Are wood harmonicas better than the plastic ones?
No. Quality wise it tends to be just the opposite. Most of the wood harmonicas leak too much air and are not recommended for beginners. In terms of the sound or tone, the choice between wood and plastic (or metal) combs comes down to personal preference. Any reasonable quality harmonica in the hands of a good player will sound good. Footnote- there are specialists out there that make or modify wood combs and they are quite nice although sometimes not cheap. Follow this link for a listing of some of these people (click on the white link “Repairs & Mods” in the header box). • Hohner makes a harmonica called a ‘Blues Harp’. Is this better for playing blues than a standard diatonic harmonica like the Lee Oskar or Special 20? No. The ‘Blues Harp’ is just a name for a wood combed diatonic that is made by the Hohner Company. It is no better for playing blues than any other harmonica that has ‘Blues’ in it’s name. This is just smart marketing by the world’s largest harmonica company. If anythi
