As harmonica
players, we know over the internet custom combs are very much emphasized. With
the use of new materials such as corian, bamboo, and acrylic we often find
ourselves asking "do I need a custom comb?" Of course everyone at
Blue Moon Harmonicas, Hetrick Harmonicas, etc. will tell you absolutely. While
they supply good products, are there biases getting to them?
To start, Special 20 players may want to avoid custom combs, with only a few exceptions. That lipped comb that you guys and gals no and love is usually gone and replaced with a standard comb similar in shape to the Hohner Crossover. The same applies to the Bushman Delta Frost, the Hohner Rocket, and the Suzuki Harpmaster. By exposing the reedplate once more, that comfort that you found in your lipped plastic combed harmonicas is virtually gone.
Don’t get me wrong though, Blue Moon Harmonicas as well as Bluexlab do make lipped combs for the Hohner Special 20 out of interesting materials like aluminum, corian, and acrylic. So, for Special 20 or Session Steel players that are just sick of the boring tone of ABS plastic, these companies may sound like the solution.
Now, obviously the Marine Band 1896 has trouble with swelling and shrinking especially due to how hard it is to pull the nails out and lacquer the comb. Most harmonica comb companies actually provide a solution to this, buy adding screws for you and usually a new comb. However, if you do enjoy the tone of the pearwood, I would ignore going to custom comb companies and just purchase a Marine Band Deluxe or a Marine Band 1896 fitted with screws.
Now of course other sandwich style harmonicas such as the Hohner Crossover, Marine Band Deluxe, the entire Seydel 1847 series, and the Suzuki Manji get to be a grey area. These harmonicas comb with very good combs to begin with so the question may be “why get a custom comb?” Well some player don’t really seem to need them. They’re completely satisfied by the bamboo tone of the Hohner crossover or the Aluminum tone of the Noble. However, if a player purchases a harp they like, but can’t stand the tone of the harp you bought it’d be recommended.
To start, Special 20 players may want to avoid custom combs, with only a few exceptions. That lipped comb that you guys and gals no and love is usually gone and replaced with a standard comb similar in shape to the Hohner Crossover. The same applies to the Bushman Delta Frost, the Hohner Rocket, and the Suzuki Harpmaster. By exposing the reedplate once more, that comfort that you found in your lipped plastic combed harmonicas is virtually gone.
Don’t get me wrong though, Blue Moon Harmonicas as well as Bluexlab do make lipped combs for the Hohner Special 20 out of interesting materials like aluminum, corian, and acrylic. So, for Special 20 or Session Steel players that are just sick of the boring tone of ABS plastic, these companies may sound like the solution.
Now, obviously the Marine Band 1896 has trouble with swelling and shrinking especially due to how hard it is to pull the nails out and lacquer the comb. Most harmonica comb companies actually provide a solution to this, buy adding screws for you and usually a new comb. However, if you do enjoy the tone of the pearwood, I would ignore going to custom comb companies and just purchase a Marine Band Deluxe or a Marine Band 1896 fitted with screws.
Now of course other sandwich style harmonicas such as the Hohner Crossover, Marine Band Deluxe, the entire Seydel 1847 series, and the Suzuki Manji get to be a grey area. These harmonicas comb with very good combs to begin with so the question may be “why get a custom comb?” Well some player don’t really seem to need them. They’re completely satisfied by the bamboo tone of the Hohner crossover or the Aluminum tone of the Noble. However, if a player purchases a harp they like, but can’t stand the tone of the harp you bought it’d be recommended.
Lastly, the
Hohner Golden Melody. It may seem unnecessary to have a whole section revolving
around one harmonica but there is a reason. In the words of Mr. Todd Parrott
“Golden Melodies are prone to chipping” and I’m inclined to agree with him. The
combs on Golden Melodies really aren’t all that great, they’re brittle and
aren’t even close to flat. Unlike the Special 20 they could be I would strongly
recommend getting a custom come for the Golden Melody.
