r/harmonica • u/Mysterious-Winter600 • 1d ago

Hohner Rocket

I’ve been a guitar player (and bass, and ukulele, and mandolin…) for over 30 years now, and have occasionally dabbled in harmonica. A couple years ago, I decided to purge my random hodgepodge of harmonicas and focus on slowly building a set of keys in one make as I also practiced and built up my skills. Both have been slow going.

I’ve tried quite a few harmonicas from many brands and keep coming back to the Hohner Rocket. I like almost everything about it: the recessed reed plates, rounded comb edges, the cover plates, and most importantly, the tone. I find it easy to play and responsive (as much as my amateur skills can detect). I love it doesn’t pull mustache hairs. The only thing I’d probably change is to make the hole size a little smaller, more like the special 20. But it gets everything else so right, I’m willing to learn to adapt to them. I also wish they were cheaper, but what can you do.

Anyway, here is my current set, C, A, G, and D. Two of which are the newer torx version. And a Farmer neck rack.

https://imgur.com/a/8lxlxC9

9 Upvotes

91% Upvoted

12 comments sorted by

3

u/roxstarjc 1d ago

I have a manji that rivals the rockets and my Hammond is smoother but when I needed an Ab recently (flat guitarists) I bought a rocket. It's responsive and loud but can also play so delicately, hands down my best harp

2

u/Mysterious-Winter600 1d ago

I had a low F manji, which was a nice instrument. I found that I preferred the recessed reed plate style and that was part of the reason I moved it on. It had a very nice resonant sound. I’d love to try a rocket low, but can’t really justify it right now.

2

u/According-Hat-5393 1d ago

I am LOVING the tone from my low F Easttop (I and my 130 pound dog didn't really care for the shrill sounds of my Fender Blues Deluxe in C). But the Easttop does tend to RIP the SHIT out of my moustache, but I probably should have trimmed my facial hair MONTHS ago.. But my late girlfriend/wife kinda had a "thing?" for Sam Elliott, and she claimed that I looked like Jeffery Dean Morgan.. She usually HATED it when I shaved my face, but she (and MANY others) said that a certain "trim" would make me look at least 10 years younger..

2

u/ADirtyDiglet 1d ago

Check out the rocket comb from blue moon. Smaller holes and really airtight.

1

u/Mysterious-Winter600 1d ago

That’s a good idea. I’d come across them and held off due to price. But it’s probably worth a try to see

2

u/Nacoran 1d ago

I've seen people sand down the corners on Special 20 combs. You use a bit of acetone afterwards to restore the finished look. Basically, you can get the rounded edges like the Rocket that way (or, like someone said, go get you something from Blue Moon... on a dark stage harmonica keys with entirely different combs are way easier to spot than little key stickers!)

1

u/Mysterious-Winter600 21h ago

Thanks. I thought about sanding comb, but the bigger issue is the corner of the coney plates. That fold is a hair grabber, and I’m not sure I could fix that

2

u/Intelligent_Star_516 1d ago

Very nice. I like the Rocket Amp and Low because I don't care for the side vents. And they use special 20 reed plates. And replacement Rocket Amp cover plates are easily attainable. And so are aluminum round holed combs for Special 20s and Rockets.

And if you search, Special 20 reed plates are available in 19 different Richter-tuned keys. That's all I can find so far.

1

u/Mudslingshot 1d ago edited 1d ago

I have exactly the same arc. Multi instrumentalist who collected some random harmonicas along the way, now trying to build a set of my favorites

Although mine are Hohner Golden Melody's

1

u/Mysterious-Winter600 1d ago

I had one of the now old style Gems and remember liking it, though it’s been awhile. Do you like the new version?

1

u/Mudslingshot 1d ago

I should say, I'm currently trying to build a set of the old style, which is difficult

I have a C I've had forever, and an F I found by luck in a random music store display, and a G I ordered online that had it listed as an old style but a new style showed up

I can say, I don't hate playing the G as much as I thought, due to the changes, but I REALLY hate how cheap it looks and feels. The candy apple red plastic looks like a toy, and the matte finish on the plates makes it feel like it's entirely made of plastic. Also, the old style does not pull mustache hairs, and the new one does occasionally

1

u/Mysterious-Winter600 1d ago

Dang, that’s disappointing about the new version. The old version was one of the few exposed reed plate harmonicas I never had issue with hair pulling.