EastarMajor Blues Diatonic Harmonica, 10 Holes C Key Beginner Harmonica for Kids Children Adults Students, with Hard Case and Cloth, Purple

This review is for the Eastar 10 holes Major Blues harmonica beginner Harmonica, I noticed Amazon is mixing up other Eastar reviews like the larger "Admiral" model.Because this is advertised as a beginner harmonica so I decided to compare it to my Hohner "Bluesband" harmonica in C, which is often the reference for cheap beginner harmonicas and are made in China. I also own a set of Honher "Special 20" harmonicas which are made in Germany which are much better and much more expensive, and I will compare it to that one also.First of all, this is a Harmonica in the key of C, for now, just worry about hte fact that it's the easiest harmonica to play, other keys can be slightly harder for your breathing, so it is the recommended one for beginners. I'll talk more about what the key mean at the end of the review.Unpacking:This Eastar harmonica comes in a nice plastic case (althoguh you may have a to squeeze a bit hard to open it). It's important as you should always put your harmonica in a case after playing so that debris and dust doesn't clog up the inside. (also, don't play right after eating!)Inside the case is the harmonica, a small instruction sheet (in English) and a small wiping cloth, a very nice touch. If you are a complete beginner, I recommend you find youtube instructions rather than rely on the enclosed sheet, but it makes a handy reference anyway.By comparison my cheap Hohner comes in a blue and white cardboard box and has no wiping clothThe Sound/Ease of PlayThere is no comparison with the cheap Hohner! the cheap Hohner constricts your breath and make you blow harder, sounds tinny and not so loud. By contrast the Eastar has a nice full sound, is much louder and easier to play. I'm impressed!I still like the sound of my special 20s better, while rich the Eastar sounds a little darker than the Special 20, but remember we are comparing a beginner harmonica to a more mid-level instrument.There is an advance technique in harmonica playing called "bending". It is when you blow or draw (breathe in) in a special way to make the note "bend" into another, which is a real cool signature sound of the harmonica. Once again the Eastar beats the Hohner Bluesband handily. Bends are much easier to achieve on the Eastar, although I still find them more comfortable on my special 20 (an instrument that costs 3 times as much)In Summary, if you or a loved one wants to start learning the harmonica, this is a great instrument. It will make learning much easier than with the really cheap instruments and the sound will be much better.What does the key of C mean C?Harmonicas only come in one key. Think of them as a piano with only the white keys. this means you will be able to play any song in C with other instruments, fortunately most beginner songs are in C. Blues players play in "position 2" or "crossharp" where the "home" note is drawing (breathing in) on the 2nd hole, which is the note G.Playing corssharp with a harmonica in C lets you play along and improvise with songs written in the key of G, which is very common for blues and Classic Rock, so you may be able to play with a lot more songs than you think.So anything bad about this?If you look at the picture carefully, this harmonica is slightly thicket than my other harmonicas, maybe that makes a larger "chamber" for the sound to resonate and escape from and explains why it sounds so good, but it felt a little odd to me because I am so used to the thickness of my Special 20s. I'm not familiar with other brands and it's quite possible other harmonica brands are also slightly thicket like that.Not really a bad thing, more of a request: Past the beginner stage harmonica players will usually carry multiple harmonicas in multiple keys so that they can play with any song. It looks like Eastar is only selling the harmonicas in C, I hope they soon sell other keys, or sell multipacks with multiple harmonicas of different keys in the same case.Thanks for reading this review, I hope it has been helpful. I will try and post a video with sound comparison but I'm having trouble with my video editing software at the time. Enjoy the photos comparing the Eastar harmonica with the cheap Hohner Bluesband.

Ok so, I've always wanted to learn to play the harmonica but for some reason I just never have. I think one reason is that it seemed like my only choices of entry as far as the instrument was concerned were either too expensive or, they were affordable but sounded super cheap like a plastic kazoo. So, I saw this one here on Amazon and I figured what the heck it's metal and it's only a few bucks so I'll buy it. It came in a fantastic little package nice and neat, but what really blew me away was the sound. Now, I probably don't have the best ear to discern a very expensive harmonica from an affordable one, but this one sounds exactly like what I've always heard in recordings or online as someone is playing live or professionally. It's easy to play, sounds great, and it's very sturdy in fact, rocksolid. I actually liked it so much I bought a couple more for my kids who are also are enjoying the heck out of their's. If you're looking for a harmonica to start out on or if you're experienced and just want a new one with some cool graphics, this is the one! I'd recommend this harmonic to anyone anytime!!

