How A Gang Of Harmonica Geeks Saved The Soul Of The Blues Harp

Odds and Sods

In the mid-1970s, Hohner, the world's largest manufacturer of harmonicas, almost killed its venerable Marine Band harmonica when it made a very small change to the design of the instrument's reed plates.

For almost two decades, new Marine Bands, heavily used by blues musicians, were almost unplayable. Fortunately, an unaffiliated but collegial group of harp techs from around the world were able correct the damage Hohner has done to its flagship brand, and eventually convinced Hohner to right its wrong.