Kongsheng Mars with Aluminum Comb High Quality 10 Hole Diatonic Harmonica includes Free USA Shipping

Not saying it's an outstanding value (although it is) but simply outstanding. I'm not an advanced player but I can still hear the richer timbre and volume especially when I A/B it with my Bluesmasters (and I love my Bluesmasters!). Really like the heft of the aluminum comb and love the look (Black on Black). Appreciate Ron introducing these to me...he took the time to CALL me when I emailed him a question...who does that? Ron DOES!

Ok, I've always believed you get what you pay for and to some degree that is still true. A $7 dollar harp will not play/sound/be as airtight as an $80 dollar harp. It just won't. So far, I've purchased a Kongsheng A, D, and Low F. Deep down, I REALLY didn't want to like them because they're so inexpensive and I just thought, there's no way these can be a quality instrument and be this cheap. But I also have to give credit where it's due. And the fact is, at this price point, I'd be pretty hard pressed to find a better harmonica for $30 bucks. I know some reviews have said they found theirs "leaky" or not as airtight as they would like but that has not been my experience. I won't yet say they are my new favorite harp but I've grown to really like these WAY more than I ever thought I would. Great tone, really easy to bend, and airtight. I have the basic mars $32 model with the gray hard plastic comb but my low F ($55) has the anodized gold aluminum comb with gold covers and it not only plays beautifully but it looks spectacular as well. 5 stars...reluctantly only because I didn't think I could find good harps this inexpensively.

I loved the plastic comb Mars, and I like the heavier feel of my chromatics with aluminum combs, so I jumped for an all gold aluminum Mars. I loved it - tight, loud and even more responsive. Now I'm building a complete set of all gold aluminum Mars - nine so far.
After more than a year of playing these things OTB, I haven't had to re-tune or replace any of them. I don't fool around with overblows,, but for players who do, the Mars might benefit from some custom tuning. But so far, even though tuning affects the way you play, I don't think it's worth the trouble. Maybe someday, but I don't play my custom harps any more. These aluminum Mars do the job.
PS: I'm really rough on harps. I abuse them terribly. However, even though I have a complete set of the plastic comb Mars, I woodshed with the aluminum ones. These aluminum Mars are tough.

Like others that have reviewed, I have played Hohners, suzukis and easttop diatonics. I loved my Suzuki promasters for years. I have been playing my chromatics more, including a Kong Shen Lyra 12 hole, which is superb, so I find the round holes superior to the square holes. These mars harps are responsive, sensitive and a joy to play right out of the box, better than any of my other blues harps. I have purchased 5 so far, and have felt no need to jack around with the reeds. That may change with time but I love these things as is. Also they are priced competitively with other brands. Buy one and check it out, you won't regret it.

I've played many brands and models of diatonics over the decades. These aluminum Mars models have quickly become my favorites. Their tone, projection, and feel are unparalleled. I've become so accustomed to the round holes that I now find traditional harps awkward for both lip blocking and tongue blocking. I'm building a complete set of Kongshengs as my front-line harps, and moving all my Hohners and Seydels to backup duty. The plastic-comb Mars play well, so I'm buying them in rarely-used keys. But for keys I play most often, these aluminum combs are well worth the investment. They're a real treat to play.