CHROMATICS

Picture left and right are Hohner "Super Chromonica" in G.
During and after renovation. A new slide spring was made and fitted as were the slide spacers which had perished with time.Each part was cleaned and lacquered(except) slide and reeds of course.)
48 reeds
"STAR" 1930's

This is an Orchestrial instrument, featuring two rows of identically pitched blow and draw reeds in each hole. Plays nearly three chromatic octaves, notes stamped on top cover.Few people can play these, me included! Used for special effects, such as cartoon charactors falling down stairs!. "6 STAR"

Later (above) and Earlier (below) Super Chroms. Numbers missing on earlier and S & R in SUPER slope inwards .Both have 6 point STAR.

Koch were bought by Hohner in the 1920's but are still made by Hohner with just the name Koch, and the number HOH980/40 on later ones

BandMaster 48 reed chromatic. Plastic body. Plates nut & bolted. A very "leaky" harp.
Made in the GDR. "Quantity not Quality" 1970's

"Borrah Minevilch Professional 12" Fully Valved (Leather)
"Full scale sharps and flats" Has external spring which is missing.
Going to make a new one. Pity, some reeds "worn out" C. 1920.

(BELOW & LEFT) "Borrah Minevitch No 44 Chromatic" Technique-Tone Harmonica.
Unlike the "professional 12" above, this model does not have valves. Dates sometime around the first world war.(1920). Fully restored and in good playing order. Made in Germany and patented and sold in the United States.

Hohner "The 64 Chromonica" Model 280 1936-on. This one has same cover both sides & nunbered holes, so is probably ca 1940. Early ones seem to have the normal Hohner logo, hands and star.
Solid brass covers. Pinned brass plates. Valved.4 Chromatic Octaves. Professional Model.
In sturdy tongue and groove wood case. Very nice veneer type finish.
7 inches long. Case 8 1/2 inches. Model No. 280. 16d 64 reeds.Valved.
Has small brass bolt at centre front of plates, from top to bottom for air tightness.

10 (ABOVE) & 12(BELOW) hole
Bandmaster chromatics. Made in GDR 1950-60's. Like most of this period from the GDR, "quantity not quality.12 hole fully valved, and bolted plates (8) Both plastic bodies

Below: Hohner 64 Chromonica Model 280. This one has the Hohner normal logo, hands and star.
Aluminium plates, brass reeds, valved (plastic). Ali plates for lightness in shipping, quickly withdrawn, due to oxidisation. (See next page). Body is wedge shaped, unlike later models which are parallel.

Later (1970's) 10 hole 40 reed Bandmaster Chromatic.
Plastic body and plastic chromed mouthpeice. Not valved. So very leaky.
Bolted plates. "Seydel System" logo dropped from this period.

c.1915 Hohner Chromatic. External spring. 10 hole 40 reed leather valved. Brass reeds and plates.
Unusual in that it has two plastic separators each side of slide instead of the usual brass ones.
The plastic separators have no guides for slide as in later ones. Was this an experiment?
Also there are no note numbers as in the later model. Body thickness on ealier model is 10 mm, on later model changed to 13mm. .

On the left can be seen the diffences in the logos, the earlier one not having "cuffs" and different sleeves and the medals having two rings instead of one, in the later. Also there is only one support each side for the cover, later changed to two. Plastic inserts in top one.

V.E.B. (C.A.S.S.) 1959 7418/0402
16 hole 64 reed. Four full octaves. 48 valves."All sharps and flats"
"Bandmaster De Luxe" Chromatic.

Probably one of Hohner's most complicated harmonicas, with over 25 parts not including reeds.
48 reeds, valved,
all brass covers and plates, must have made it an expensive one to manufacture.

Housed in a pressed comp. case, covered in sparkle finish coating. It originally had a cloth hinge, badly damaged.
Replaced with two period brass hinges, recoloured and varnished.

Unusual in that this harmonica was completely metal covered, with a push button operating the slide. A well made harp.
The housings are of thick brass and the overall feel is of a robust instrument, made to last and take a lot of punishment.

The case of this one was found to be badly distorted, (probably damp?) I had to remove the old hinge and sand down the two covers till they aligned and then fit the new hinges. These were then araldited and pinned.Belonged to the previous owners G/father.
Hope you like it now Graeme!

"Radiotone"
Chromatic 40 r.
Brass plates, steel chromed covers. External spring. 1920's.
Possibly Hugo Rauner, who made another of this name ?.
Anybody confirm this? Email me.

