Harmonica players are the easiest musicians to buy for, for one reason: a standard 10-hole blues harmonica plays in one key, and a player needs a different harp for each key a song is in. Most own a C, an A and a G and are missing the rest. A harmonica in a key they don't have is a gift they'll use, and at $40 or so it's cheap. Thomann has 905 harmonicas, so every key and model is there.
Ask (or quietly check their case) which brand and keys they already own.
The classics, in any key
Hohner Marine Band Classic C, $39
The harmonica of the blues since 1896, with a wooden comb and nailed covers, sold in every key. One of the highest-ranked diatonic harmonicas we track: #1 of 158 diatonic harmonicas.
Hohner Special 20 C, $37
A plastic comb that seals well and stays comfortable on the lips, with brass reeds. Many players prefer it to the Marine Band for daily playing. #3 of 158 diatonic harmonicas.
A new kind of harmonica
Suzuki SCX-48 Chromatix C, $212
A 12-hole chromatic with a button that slides to the sharps and flats, so it plays in every key and opens up jazz and classical melodies. #1 of 52 chromatic harmonicas.
Hohner Echo 48 C Tremolo, $84
A tremolo harmonica with two reeds per note tuned slightly apart, for the shimmering sound of folk music. #1 of 20 tremolo harmonicas.
A step up in quality
Hohner Marine Band Crossover C, $70
The Marine Band sound with a sealed bamboo comb, more airtight and more responsive, for the player who plays every day. #11 of 158 diatonic harmonicas.
For a beginner
Hohner Special 20 D, $37
If they own only a C harp, a D is the natural second key for playing along with common songs. #3 of 158 diatonic harmonicas.
Thomann Rookie Blues Harmonica 7-SET, $39
Seven keys in one set at a very low price. Not the quality of a Hohner, but a cheap way for a beginner to try every key. #45 of 158 diatonic harmonicas.
Questions
What is a good gift for a harmonica player?
A harmonica in a key they don't own, such as a Hohner Marine Band ($39) or Special 20 ($37).
What key harmonica should a beginner have?
C first. Then A and G, the most common keys for blues and rock songs.
What is the difference between a diatonic and a chromatic harmonica?
A diatonic plays in one key and is the blues harp most people know; a chromatic has a slide button and plays in every key.
How we picked. Every product comes from an AudioFu ranking, scored on demand, price, specs and brand. Prices are Thomann's, converted from euros at the European Central Bank rate and updated every night, as are the ranks.
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Denis Kataev runs AudioFu. Every night the site records the prices of more than 38,000 instruments and studio tools at Thomann, and he writes about what those numbers show: what got cheaper, what just arrived, and which discounts are real.
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