SEYDEL Blues Classic 1847 Harmonica Low B

So disappointed....I really wanted to like these. Beautiful, great covers, the perfect shape and feel for me, and solid build.After many years on many harps, mostly Hohner, Lee Oskar, Suzuki, and one low F Session Steel, my new 1847 classic D is the worst player by far. Airy feeling and difficult to play OOTB. It lacks responsiveness and sensitivity. Like a $10 toy. Similar to the Session, but worse. Gapping and reed alignment didn't help much, nor sanding and sealing the comb. Haven't embossed yet, but tolerances aren't bad, so I'm not holding my breath for improvement there. I suspect the reeds are just too thick and stiff. And not just one or two...across the entire harp. Perhaps not unexpectedly, it seems worse in higher keys.What a shame. So much to like except playability. Maybe I just got a (nother) lemon, but at 90 bucks a pop I won't forgive poor QA...or try again. It's back to Hohner for me. Two stars for prettiness...zero for usefulness.

My first harmonica so I can't properly review it but I can already bend the first hole from D4 to C#4 easily (confirmed with recording software) and I don't even know what I'm doing, so that's good right? The reason I'm giving it 4/5 is that this thing is NOT beard or mustache friendly, at all. In the 15 minutes I've played with it I've snagged my facial hair four times and the pain was excruciating. I'm going to have to shave if I'm going to keep playing this thing.UPDATE: I smeared a tiny amount of silicone into the four gaps causing the problem: where the corners of the top and bottom shells meet the middle sandwich. I let it dry over night and no more beard grabbing!UPDATE: not quite. This thing is still troublesome for the bearded, even with a short beard. It's amazing how the tiniest seams can grab... the top shell is the most problematic, even the front seam which is unbelievably thin yet there are many ripped out hairs jammed in it to prove it's the culprit. All screws are tight so maybe a harder sealant for the front seam like clear finger nail polish. I'll try that next.

Nothing about this harp justifies the expense. Why buy these when there are other brands of similar quality for half the money? The Seydel is a product of reasonable quality, but that quality is on a par with Hohner Blues Harps, Lee Oscars, and etc. I am a pro whose been blowing harp since the 60s. Save your money and you can get 2 Lee Oscars for the price of 1 Seydel.

Excellent key to choose in a classic style. I own many other keys and have not been let down. This harmonica was at the top of the class upon arrival. Great sound, as with all 1847s I buy, after playing them, they instantly become my favorite harp in that key. A quality sounding and long lasting harp is what you pay double the price of a marine band for.

For the money I paid I think this harmonica does not worth it. I could buy 2 special 20. Stainless steel does not justify the price and there are different views about how durable stainless steel is.

I've bought 1847s before and have gotten high quality harps but unfortunately, this one is leaky. My special 20 works much better so I guess ill stick to that one. That was a lot of money to have it as a practice harmonica.

Beautiful Harmonica. Everything its needs to be an nothing it doesn't. If I had all the money in the world, I'd buy a second one.

These Seydel harmonicas play the way harmonicas used to play when I first starting playing fourty years ago. Tight and loud, they stand up to heavy professional playing.