The Hohner 1896 Marine Band and Marine Band Deluxe Duke it Out with The Seydel 1847 Classic!

It's time for a casual analysis of three well-respected diatonic harps. In this video, I give my take on the Marine band 1896, the Marine Band 1896 Deluxe, and the Seydel 1847 Classic. I go over some of the specs of each instrument, the benefits as I see them, and some of what might make you prefer one harmonica over the other.
I play a small sample of each one, then give my final thoughts. As always, I hope you take some precious time out of your day to join me on my journey and offer your opinions as comments.
If you like this video, do me a favor and hit that "like" button; it helps! Also, if you enjoyed this, subscribe to my channel, there is more where this came from, and more are being produced weekly!
I look forward to harping with you!
Sincerely,
Ralph From Ralph Reviews.
#harmonica #harmonicareviews #seydel #seydelharmonicas #seydel1847 #hohner #hohnerharmonica #hohner1896 #hohnermarineband #hohnermarinebanddeluxe #mouthharp #houthharpbending #harmonicabending

[@allenhawker3911]

Great reviews Mr. Ralph! I love your channel! I’m fairly new to the game and don’t personally know anyone else into the harmonica so I’m thankful for KZbin and channels like yours. Appreciate ya bud! All I have so far is a Special 20, Rocket in A and a few C harps. An Easttop and a Suzuki Promaster I just bought. I’m slowly getting a few in my inventory. Bending is my cross to bear at the moment. Tongue blocking too! Ugggh! Can’t give up right? Lol

[@wulfboy01]

Much appreciated, my friend. Keep at, it does slowly get easier.

[@MrHilljohntimothy]

Seydel is an amazing instrument. MB are the go to standard for a ton of players. They are the blues. But, damn the Seydel looks, feels and plays well.

[@wulfboy01]

They are definitely great instruments, my friend!!

[@ruthcasement5844]

Of all the brands i always go back to my Marine band1846 it has rough edges but file them down sounds amazing there’s so many numbers of the marine band is there any difference I’ve no idea 😮

[@Blue_3rd]

Nice video, thanks :) I just stumbled across your channel. My personal favourite is the MB Deluxe because I find them much more comfortable to play, with a lovely warm sound. I have also found them to be 100% beard friendly 😊. I also play Crossovers and the low tuned version (Thunderbirds) which are terrific and also beard friendly. Same as the MBD to play but a little brighter. I’ve had bad luck with various Seydel models, and generally I find them harder to play as they need more air to sound nice and more effort to bend at least in my case. In the end, they all sound the same to the listener so it’s down to personal taste, but if I had to choose one it would be the MBD all day long. Anyway, cheers!

[@tedoliver60]

Good commentary, Ralph. I own a set of Marine band 1896, but find I can’t play them for very long because the exposed reed plates rip up my lips. I also own a Seydel 1847 silver and find that it is a little harder to play Than the Marine band, it tends to take a little more air pressure. I mostly play the Honer Honer rocket amp and regular rocket.

[@ziloace]

Just discovered your channel and reviews, and am really enjoying them. I’ve only been playing for a little over a year and am starting to expand my collection. I have a few MB Crossovers and the MB Deluxe, and they both sounded airier than I expected, especially on the 2 and 3 draw. Not sure if that is the same as “leaky.” I’m just starting to get my bends down more accurately, and I picked up a Seydel 1847 Classic, expecting it to be more difficult to play and bend. Somehow, I found it easier to bend (I think it’s easier to hold a bend on the steel reeds), and it sounds GREAT. And going back to the Marine Bands, it’s now easier to bend those as well. Wound up picking up a Suzuki Manji and Olive too - really like hearing and feeling the differences between harps! As a guitar player, while some harmonicas are certainly not cheap, it’s all cheaper than building up a guitar collection. Anyway, thanks again for the reviews!

[@MeteCanKarahasan]

I have Seydel Big Six. You wouldn't believe how easy it is to bend. My one troublesome harp is Suzuki Bluesmaster which has a HUGE reedplate warp when disassembled. It causes sticking and squealing when bending when played cold. Ironically, it is the best sounding harp I have in tone. It plays very deep and it is a challenge to master.

[@weshughes5180]

Like the Marine Band 1846 myself. I have one in C and G. Play like new. Brass reeds keep going and going. Not the most expensive but well worth the money. Like the Special 20 as well.

[@jeepit92]

A great video Ralph. The lighting and audio are spot on. My only suggestion is to tilt the camera downward a bit to eliminate the empty space above your head. What is the digital red numbers behind you? Where did yo get the yellow guitar stand cloths. Excellent first hand knowledge on the harps. I play Seydels and looking to get a MBD form RockinRons out of San Deigo. You info was valuable to me. Thanks for taking the time to do your video.

[@wulfboy01]

Thanks, I'm still learning! That's a Decibel reader behind me!

[@DT-dz1jc]

Seydel's are expensive, but they LAST. Older Marine Bands do swell though I have noticed less of that over the past 15 or so years. I've not yet tried a Deluxe. I'm still 95-99% 1896s. I like Golden Melody's for some things & I only have 2 1847 Seydel Classics. Love 'em. Overblow outta the box. No swell at all & good tone plus no nails. Hohners are still my heart. HATE their Blues Harp & I HAVE had some bad luck with some 1896 out of the box being flat sticky etc. Supposedly the Deluxe fixes that AND the screw vs nail thing, but you probably ALREADY got a little file anyway so that's no biggie & by the time you pull the nails out 4-5 times it's spent anyway. That's why Seydel worth the $...Last I saw Deluxe was cheaper than 1847 with many similar features. $'s been funny for about 3 years. That's NO coincidence. Hoping to buy a few after November. I'd really like to go lower maintenance whether that turns out to be 1847 OR Deluxe remains to be seen.