Same model as the one above but this one has Alloy reedplates instead of brass, about 3mm thick. They are noticeable in the small picture, as they stick out beyond the edges of the chrome rear cover, this makes the harp about 1/8" thicker than the previous one but lighter in weight. Also the backplate of the slide assembly is of red plastic and not brass as in the previous model. Plates are slightly different in that one

corner is cut out on the ali ones. The slide push chrome housing is a different shape, being slightly concave instead of rounded this can be seen by comparing the above two pictures. The case is now red and gold, instead of sparkly brown. Maybe this is a later production, to save materials or make improvements. Aluminium used to reduce shipping costs but soon discontinued due to oxidisation.

Hohner Chrometta 12
One of a series of four "8". "10". "12". &
"14". Started in 1974 and still produced.
Valved, with a plastic body it is a loud, good sounding harp, with a very free slide action.Model No.255
this one is in G.
Good looking chromed steel covers.

Hohner "CHROMETTA 8"(Early)
Was "1" 1974-on.Model No.250.
Again, plastic nailed body, brass plates. 8 holes 32 reeds. Valved.

Left.
Hohner "Silver Shadow" Chromatic.
48 reeds.Fully valved. Brass plates secured by brass bolts.Plastic body.
Quite well made, as it was made in China.
I cannot find any references to it anywhere but guess it is fairly recent.
(Hohners latest book lists 'Chinese Harmonicas' as 1952.

HOHNER Mod. 7312/40
10 hole 40 reed half valved Richter tuned slide harmonica.
4 3/4 inches long. Plated (Nickle chrome) reed plates
Slide raises each note by a semitone.
(Looks suspiciously like its made in China)
Comes in cheap plastic cover.

"Bandmaster" GDR made 10h 40r chromatic.
Plastic body and mouthpiece. Bolted brass plates.
non-valved. Leaky. 1970's 5 1/8" long.

Bandmaster 16h 64r Chromatic.
8" long. Nailed brass plates
Plastic body. Metal mouthpiece.
Valved but still leaky.
Notice the C.A.Seydel Sohne
logo in the box.
Made in the VEB works ca 1970.
Another example of how a top harmonica manufacturer was forced to produce a cheap lower grade product. Back making top class harps again now.

"As new" example of the Hohner
"CHROMONIKA ll"
Domestic market model 270
Brass pinned plates, fully valved

six point star with matted backgrounds on bottom cover.
6 1/2" Long. "Sport" T.M.
Blue velvet and silk lined box.
Has a price of Dm 13,-00 on the box lid. In the Key of C.
Finish of covers seems exceptionally good Only box I have seen with M.Hohner'S
with the 'S'.
Hohner lists it as from 1938

Nice example, very little used "CHROMONIKA lll"
Listed 1938, Domestic market
16h 64 reed Fully valved. In C.
Plastic body, brass plates, "nailed", with white metal mouth piece.
Cased in the well made 'burr walnut' wood case with yellow flock lining.
Change to two piece screw & socket cover fixings.
Was this made in the GDR?
If you know, let me know.
Shows signs of a drop in quality.

8 3/8" HOHNER POLYPHONIA 6 (25d 50r 1935-74) & POLYPHONIA 7(25h 25r 1935-curr) 10 3/8"
I had no work to do on these fine examples!. Having come to me from the World Renowned "DANNECKER" stable. Restored and tuned by the man himself. what can I do but polish them! The 6 & 7 are 'Slideless Chromatics', the 6 having two rows of 25 reeds each pair tuned the same.(suck & blow), and covers G below middle C up 2 octaves.
The 7 has 25 single holes 25 reeds, blow only and covers 2 chromatic octaves starting D below Bass Clef. The 7 is a 'Star' and the 6 is post-war.

Unknown make Chromatic. Probably GDR. 10h 40r. Brass plates nailed. Plastic body 5" long. VERY leaky.Single peice slide
Some more nat'lised rubbish!

HOHNER
CHAM-BER HUANG
SYSTEM
CHORDOMONICA 1
Designed for Hohner
1965-87.
Not Chromatic.(Chordal).
10h 40 reeds.
Brass pinned plates.
Brass conc.screwed covers. For some reason the only number to line up with its hole correctly is No4 !. Cham-Ber Huang now runs one of the top 'cutting edge'

Unusual Chromatic, Made in Germany, probably1950's or before, with painted covers in Art Deco style in two colours..Well made, with a two part glued wood comb, the back edge with lengthwise grain and the comb front in cross grain, which would prevent warping when damp,and the outside edges are veneered !.Early plastic back plate, and a white metal mouthpiece.Brass plates, pinned, and steel covers.Slot for slide is integral in the mouthpiece.Also has unusual return spring,on top of the comb.No makers mark, just 'Made in Germany SUPER TONE CHROMATIC' Altogether a nice design, pity a previous owner naffed the paintwork!