Hohner Discovery 48 Chromonica C M754201X includes FREE USA SHIPPING

I've had a Discovery going on two years. It has performed flawlessly. The first 6 months I liked the way the lower notes played but was disappointed with the higher ones. They seemed weak. Eventually all the notes sounded nice and continue to today. I don't know if the harp got better with play or if I got better with practice...probably the latter.

Still getting compliments on the sound of the Discovery, but with the issue I mentioned in my original review about the sticky slide, I decided to "upgrade." I picked up a Chromonica 270 mouthpiece (round hole) and flange from the Hohner C Shop, on line. Yep, the parts really are compatible (but to swap, you'll need both the mouthpiece and the flange - the slide's the same). With the metal flange I'm now experiencing less of a problem with sticking after the harmonica has sat for a while. And I love the round holes. I guess I've created a "Super Discovery." I suppose I could have purchased a Chromonica or Super Chromonica in the first place and saved some money, but hey, I'm still a beginner at this, and thus do everything the hard way. Bottom line: The Discovery remains a five-star instrument, and the ability to exchange 270 parts (slide assembly, mouthpiece and covers) is still a plus. Thanks Hohner, and thanks Rockin' Ron.

I'm new to the harmonica (just took it up last May for my 65th birthday) and even newer to chromatic, so take some grains of salt if you're a more experienced player. Speaking as a rank beginner, the Discovery 48 works really well. Comfortable (mouthpiece is nice and smooth, slide works perfectly, etc.), nice tone, consistency up and down the reeds, etc. And it has a good, solid "feel," i.e., Hohner has done nice work here. And while I haven't played any other chromatics, it would seem a good dollar value, too, e.g., enough quality at the price to be fun to learn on, and also to perform with when I get to that point. (And I think Rockin' Ron actually has the Discovery 48 on sale these days. Combine that with his great service, and you can't beat it.) The slide can stick after drying after each session, but it may be that I just have naturally sticky spit, even taking to heart the usual advice to brush and floss before playing, and not eat pizza during practice sessions. But even here, I've applied good advice from Winslow Yerxa, available on line lots of places, and have found that it's easy to simply dip the mouthpiece into a pan of water (filled only to the point where it wets the slide, but doesn't reach the reeds), and to from time to time disassemble the mouthpiece and give the slide a gentle wet brushing. I.e., the Discovery 48 is easily serviced, even by a neophyte like me.