Hohner Golden Melody Review: Old vs New 🥊

In this video I review the new Golden Melody (2023 version).
⭐️Get the Scale Cheatsheet (Free!): bit.ly/scalesheet
The golden melody I am reviewing is in the key of B. The backing is in F# 👇
Backing Track: • Smooth Jazz Guitar Bac...

[@johnbrog]

Yesterday i bought sp20 and old gm (not most old, but with progressive written on the cover), wanted both since studied at school many years ago. That time i bought big river, very Hard to play, but i played. The gm and sp20 sound fantastic , very responsive, True Joy of playing! The crossover is laying on a shelf, waiting when i graduate a higher technic of playing) Greetings from Russia!

[@Harpe..r]

Лучше не ждать, а учиться играть и на кроссовере тоже. Инструмент должен работать. Удачи в обучении!

[@johnbrog]

@@Harpe..r благодарю! 🙏 Просто учитывая, что я разучиваю мелодии по одиночным нотам, учусь октавам и аккордам (с обильным слюноотделением в гребёнку)), как-то пластик больше подходит для этого, к тому же я не разучиваю ничего, что могло бы раскрыть возможности кроссовера, сп20 вполне справляется (бенды), а вот передувы на кроссовере буду пробовать, там да, не без него)

[@GDyer-cl8fl]

Good tune at the end. Very well done

[@sergiodalmasso1986]

Thank you for the honest review. I've been learning harmonica for little more than a year now, and I haven't decided yet which model will be my next (I currently play a Sp20 in the key of C). Fortunately, here in Argentina the old Golden Melody is still available at almost every music shop, so you really helped me make up my mind. But I have to say that the best part of the video is the demo you played at the end. Bravo!!! And thank you so much.

[@tuna22lm]

That sounded beautiful to me I loved it.

[@HarmonicaRevolution]

It’s a very nice sounding harp with some design issues, but I like the sound too

[@michaelmaggio519]

I too prefer the old Golden Melody. I loved the demo at the end. Would be great to hear more like that in the future.

[@HarmonicaRevolution]

Thanks, will do

[@301250]

You are a learned guy, Jonah!

[@sepultura7771]

I truly appreciate you not being a sellout like some of the other harmonica channels Most of them are like “ new golden melody is perfect in every way, blah blah blah…” And we know why their saying it I agree with every word you said I was a big fan of original GM this one serves no purposes It lacks the raspy sweetness of the original

[@johnbrog]

I noticed too that Jonah sais everything objectively in this video, not like others, who praise the New one gm.

[@chriscook215]

I agree

[@jasonricci]

I work for Hohner and slammed it on my channel 😅

[@camerondurie8604]

nice man

[@lennylink8772]

Thanks for taking a man's beard and moustache into consideration with your review! 👍 🧔

[@johnbrog]

The New one is stylish like ipod touch 4, similar forms i mean, as for me, but seems Hard to hold, you 're right. The old one is classic shape like the cars of 60-s!

[@claydobbins9342]

I like the old Golden Melody. I have one I purchased around 1975, still in perfect condition. (I had planned to buy others in different keys but lost that opportunity now. I own a couple hundred harps, different models and manufacturers. Yes, I love playing harmonica. First preference has always been Hohner due to familiarity since childhood) I will never purchase the new model. I don't like the design. If it's not broken, don't fix it. There are some Chinese and Japanese harps that models after the old Golden Melody, sort of like a clone. Those harps would be my preference before the new Golden Melody.

[@bobstewart9688]

I came to the Golden Melody only last year. I've got lots of Special 20s, a few Crossovers (I like them much better than S20s), lots of Suzuki Manjis and Olives. I really like the old GM. I like the smooth, curved cover and when I'm playing simple melodies I think that equal temperament such as the GM or Olive sounds a little nicer. As with Jonah, I don't get the new shape at all. Just on speculation I bought one of the last in stock C major old GMs from Rockin' Rons. I already have a C GM; at some point I'll buy a replacement reed plate set from Rockin' Rons in a different key to add to my arsenal. This is just a long way of saying that I completely agree with Jonah; BRING BACK THE OLD GOLDEN MELODY!

[@cincinnatipedalsteel4347]

The indentation is made to hold the harp by it.

[@jonmustang]

What's your favorite equal temperament/melody harmonica?

[@zmartkooky244]

I don't have one but my guess is that the thicker vents result in little louder output. About the hold, just learn a new way to hold it xD You can hold it as usual and use the middle or index finger to get a solid grab on the notch.

[@jimsmidlifeadventures]

The only players I've heard say they like the new design are sponsored by Hohner! Lol I totally agree with your review. I've had a C GM for a while and love it for melodies, and it was easiest to get overblows on even stock. After learning about the design change I tracked down the rest of the old style 7 keys to complete my GM set.

[@stephenkatko3236]

Where did you find them?

[@kimberlyreitter9761]

Which harmonica, out of all the available harmonicas, would you recommend for someone with small hands? I'm less interested in playing blues. Thank you!

[@SteveHomer]

Would the Golden Melody Hohner be ok for a total beginner to learn on?

[@HardToBeSomeone]

Jonah - I enjoy your show. I just bought a new golden. Key of C. Mine (out of the box) had some badly set reeds. No.6 is especially bad blow and draw. A few others were bad on the draw. I think I got it pretty well straightened out now. Time will tell. I was kind of disappointed with that considering what it cost. Cheers -

[@docsharmonicablues]

Same issues here. I needed to adjust gaps and shapes of 3 or 4 different reeds. After doing that the harp is fine and its sound appeals to me more than the old GM.

[@JB-rw9xt]

The cover plate on the new one looks cool to me. Looks like tail pipes like a hot rod.

[@joshsimpson79]

My only guess is they redesigned the looks for younger people to be interested because it “looks cool.” I have the new version and the old version. The new version is good enough, but I can’t see how it is an improvement on the old one.

[@royrobinson7570]

Correct me if I'm wrong, I heard that the machine tooling at Hohner was getting worn out, therefore they decided to invest in new machinery and that's why the harmonica is different. I liked the old version of the Golden Melody, why reinvent the wheel

[@HarmonicaRevolution]

That would make sense.

[@Chrisfo967]

for blues as a beginner between Special 20 or old golden melody or Easttop 008k which one i must choose?thank you

[@HarmonicaRevolution]

Special 20

[@VEXG32]

How are these in the key of G?

[@MrJazzBond]

Is the new GM still a good harmonica (in key C) for beginner?

[@HarmonicaRevolution]

Yep!

[@norfolknwhey4787]

I wish I liked the new model. I play mostly GM’s and Sp20’s, so I was very disappointed when Hohner stopped supporting the OG model. I have tried the new model, and even after some customizing, it still falls short of the OG, for me at least. I do like the aesthetics, but the new coverplate attachment system and shape is a miss. The new shape makes it very difficult to get a good mic/harp seal for playing with a bullet mic. Sidenote, the exposed reed plates can be made much better by polishing the leading edges with metal polish. I do it to every sandwich style harp. It makes them glass smooth and removes any oxidation. 👍🏼

[@johnbrog]

What is the OG model?

[@HarmonicaRevolution]

OG is short for original gangster. It’s a slang for the old original version of some thing.

[@norfolknwhey4787]

@@johnbrog the original golden melody

[@chriscook215]

I like the old GM. But I got the new GM. Rock N Ron’s is the BEST !!!

[@Leo-qm6ue]

They spoilt the best harmonica in there diatonic range and charged more money for it , I for one wont be buying them.

[@streetpixel]

I don’t like the design 🤮

[@hamishlovesit4731]

Crap