{"id":483,"date":"2016-03-29T08:33:17","date_gmt":"2016-03-29T08:33:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.instrumenttop.com\/?p=483"},"modified":"2020-01-02T11:31:16","modified_gmt":"2020-01-02T11:31:16","slug":"best-blues-harmonica","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.instrumenttop.com\/best-blues-harmonica\/","title":{"rendered":"6 Best Blues Harmonicas 2020"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Whether you \u201cgot the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Blues\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">blues<\/a>\u201d or you want to play the blues, the right harmonica is crucial to this soulful genre of music.<\/p>\n<p>In order to play like legends such as John Lee \u201cSonny Boy\u201d Williamson, Jason Ricci, DeFord Baily or Lee Oskar, you\u2019ll have to start somewhere, and that\u2019s where we come in.<\/p>\n<p>Below, we give you some useful tips and suggestions that will help you find the best blues harmonica.<\/p>\n<p>Learn how to find the right one before you learn how to play it, and you\u2019ll be off to a great start!<\/p>\n<h2>Things to Take into Consideration<\/h2>\n<p>Before you select a harmonica, here are a few things you should consider.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Your Level.<\/strong>\u00a0Are you new to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.instructables.com\/id\/How-To-Play-The-Harmonica\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">harmonica<\/a> completely or new to playing blues?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 26px;\">Our suggestions below are great for all skill levels, with a focus on 10-hole blues harmonicas in the key of C. This is the most common key for blues and it\u2019s easy to understand since most beginner books are written in this key.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>How Much to Spend.<\/strong>\u00a0If you\u2019re ready to get serious about playing the harmonica, then you\u2019ll spend around $30 for something decent.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 26px;\">If you\u2019re not quite sure that this is the instrument that you\u2019d like to play and want to spend less, you can spend as little as $10 for a starter harmonica (see numbers four, five and six below). Once you get a feel for playing and understand the dynamics, then you can always upgrade to something better.<\/p>\n<h2>Top 6 Blues Harmonicas Chart<\/h2>\n<style>\r\n\r\ntable#t14 {\r\nborder-collapse: collapse;\t\r\nborder-width: 0px;\r\nborder-style: outset;\r\nmargin: 20px 0;\r\nline-height: 2.0em;\r\ntext-align: center;\r\nvertical-align: top;width: 100%;border-top: 1px solid #EEEEEE;border-bottom: 1px solid #EEEEEE;box-shadow: 0 0px 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.4);\r\n}\r\ntable#t14 thead tr {\r\n\r\n}\r\ntable#t14 thead tr th.t14 {\r\ncolor: #333333;\r\nbackground: none repeat scroll 0 0 #FFFFFF;\r\nfont-size: 1em;\r\nletter-spacing: 0;\r\nline-height: 2.0;\r\npadding: 4px;\r\ntext-transform: none;\r\ntext-align: center;border-bottom: 1px solid #EEEEEE;\r\n}\r\n\r\ntable#t14 thead tr th#t14.start {\r\n\r\n}\r\ntable#t14 thead tr th#t14.end {\r\n\r\n}\r\ntable#t14 tbody tr {\r\n    background: none repeat scroll 0 0 #FFFFFF;\r\n}\r\ntable#t14 tbody tr.table-alternate {\r\n    background: none repeat scroll 0 0 #FDFDFD;\r\n}\r\ntable#t14 tbody tr td#n1 {\r\n\twidth: 20%;\r\n\t}table#t14 tbody tr td#n2 {\r\n\twidth: 20%;\r\n\t}table#t14 tbody tr td#n3 {\r\n\twidth: 20%;\r\n\t}table#t14 tbody tr td#n4 {\r\n\twidth: 20%;\r\n\t}table#t14 tbody tr td#n5 {\r\n\twidth: 20%;\r\n\t}\r\n\r\ntable#t14 tbody tr td {\r\n    padding: 5px;\r\n\tborder-width: 0px;\r\n\tfont-size: 1.0em;\r\n\tborder-top: medium none;border-bottom: 1px solid #EEEEEE;\r\n    text-align: center;\r\n\tline-height: 1.2;\r\n\tvertical-align: top;\r\n}\r\n}\r\ntable#t14 tfoot tr {\r\n}\r\n\r\ntable#t14 tfoot tr td {\r\n    background: none repeat scroll 0 0 #FCFCFC;\t\r\n\tpadding: 4px;\r\n\tborder-width: 0px;\r\n\tcolor: #7a7a7a;\r\n\tfont-size: 1.0em;\r\n\tborder-top: medium none;\r\n    text-align: center;\r\n}\r\n<\/style><table id=\"t14\">\n\t\t<thead>\n\t\t\t<tr><th scope=\"col\" class=\"t14\" id=\"n1\">Picture<\/th><th scope=\"col\" class=\"t14\" id=\"n2\">Name<\/th><th scope=\"col\" class=\"t14\" id=\"n3\">Key<\/th><th scope=\"col\" class=\"t14\" id=\"n4\">Price<\/th><th scope=\"col\" class=\"t14\" id=\"n5\">Rating (1-5)<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tfoot><tr><td><center>Picture<\/center><\/td><td><center>Name<\/center><\/td><td><center>Key<\/center><\/td><td><center>Price<\/center><\/td><td><center>Rating (1-5)<\/center><\/td><\/tr><\/tfoot>\n\t<tbody><tr class=\"table-alternate row1\"> <td id=\"n1\" class=\"start\"><a class=\"easyazon-link easyazon-link-image easyazon-link-image-align\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\" data-easyazon-asin=\"B0002D00H8\" data-easyazon-locale=\"US\" data-easyazon-localize=\"data-easyazon-localize\" href=\"http:\/\/amazon.com\/dp\/B0002D00H8\/?tag=guitarratin04-20\"><img alt=\"\" class=\"easyazon-image aligncenter\" height=\"110\" src=\"https:\/\/images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com\/images\/I\/41-pCDAoLIL.jpg\" width=\"110\" \/><\/a><\/td><td id=\"n2\" ><a class=\"easyazon-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\" data-easyazon-asin=\"B0002D00H8\" data-easyazon-locale=\"US\" data-easyazon-localize=\"data-easyazon-localize\" href=\"http:\/\/amazon.com\/dp\/B0002D00H8\/?tag=guitarratin04-20\">1. Hohner Marine Band Harmonica, Key of C<\/a><\/td><td id=\"n3\" >C<\/td><td id=\"n4\" >$$$$<\/td><td id=\"n5\" >4.7<\/td><\/tr><tr class= \"table-noalt row2\"><td id=\"n1\" class=\"start\"><a class=\"easyazon-link easyazon-link-image easyazon-link-image-align\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\" data-easyazon-asin=\"B000Q87DAQ\" data-easyazon-locale=\"US\" data-easyazon-localize=\"data-easyazon-localize\" href=\"http:\/\/amazon.com\/dp\/B000Q87DAQ\/?tag=guitarratin04-20\"><img alt=\"\" class=\"easyazon-image aligncenter\" height=\"110\" src=\"http:\/\/www.instrumenttop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/61RrGQLRML._SL1200_.jpg\" width=\"110\" \/><\/a><\/td><td id=\"n2\" ><a class=\"easyazon-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\" data-easyazon-asin=\"B000Q87DAQ\" data-easyazon-locale=\"US\" data-easyazon-localize=\"data-easyazon-localize\" href=\"http:\/\/amazon.com\/dp\/B000Q87DAQ\/?tag=guitarratin04-20\">2. Lee Oskar Harmonica, Key of C, Major Diatonic<\/a><\/td><td id=\"n3\" >C<\/td><td id=\"n4\" >$$$<\/td><td id=\"n5\" >4.7<\/td><\/tr><tr class=\"table-alternate row3\"> <td id=\"n1\" class=\"start\"><a class=\"easyazon-link easyazon-link-image easyazon-link-image-align\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\" data-easyazon-asin=\"B007J49GPK\" data-easyazon-locale=\"US\" data-easyazon-localize=\"data-easyazon-localize\" href=\"http:\/\/amazon.com\/dp\/B007J49GPK\/?tag=guitarratin04-20\"><img alt=\"\" class=\"easyazon-image aligncenter\" height=\"110\" src=\"http:\/\/www.instrumenttop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Hohner-560PBX-C-Harmonica.jpg\" width=\"95\" \/><\/a><\/td><td id=\"n2\" ><a class=\"easyazon-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\" data-easyazon-asin=\"B007J49GPK\" data-easyazon-locale=\"US\" data-easyazon-localize=\"data-easyazon-localize\" href=\"http:\/\/amazon.com\/dp\/B007J49GPK\/?tag=guitarratin04-20\">3. Hohner Special 20 Harmonica, Major C<\/a><\/td><td id=\"n3\" >C Major<\/td><td id=\"n4\" >$$$<\/td><td id=\"n5\" >4.6<\/td><\/tr><tr class= \"table-noalt row4\"><td id=\"n1\" class=\"start\"><a class=\"easyazon-link easyazon-link-image easyazon-link-image-align\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\" data-easyazon-asin=\"B008PEYY2S\" data-easyazon-locale=\"US\" data-easyazon-localize=\"data-easyazon-localize\" href=\"http:\/\/amazon.com\/dp\/B008PEYY2S\/?tag=guitarratin04-20\"><img alt=\"\" class=\"easyazon-image aligncenter\" height=\"110\" src=\"https:\/\/images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com\/images\/I\/61ppXAoQfSL._SL1400_.jpg\" width=\"95\" \/><\/a><\/td><td id=\"n2\" ><a class=\"easyazon-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\" data-easyazon-asin=\"B008PEYY2S\" data-easyazon-locale=\"US\" data-easyazon-localize=\"data-easyazon-localize\" href=\"http:\/\/amazon.com\/dp\/B008PEYY2S\/?tag=guitarratin04-20\">4. HDE Silver Swan Diatonic 10 Hole Key of C Blues Harmonica<\/a><\/td><td id=\"n3\" >C<\/td><td id=\"n4\" >$<\/td><td id=\"n5\" >4.6<\/td><\/tr><tr class=\"table-alternate row5\"> <td id=\"n1\" class=\"start\"><a class=\"easyazon-link easyazon-link-image easyazon-link-image-align\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\" data-easyazon-asin=\"B001I8A4TU\" data-easyazon-locale=\"US\" data-easyazon-localize=\"data-easyazon-localize\" href=\"http:\/\/amazon.com\/dp\/B001I8A4TU\/?tag=guitarratin04-20\"><img alt=\"\" class=\"easyazon-image aligncenter\" height=\"110\" src=\"https:\/\/images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com\/images\/I\/61sM8Ylh6VL._SL1500_.jpg\" width=\"95\" \/><\/a><\/td><td