Harley Benton Blues Harmonica in Gb-Major

I was quite pleased with this harmonica, and got a few in different keys. Great value!

The form factor is quite chunky, fatter than most hohners, but the sound holds up pretty well, giving a rich tone and good bends for blues. I would recommend breaking it in slowly for a few days by gently blowing chords (several holes together).

As a cheap blues harp to fill in your lesser-played keys I would certainly recommend it. If you only buy one harmonica though, particularly if you are learning, I would get recommend a Hohner Special 20 or Lee Oskar Major Diatonic, either in C (as assumed by most tutorials / teachers) which will play a blues in G, or F (so you can play a blues in C),

Please note that a Gb diatonic will play blues (in cross-harp or second position) in Db, so this is the harp you want to play a Db blues. To find the blues key count a perfect fifth up (7 semitones) or a perfect fourth down (5 semitones) from the key it is stamped with.

As always Thomann's Customer Service packing and delivery was 100% spot on. The harmonica itself was well finished with no sharp edges. The reeeds were in tune when I checked them with my chromatic tuner and the tone of the instrument was pleasant. These harmonicas do need quite a bit of air though and have a quieter tone than harmonica but for the price are very good. Aged players like me, playing by lamplight would however appreciate if the Numbers were either marked with larger figures or the marking could be cut as bit deeper....I know, I know - "I should have gone to Spec Savers!"

I am just starting to play Harmonica and (as a guiding principle for new instruments) I don't spend a lot of money over the first one. Though I am not an expert, this harmonica sounds really good for its price. Definitely it's not a toy. It has a very balanced tone and all reeds resonate very well. I recommend this type of harmonica to everyone out there starting to play this instrument and later to get a better one depending on the style of music you may end up playing. Please, do some research over the Net or Youtubers to find out what Keys (A, B, C... etc) work best for your songs. In my case this Gb Major will play over Db Blues songs.