[@scatterbrain9490]

My mother just gave me my great grandfathers harmonica, he was born 1880s probably, the M. Hohner Marine Band Harmonica No 1896 G. Not sure what to do with it, if its worth something id like to find out or are the old and new worth the same? Thx for any info

[@wulfboy01]

It would be best to get the instrument appraised! Most are only worth under $100.00. They can, in rare cases, go for quite a bit.

[@albertoberto4714]

It is extremely difficult to choose, I keep changing my mind on which models I like best. I tried all top and average Hohner models, still I haven't tried the Seydels. The deluxe is better than the original MB, that's for sure. You can convert your original MB into a deluxe putting it screws and modifiying the plates.

[@ikust007]

Thank you

[@tyronejohnson7979]

Marine band deluxe ... is the harp of choice..

[@wulfboy01]

Pretty sure it's my favorite as well.

[@tyronejohnson7979]

Crossovers are butter also

[@milforddekalb6429]

The only downside of the MB 1896 is it has nails. MB crossovers are in the price range of Seydal 1847. The crossover has a bamboo comb.

[@wulfboy01]

Ãgreed, but can be worked around. Still. MB is unique to a Crossover in tone.

[@karinsellite2944]

Nice comparison! I liked the first two better than the third one, although I can't put my finger on why.

[@wulfboy01]

I go back and forth! Depends on my ear and the time of day! Thanks so much for your fierce support of my channel! I truly appreciate you!!

[@Apollo11xYz]

🔥 🔥 🔥

[@wulfboy01]

Get the fire hose, Chris is bringing the fire!!

[@davidcarroll2035]

Hi, I have all three of these, agree with you on most of your points and this little point may or may not be relevant. But when you say the reed plates are the same between the Marine Band original and deluxe I’m of the opinion that’s not true, from my understanding the Marine band deluxe shares the same reedplates as the Hohner Marine band crossover, another great harp and certainly more different between the marine band standard and the crossover than just the bamboo comb. Anyway another useless piece of information for us. 😂

[@wulfboy01]

That's what I appreciate: knowledgeable comments! Please keep them coming; I enjoy learning from my subscribers! Thank you so much.

[@lennylink8772]

Nice review. Do you play any of the low harmonicas? I've been eyeballing the seydel blues session, it looks very comfortable to carry in the pocket, and big beard friendly. I've also been looking at the hohner rocket amp And the fender ( the cost for a set cost as much as higher end harmonics cause I loose stuff 😢)

[@wulfboy01]

First off, Lenny, Happy Thanksgiving if you celebrate! Next, I play some low-tuned harmonicas, and I'm looking to obtain some more in the future. I own and have a recent video of me on my channel playing a low-tuned Manji in low-C kzbin.info/www/bejne/b6uUgJ9rf6aWl6s follow the link to watch an example of that instrument. I also own Seydel in Low-D and a Hohner Thunderbird in Low-A; I also have an early video of one of those instruments on KZbin. I've had multiple requests for Rocket and Rocket Amp harmonicas. I have a set of Hohner Rockets, and I'll work on picking up a set of Rocket Amps over the next month or two, so look for reviews soon. I'll also pick up a set of Fender Blues Deluxe for review over the next month and let you know what I think of those. I'll try to get that review out this weekend if I can! I hope this answers all of your questions, Lenny and that this message finds you well!!!

[@ikust007]

I don’t understand why Deluxe wouldn’t be as sublime as the MB. I really need to buy 2 new C. And compare

[@DheerajNavin-ln5wn]

Where can you get 1896 marine band comb to replace?

[@wulfboy01]

bluemoonharmonicas.com/collections/hohner-marine-band-combs

[@DheerajNavin-ln5wn]

@@wulfboy01 Thank you so much!

[@curukutovoulje7164]

which has a darker tone marine band deluxe or marine band 1896?

[@wulfboy01]

I found that that the Duluxe seems to be a touch darker to my ears, but we all hear differently.

[@johnjoyner8172]

Is it possible to put screws on the 1896 classic ?

[@wulfboy01]

I think people customize them all the time and do put screws in on the plates. I have not done this, but I be, believe it is possible. I have seen custom Classics done this way so I know it is actually

[@johnjoyner8172]

Thank you for that bit of information

[@wulfboy01]

Here's a site you can check out where you can buy custom combs for Marine Bands harp.andrewzajac.ca/comb/MarineBand

[@wulfboy01]

@johnjoyner8172 These combs also come with screws

[@ikust007]

I open the back of the MB.

[@wulfboy01]

Most won't, I do as well.

[@ikust007]

@@wulfboy01 it does make a difference, don’t you think ?

[@tienphamitien4862]

This hamonica ...to talk ?

[@wulfboy01]

Mostly; It's a review, and I'm only so good, and it's all relative, right?

[@MP-tf7cc]

Good info, but WAY TOO LONG. I'd never buy the original MB with nails. Rough edges can be smoothed.

[@wulfboy01]

I've realized this over time, and now I tend to ramble on. I will do my best to be more concise with my presentations. Thanks for your comments. If you haven't already done so, I would love you to subscribe to my channel!