id=\"n2\" ><a class=\"easyazon-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\" data-easyazon-asin=\"B001I8A4TU\" data-easyazon-locale=\"US\" data-easyazon-localize=\"data-easyazon-localize\" href=\"http:\/\/amazon.com\/dp\/B001I8A4TU\/?tag=guitarratin04-20\">5. Suzuki Bluesmaster Harmonica C<\/a><\/td><td id=\"n3\" >C<\/td><td id=\"n4\" >$$<\/td><td id=\"n5\" >4.2<\/td><\/tr><tr class= \"table-noalt row6\"><td id=\"n1\" class=\"start\"><a class=\"easyazon-link easyazon-link-image easyazon-link-image-align\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\" data-easyazon-asin=\"B007IE5QP0\" data-easyazon-locale=\"US\" data-easyazon-localize=\"data-easyazon-localize\" href=\"http:\/\/amazon.com\/dp\/B007IE5QP0\/?tag=guitarratin04-20\"><img alt=\"\" class=\"easyazon-image aligncenter\" height=\"110\" src=\"http:\/\/www.instrumenttop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Hohner-1501BX-1.jpg\" width=\"95\" \/><\/a><\/td><td id=\"n2\" ><a class=\"easyazon-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\" data-easyazon-asin=\"B007IE5QP0\" data-easyazon-locale=\"US\" data-easyazon-localize=\"data-easyazon-localize\" href=\"http:\/\/amazon.com\/dp\/B007IE5QP0\/?tag=guitarratin04-20\">6. Hohner 1501BX Blues Band, Harmonica, C<\/a><\/td><td id=\"n3\" >G<\/td><td id=\"n4\" >$<\/td><td id=\"n5\" >4.1<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n<h2>Useful Terms Explained<\/h2>\n<p>Here are a few terms you might run into as you search for a harmonica.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Comb.<\/strong>\u00a0The comb, or the middle portion of the harmonica where the holes are, can either be made of wood or plastic.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 26px;\">For a warmer sound, a wooden comb is the best choice. The drawback to wood is that it can swell over time if it is not sealed properly or if cheap wood was used.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 26px;\">Plastic is another choice. It\u2019s stiffer and easy to maintain, but may not give you the soft, warm sound you want for playing blues.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 26px;\">Try them both to see which feel more comfortable and natural for you.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Reeds and Reed Plate.<\/strong>\u00a0Surrounding the comb is a draw reed plate and a blow reed plate, usually made of brass, that have slots in them.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 26px;\">Individual reeds that are fixed on the inside of the harmonica respond to the air when you blow and reeds on the outside will respond to the suction.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 26px;\">Reeds will need to be replaced occasionally so you can retune the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikibooks.org\/wiki\/Harmonica\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">harmonica<\/a>.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Diatonic.<\/strong>\u00a0This is the type of harmonica that blues players use. It is a single voice instrument that has 10 channels, or holes, each with one blow and one draw note.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Top 3 Best Blues Harmonica Reviews<\/h2>\n<h2><a class=\"easyazon-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\" data-easyazon-asin=\"B0002D00H8\" data-easyazon-locale=\"US\" data-easyazon-localize=\"data-easyazon-localize\" href=\"http:\/\/amazon.com\/dp\/B0002D00H8\/?tag=guitarratin04-20\">1. HOHNER\u00a01896BX-C<\/a><\/h2>\n<a class=\"easyazon-link easyazon-link-image easyazon-link-image-align\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\" data-easyazon-asin=\"B0002D00H8\" data-easyazon-locale=\"US\" data-easyazon-localize=\"data-easyazon-localize\" href=\"http:\/\/amazon.com\/dp\/B0002D00H8\/?tag=guitarratin04-20\"><img alt=\"\" class=\"easyazon-image alignright\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com\/images\/I\/41-pCDAoLIL.jpg\" width=\"250\" \/><\/a>\n<p>Probably the best blues harmonica for a serious beginner is this Hohner Marine Band Harmonica in the key of C.<\/p>\n<p>The comb is made from pear wood, 20 reeds on 0.9 mm brass reed plates and stainless steel covers that won\u2019t tarnish and are easy to clean.<\/p>\n<p>It has a fast response and little air loss thanks to the precise construction.<\/p>\n<p>Should your blues adventures lead you into a bit of folk music, as well, you\u2019ll find that this harmonica sounds great for both genres.