From: fjm/cja Date: Fri, 30 Aug 1996 23:38:15 -0700 (MST) Subject: Martin Harmonicas
Martin Guitars is distributing a Hohner harmonica with Martin's name on it. This harmonica is of MS construction and uses the thicker crross harp plates. It's wooden bodied and uses the ZA5 alloy. The harmonica has the black finish of the Pro Harp on the cover plates. I recently ordered 2 for evaluation. My initial report is not good. The 10 blow is unbendable. I'm in the process of adjusting it but I think the problem is a leaky comb on the high note side. The reed plate is held on by only 4 of those worthless Pozi Drive fasteners. I call them worthless because of the relatively short life of the cross slotted heads. Even using the correct driver a number one Pozi Drive they are at best difficult to use. The addition of the black teflon coating to the screws does not help matters. Again the tuning is all over the place and does not represent the values that Rick Epping has said Hohner is using. The really infuriating thing is that I think this could have been a wonderful harmonica. The thicker plates have a nice feel as they play and they're loud with a nice timbre. The harmonica is a nice size but blockers beware those nasty sharp edges are present on the reed plates. Of the 2 harps I orrdered one overblows nicely on 4 and 5 and the other is virtually impossible to get to sound. Again I like the tone and after I invest some time and money replacing those wothless fasteners and tune and adjust the plates I'm sure I'll grow to like this harmonica. I just hope the reeds hold up after I invest the work in this thing. Those ominous deep tuning cuts are indeed present and I'm wondering how this black stuff holds up under playing. For over 40 dollars retail you'd think some of these things could be fixed at the factory. Bottom line, I'm very disappointed in what seems as if it could have been a very nice harmonica. Yes I know I can send it to Virginia for adjustment but why bother, I'll still have to pay the postage plus I'll get one of those nifty little notes Hohner includes with repairs. You know the ones I'm talking about. The ones that come back with highlighter pen underlining telling you how it was all your fault you bought a piece of junk and you're lucky they fixed it for free. Damn right I'm mad, disappointment is a bitter tonic. I just bought 5 new Hohner MS harmonicas and not a one of them is playable without adjustment. fjm
