. The 1896 model first appeared in the year 1896, but back then it seems to have been called the Marine Orchestra. That's a tough one. 1896 model in the key of C, with 10 single holes and 20 reeds. Ronnie Shellist of Hohner harmonicas giving us an expert look at the Marine Band Series of harmonicas. rev2023.3.3.43278. The covers still have the lips at the rear opening, but they are no longer flatted against the inside of the covers, which makes the harp much less open at the back. The price is about 35-40$ which is the most common price range for good harmonicas for everybody from straight up first-time harmonica players to professionals that record with it and play live. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Vintage M. Hohner Marine Band Harmonica Key of C Germany No 1896 at the best online prices at eBay! Those may not be available though, and rivet pins are easy enough to make anyhow. 1896 model in the key of C, with 10 single holes and 20 reeds. Mike "Fathead" Easton (Pennsylvania) Mr Easton has been in the harmonica repair business since 2000. He saw an opportunity in John Philip Souza and his popular Banda de . Sold out. Hohner's Marine Band 1896 is the archetypal blues harmonica. $25.00 + $5.85 shipping. The harmonica is engraved: MARINE BANDM. First launched in 1896, this model has been regularly played on stage by probably every famous harmonica player you can think of from Bob Dylan to Neil Young to Adam Gussow to Howard Levy. The rear of the covers still have the lipped edges, but these lips have been folded back against the inside of the covers.