Hohner Golden Melody F

Advantages: Cheap and Brilliant Investment
Disadvantages: Just a 1-piece

...instrument in “Early Music” ensembles (i.e. Renaissance/Baroque). The reason why it usually sounds so rough when played by amateurs is that if you play louder you also play sharper, or in other words you become out of tune. All wind instruments create greater sound volume by having a greater rush of air though the pipe, which makes the pipe vibrate more quickly. With the recorder, this also creates a sharpening of the note, to such an extent that a loud C can sound like a C#. For the advanced player, there are alternative fingerings to be employed when the volume is increased. Without wanting to get too technical, you can also differentiate between say, F# and G flat, which would be the same note on a piano, but not on a wind instrument or fretless string instrument. This Hohner is tuned quite well, so that the standard fingerings work adequately... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Well made, low priced
Disadvantages: None apart from age.

...I'm often asked where a good cheap set of drums can be acquired, usually with the same response, Dunno! Just kidding. What I normally tell people is to look out for a Hohner lite set, as in general they are pretty good and quite easy to pick up cheaply as they are now relatively old, but the age is of no consequence. Unlike most cheap kits the Lite LE ain't half bad, I've actually go a set myself. The standard set consists of 5 drums. Bass - Floor Tom - Twin Toms - Snare. Any cymbals or other add-ons are just that, Separate add-ons. But that don't kill the kit as most second hand sets come with hi-hats and a splash or two, often with no extra cost so the kit becomes an even better bargain. As said it's a basic 5 piece, and these are of a good solid design that look the part with a laminated coating and nice bright chrome... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Great price and value, top quality instrument
Disadvantages: None

...I have been playing the harmonica for over thirty years. Of all the instruments I play this is the one that have done best at, probably because it is the least anti-social, most portable and most convenient. Being a lot quieter that most of my musical stable also helps. I've owned some terrible harmonicas over the years, usually the cheap ones but when I splashed out in 1984 on a Hohner C Blues Harp I found what I was looking for. It is a basic twelve hole harmonica that has stood the test of time. Before Christmas I looked at my old harp and decided that it might be time for it to go into partial retirement. Having spent about £24 on it and played it thousands of times it was looking a bit battered and scratched. It still plays beautifully, no dead reeds, fantastic tone so when I went looking for the next generation... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful