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From: Charles Deering
Date: Mon, 10 Jun 1996 12:50:37 -0400
Subject: 3 plastic diatonics

After mastering every aspect of the Hohner 270 ;-)> I decided to
add diatonics to my bag of tricks. I ordered 3 plastic Bb's
from Farrells: Hohner Big River $9.58, Hohner Special 20 $15.58
and Lee Osker $18.95.

The 2 Hohners were tuned to about A-444 while the Osker was
around A-441.5. The Big River's "laser tuning" just might work
because it was much better in tune (with itself) than the S-20.
The Lee Osker was even better in tune, so much so that I could
call it A-441.5 and could easily tell that tempered tuning was
the goal. The Hohners claim "just tuning" and I probably would
have guessed it. But it was a tough call.

The Osker was much louder than the Hohners. My wife said that
it sounded like a saxophone (she preferred the S-20). To me, it
felt and sounded a lot more like my 270s than did either of the
Hohners. The S-20 was the softest and sweetest and had the most
Marine-Band-like sound of the three. It also felt the most like
a Marine Band to me, possibly because the others are slightly
longer. I found it easiest to bend the Osker, but I'm used to
bending 270s which are valved and very easy to bend once you get
the hang of it. The B.R. seemed hard to bend.

The Osker had, by far, the most even voicing of the three but it
still needed adjustment. The B.R. required the most tweaking.

Inside, the B.R. had the same kind of crude tuning marks as non-
laser-tuned Hohners, even extending onto the reed plates. The
Osker had crisp scrapings or cuttings parallel with the reeds
but not touching the edges of the reeds (the kind Rick Epping
says is best but not practical for production). The Osker and
B.R. reedplates are attached with three screws. The S-20, with
six screws, had two additional holes drilled but unused. Both
the Hohners were much leakier than the Osker. The combs were
all hollow and seemed quite similar, although the Osker had
wider channels (possibly helping with the loud sound). The B.R.
had really neat bolts attaching the cover plated; the only user-
friendly ones I've ever seen. It also had a yucky, oily taste
that went away in time.

They are all nice instruments if you like harmonicas. The only
one I could consider playing out of the box is the Lee Osker.
This is because most of the people I play with play in tune and
around A-440. A-444 is out of the question (although I carry a
270 at A-443 just in case). Also, it is the closest to my 270s.

Of course, normally, we expect to tune and tweak anyway. I
could see playing the S-20 for a sweeter sound. The Big River
is a best buy. It's well in tune, loud and has heavier
coverplates, just the thing for kids, cars and tackleboxes. I'd
play it in public without apologies.

How will I expand my diatonic collection? Lee Oskers.

OTOH, I'm just a chromatic player and I only auditioned 3
instruments.

Charles Deering