Harmonica Buyer’s Guide
Harmonica! Harp! Tin Sandwich! Whatever you call them, they are a great instrument — extremely portable, affordable, and a hoot to play!
Are you ready to start your harmonica lessons in the Boise, Idaho area? Or maybe you are looking to add a new instrument to your music corner, or give a harmonica as a gift.
No matter the reason, we think adding more music into your life is always a good thing, and we’re happy to help you find the perfect instrument! Read on for our curated list of harmonica recommendations.*
Harmonica Styles
There are a few styles of harmonica out there but diatonic and chromatic are the most common in our musical culture.
Diatonic Harmonicas
This is the most common style for modern music (blues, rock, country, pop). This instrument was built to play chords and melody within a single key signature (key of C, key of G, etc.) therefore, they are made in all 12 keys. This is the style of harmonica we teach in our studio.
Chromatic Harmonicas
With these instruments, you are able to play in any key with a single harmonica. It usually comes with a button on the side that slides a plate over the mouthpiece to allow more notes to be played. This harmonica can be used for a variety of musical styles but is less common than the diatonic harmonica.
Harmonicas We Recommend
There are a number of reputable companies making quality harmonicas these days. We suggest a few diatonic (blues/rock/pop style) harps below, made to produce that classic “bluesy” sound. We encourage you to start your harmonica collection with the key of C and build from there.
We have found the sweet spot for well built instrument to be between $35-65. That said, there are incredibly well made instruments above that price point. If you would like to explore this grade of instrument, please feel free to give us a shout and we’ll help you narrow down a few higher ends models.
Hohner Harmonicas
WE RECOMMEND
Lee Oskar Harmonicas
WE RECOMMEND
Major Diatonic
Fantastic playability, and beginners seem to enjoy the ease of bending notes with this harmonica.
Johnson Harmonicas
WE RECOMMEND
BK-520
You can usually find these for under $10 — score! They won’t give you the fit and finish of the other harmonicas we listed here, but they are an affordable solution to get the beginner player going.
Suzuki Harmonicas
WE RECOMMEND
Still have questions about buying a harmonica?
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