Why don’t Harmonica Manufacturers Create 16 Holes Chromatic Harmonica exactly in the intricate & detailed Specification like late Franz Chmel use to play beside Cost Factor?
There has to be a market and sales. Even if a harmonica is the best ever, if it is not a seller, it won’t be produced for long. However, you also have many custom makers today who can create and fine tune all sorts of configurations. But there is no economy of scale. So yes you will have to pay top dollar for it.
What is it about the Chmel chromatic setup that you like? I am unfamiliar with it.
I am also unfamiliar with it…I mean the Engineering part of it… But I find the performance far more genuine unlike Psardo 16 Hole Chromatic Harmonicas & also what Suzuki Fabulous and Sirius advertise…Though I like their Chromatix Series and I also play 1… Beside Hohner Meisterklasse 7565 and 280 c… I am also getting fond of Suzuki’s Bronze Phosphor Reeds…Then Winslow Yerxa gives me decent advice regarding my utter tinkering and curiosity related to Harmonicas. That’s my opinion Because I hold Mr Franz Chmel to be the most extraordinary Performer in Chromatic Harmonica Playability & Tempo regarding intricacies of Western Classical Composition… The Curiosity part from me is about the Engineering that has been incorporated in it to build a Chromatic Harmonica of his required Specification that me as a Mediocre harmonica player couldn’t lay a hand upon it to trial such a Exquisite Chromatic Harmonica Indeed… Even if I am Incapable of his Caliber… Its like no other Electric Guitarist can even Reach Late Jimi Hendrix pattern… So was Late Franz Chmel to me regarding his Chromatic Playability like no others before him could achieve and never will the later ones to exist can reach his sort of credibility…I can Improvise listening to others or even Imitate the patterns to Improvise my Harmonica playability… But Original composition of Music remain Unsurpassed as we all are well aware of it… So be it Hugo, Carey, Toot, Larry, Franz and Little Walter they all composed any played in their own pattern despite the kind of Harmonicas they were using back then… But as for Franz Chmel Harmonica… So I have heard and read on the Internet that there was whole team of Technicians Involved to develop his type of Specification required in a 16 hole Chromatic Harmonica…Then a mediocre like me got most obviously inquisitive about his kind of Chromatic Harmonica… Though I am aware that it will only remain a Speculation in my life to get my hand on his kind of Instrument that was in very limited production… If I am not wrong only 3 or 4 were produced… Sad enough in our Northern part of Germany Harmonica as Music Instrument has become Obsolete among the present Generation… Though Piano playing and Horse Riding is still considered a plus point among the wannabe so called Elite Class down in my area & neighbouring Schleswig Holstein where I dwell. Enough of my Rants… Wishing you a pleasant time & sending you Greetings from Hamburg City in Lohbrügge area from Germany…
That’s very True from Dannecker to Turboharp, Bluexlab, Brendan Power and etc are just eagerly waiting to Customise and profit… As I have observed some rantings of few Professional players mostly from California quoting on the internet Blogs that a Well Tuned Diatonic is not under 250 American Dollars… It’s matter of opinions I believe… I am satisfied with what Hohner’s & Suzukis offers as Diatonic harmonicas and also in their Chromatic range… Nowadays the great criteria for non professional and amateuer hobby players like myself is that when my Harmonicas goes out of Tune or Require Servicing like Reeds and Valve replacements… Its cost a fortune to first of all get the spares and then either send it to the authorised personnel to get it done… The Private one are more Expensive for Single earning men like us to afford… It’s not only about Harmonica and its brand or specifications… It’s about common man affordability…That’s why the Chinese are slowly picking up the pace in Harmonica Market due to quality craftsmanship and affordability… I assume in due course of time they will most certainly improve quality control… But coming back to the same point … Its affordability of Spare parts after sales and service requirement for non professional players… I reside in a Countryside in Hamburg Germany and in my area there is no facilities for Harmonica servicing… So as for my Hohner’s I send them to Trossingen… This includes parcel, spare and labour cost… Then for Suzukis I buy the Reed Plates that is as expensive like purchasing a brand new Harmonica… People don’t realise that Music is not Wealthy persons monopoly playing Erik Satie composition on a Bosendorfer Piano… Then going out to play Polo or view Horse Race… There are many talented humans as far fetched Musicians around the world other than those so called professionals in Limelight of their own wretched Lobby… Good Quality Music instruments should have nominal price and efficient after sales and service… If they want to revive their so called Harmonica Tinkering as I believe…
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