I got this for my 2 and 1/2 year old who wanted a harmonica like her older brothers’. It has a nice feel and sound quality, comes with a polishing cloth, instruction sheet, and good, secure case. The case is solid and easy for an adult to open, but the two year old cannot open it (this is a plus because I don’t necessarily want to hear harmonica ALL THE TIME). She can play it easily and it can stand up to her abuse, and it would also be a suitable gift for an adult. Very happy with this purchase.

Comes in a really nice case with a cleaning cloth, seems well-built, quality item at a great price, but a few of these in different colors for the nieces and nephews, and they love them. Only promise whenever I see them I get a headache from all these harmonica‘s being played lol but definitely give it a try can’t go wrong with these for the price. They make great gifts for children, or even adults, as I love the quality of them and I think I’m going to see if I can find one in a green color for myself.

Not bad for the price. As I am Not a professional, I did not see the need to pay a lot for a harmonica set right now. These are not bad blues harps, the addition of Bb is a real plus. The only negative here is that these harps are a little tight on air. It takes a good bit of blowing to get a loud enough sound. Again, for the price, and for my level, that's not a significant issue. The carrying case is cute, too.

Easy for a toddler to blow on and create their own music. We had a cheap one and she found it frustrating to play. She isn’t playing tunes except for those of her own creation, but it is a positive step towards her move of music, autonomy, and creativity. I highly recommend it for any beginner, regardless of age. It comes in a nice case with a cleaning cloth. The case with the harmonica arrived in a nice box. Both my granddaughter and I are pleased with this purchase.

My little one saw her Dad had a harmonica, and she had to have one too. Her conditions were it had to be purple. Found this one and thought the price wasn't too expensive. She loves it. It's worth the money, it's sturdy, we love the little case it comes in, and we would gift it to someone if a harmonica was requested. Overall, it has been a great purchase.

I bought 3 and my kids love it !Well finished , sounds beautiful!considering to get for me as well and all family will be playing!I have to be creative to make my kids work their lungs ! Because they all need it and with these I have one less work of planning breathing activity! They just play and I enjoy the music !

ok for beginners, if you are not real serious about learning. The shape makes it a little tougher to learn on. the combs are also not as ergonomic as some of the pricier models (aka the Horner special 20)....its fun to play around with for the price, and ok if it gets left in a drawer once the novelty wears off... but if you are seriously trying to learn, and dont want to get frustrated and discouraged ... it may be easier on a mid ranged priced model like a hohner or lee oscar, or suzuki.

A friend of mine said as a kid in war time Germany he wanted a mouth organ like the allied solders had. Unfortunately he was unable to get one, A bright idea struck and his wish came true. It is fascinating to see him practice. He is getting rather good and his wife is still talking to me. Might add this is the second one as first one got lost. Thank you.

Don't let the description fool you. These are not good for beginners or intermediate players. This is a kids toy. The reeds tend to stick a bit. Fine if you are happy just blowing and drawing single and double notes. Once you begin to try learning techniques such as bending or playing fast triplets, these are no good. They are actually a detriment to the beginner because you will not learn proper technique and become frustrated. Do your self a favour and buy a Hohner Special 20 front the get go. One of them is the price of this set but the difference is amazing.Pros: Decent quality build for a kids toy. Terrific carrying case. At roughly $10 per harmonica, good price point for what you are getting.Cons: Sound is mediocre and not "clean". Takes much more effort to blow/draw than a "pro" harmonica. Difficult to bend notes. Reeds tend to stick when used a fair amount.

I wasnt expecting much at this price point, but it has far exceeded my expectations. For a cheap harmonica it plays nice, doesnt feel cheap, and is a blast to play around with. I have no experience on these things but they are simple to play (basic, not bending).

The sound quality is very good. However I only gave it 4 stars because there was a bur edge where the hand holds it. It looked like it was just a flaw. Since it was only me that used it, I was aware of the bur. and didn't make a fuss.i would recommend this