DATE: Thu, 11 Mar 1993 19:02:58 CST From: Steve Jennings <100010.11~ompuServe.COM> Subject: Chromatic Harps
Brian - I agree with George, the Chrometta is cheap in all significant respects - including quality! The reason the 260 is more airtight than the 270 is the fact that they use the same four part mouthpiece assembly, and the inadequacies of the engineering tolerances are less obvious the shorter the assembly is. Don't forget that Hering make excellent chromatics in Brazil, that match Hohner for quality, and undercut them considerably on price (in the UK anyway) - I can't see them in Kevin's current catalogue. Also Tombo make chromatics and Yamaha *used* to make *really* good ones - again much cheaper than Hohner. Obviously, I can't advise on local suppliers, but I know that Norman Ives, 1 Links Close, Caister-on-Sea, Norfolk, NR30 5DD, U.K. stocks both Hering and Tombo stuff, as well as Hohner. Charlie Musselwhite has used Hering chromatics for years, and swears by them. They come in all the "white note" keys - A, B, C, D, E, F, G, as far as I'm aware, which covers just about all eventualities, although many professional chromatic players seem to want to claim some sort of moral high ground by playing everything on a C instrument - as far as I'm concerned "if it makes life easier....", but that's a different argument. Hope this helps.