<\/p>\n<p>As a beginner or even an experienced harmonica player, this Hohner won\u2019t disappoint.<\/p>\n<h2><a class=\"easyazon-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\" data-easyazon-asin=\"B000Q87DAQ\" data-easyazon-locale=\"US\" data-easyazon-localize=\"data-easyazon-localize\" href=\"http:\/\/amazon.com\/dp\/B000Q87DAQ\/?tag=guitarratin04-20\">2.\u00a0Lee Oskar 1910-C Harmonica<\/a><\/h2>\n<a class=\"easyazon-link easyazon-link-image easyazon-link-image-align\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\" data-easyazon-asin=\"B000Q87DAQ\" data-easyazon-locale=\"US\" data-easyazon-localize=\"data-easyazon-localize\" href=\"http:\/\/amazon.com\/dp\/B000Q87DAQ\/?tag=guitarratin04-20\"><img alt=\"\" class=\"easyazon-image alignright\" height=\"500\" src=\"http:\/\/www.instrumenttop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/61RrGQLRML._SL1200_.jpg\" width=\"250\" \/><\/a>\n<p>Famous blues harmonica player Lee Oskar also has his own line of harmonicas. When the market doesn\u2019t have what you need, you make it yourself!<\/p>\n<p>This harmonica features a plastic comb with larger holes, airtight design, responsive reeds and a louder sound as you play.<\/p>\n<p>The Lee Oskar quality is known throughout the blues world and appreciated by players at the professional level.<\/p>\n<p>If the Hohner above wasn\u2019t really your style, then have a go on this traditional blues harmonica.<\/p>\n<h2><a class=\"easyazon-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\" data-easyazon-asin=\"B007J49GPK\" data-easyazon-locale=\"US\" data-easyazon-localize=\"data-easyazon-localize\" href=\"http:\/\/amazon.com\/dp\/B007J49GPK\/?tag=guitarratin04-20\">3. HOHNER\u00a0560PBX-C<\/a><\/h2>\n<a class=\"easyazon-link easyazon-link-image easyazon-link-image-align\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\" data-easyazon-asin=\"B007J49GPK\" data-easyazon-locale=\"US\" data-easyazon-localize=\"data-easyazon-localize\" href=\"http:\/\/amazon.com\/dp\/B007J49GPK\/?tag=guitarratin04-20\"><img alt=\"\" class=\"easyazon-image alignright\" height=\"500\" src=\"http:\/\/www.instrumenttop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Hohner-560PBX-C-Harmonica.jpg\" width=\"230\" \/><\/a>\n<p>Our last suggestion is another Hohner, the difference being the comb material.<\/p>\n<p>Hohner also makes a top-quality harmonica, and if the wooden comb from our first choice didn\u2019t convince you, then try this model with a plastic comb.<\/p>\n<p>This is a versatile harmonica, perfect for blues and equally as suited to other genres such as country, folk and rhythm and blues.<\/p>\n<p>Same quality construction as the Marine Band Harmonica above (brass reed plate with 20 reeds) but slightly less in cost.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Whether you \u201cgot the blues\u201d or you want to play the blues, the right harmonica is crucial to this soulful genre of music. In order to play like legends such as John Lee \u201cSonny Boy\u201d Williamson, Jason Ricci, DeFord Baily or Lee Oskar, you\u2019ll have to start somewhere, and that\u2019s where we come in. Below, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":534,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[8],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.instrumenttop.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/483"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.instrumenttop.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.instrumenttop.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.instrumenttop.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.instrumenttop.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=483"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.instrumenttop.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/483\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1270,"href":"https:\/\/www.instrumenttop.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/483\/revisions\/1270"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.instrumenttop.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/534"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.instrumenttop.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=483"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.instrumenttop.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=483"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.instrumenttop.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=483"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}