Author Topic: Chrometta fan club! (Read 42841 times)

Grizzly · « **Reply #60 on:** July 12, 2018, 09:58:14 PM »

Consider a boat-shaped Swan. Similar covers and comb, metal mouthplate. However, the ones I've seen, IIRC, were 64s.

Tom

SlideMeister · « **Reply #61 on:** July 13, 2018, 09:40:41 PM »

Yeah, that's the one I'm talkin' about

HUGO · « **Reply #62 on:** July 24, 2018, 06:16:38 PM »

I know, I'm hard to please. Like Goldilocks, "The sixteens are too big and the eights are too small, but the twelve's and fourteens are just right" Well, we're allowed our own opinions and that's mine.

Ha Ha!

@ge
[/quote]

This "Chrometta Fan Club" thread has been an important Eye Opener for me! Thanks to everyone who contributed!

I share AJs' likening himself to Goldilocks. As a Meisterklasse, rack player though I find the twelves are even a bit too small, though I too find the sixteens' simply too large as they don't fit into the Hohner Flex Rack that I prefer. (although it fits into their standard, large rack just fine) Hence, I use the Meisterklasse for its' high quality and Flex Rack friendly size. But the question haunts me; what happens if the Meisterklasse has problems?

In my harmonica acquisition experience of the last decade, I've found that in most cases: you do get what you pay for. Starting out with the 260s' / 270s', I strove to ever acquire better quality harmonicas. (Hence my current interest in the East Top Brass models) I'd skimmed right past the Chrometta "Beginner" line until I came upon this great thread.
As a performer wishing to thwart Murphys' Law wherever possible, I must carry duplicates of all my important performance items. That can be a tall order for the high dollar items such as a Meisterklasse. Because of the positive reviews here, I'm actually looking into the Chrometta 14 as a potential emergency back up harmonica.

Thanks again!

John Broecker · « **Reply #63 on:** July 24, 2018, 06:31:20 PM »

Hello, Alejo.

The owners of Hohner Chromettas say that the tone
of a Chrometta is excellent.

Some people who have tried and disposed of Chromettas
say that the mouthpiece is "funky (not good)".

If you want a low-priced backup 14-hole slide chromatic,
try a Swan #1456. It seems that the Swan #1456 is not
in stock at this time, or has been discontinued.

www.swanmusicstore.com

I don't know if Easttop makes a 14-hole slide chromatic.
It isn't on the list of chromatics at New Harmonica.

www.newharmonica.com

Best Regards

John Broecker

HUGO · « **Reply #64 on:** July 24, 2018, 06:56:06 PM »

Hi John

Thank you for the tips. I've never considered the Swan brand and haven't seen anything along the lines of a 14 hole model from East Top which would be my first choice. It sounds interesting, I'll look into it!

I gather from your response that you believe it best I avoid the Chrometta. Perhaps trusting my initial instincts is a wise choice?

Great conversing with you after reading a large number of your wonderful, informative, articulate posts.

Cheers

Alejo

Gene D · « **Reply #65 on:** July 24, 2018, 11:08:16 PM »

I believe at one time, Paul Davies, a former president of SPAH and presently a committee director played the chrometta exclusively. I don't know if that is still true. I formerly played the Chrometta 14 for awhile. You soon get used to the mouthpiece.

Gene D

HUGO · « **Reply #66 on:** July 25, 2018, 12:15:57 AM »

Hi Gene
thank you for sharing that interesting nugget. It does seem to validate the model as something worthy of consideration.

Alejo

John Broecker · « **Reply #67 on:** July 25, 2018, 10:47:22 AM »

Hello, Alejo.

Many more people than one have said
the Chromettas are great sounding harps.

It's an opinion and a fact, that the performer,
not the Chrometta, makes the sound good or bad.
Without a performer, the Chrometta, and all other
wind instruments, are mute.

I bought a Swan #1456, 14-hole slide chromatic, about
5 years ago. It has gold-plated covers, mouthpiece, slider
parts, cover screws. It was inexpensive, and works well,
even today. It's a back-up for my Meisterklasse.

But this is a Chrometta discussion. The Chrometta 12 that
I had for about a week had the black plastic comb. I didn't
like the mouthpiece. Also, I couldn't figure how to detach
the slide spring.

From what I've read here at SlideMeister, many years ago,
you must remove the slider spring to get to the mouthpiece,
to get to the slider assembly, to get to the reed plates, or to
get to other maintenance procedures.

One or many of the Chrometta owners might reply to that
statement. They may say I'm totally incorrect. All I know
about Chromettas would fit in the period at the end of this
sentence.

I also have another similar 16-hole VERMONA slide chromatic.
I wanted to remove the mouthpiece to clean the slider parts
(they're gummed up from the prior owner). VERMONA products
were made in East Germany, from 1953-1964. Junk.

But, I'll bet a shiny nickel that any one of the Chrometta owners
would sound great on a VERMONA.

JB

Keith · « **Reply #68 on:** July 25, 2018, 02:20:03 PM »

If I remember right, you just take off the cover plates to get at the spring, & pull it away from the slide - but it was a while ago.

SlideMeister · « **Reply #69 on:** July 25, 2018, 05:43:15 PM »

You can use a butter knife (or even do it by hand) Just watch your eyes, in case the thing decides to go airborne. I generally use the needle nosed pliers I keep on my desk.
Hmm, good thread topic.

Age

HUGO · « **Reply #70 on:** July 25, 2018, 07:55:50 PM »

I hope to sample a Chrometta someday. Who knows, as someone who cut their teeth on Hohners', perhaps I too will become a Chrometta fan.
Alejo

Crawforde · « **Reply #71 on:** July 25, 2018, 08:09:30 PM »

If the mouthpiece doesn’t bother you you may love it.
If it does you may still like it enough to adapt.

HUGO · « **Reply #72 on:** July 26, 2018, 12:02:43 PM »

My exact thoughts. I'm looking forward to trying.

beads · « **Reply #73 on:** July 26, 2018, 09:53:37 PM »

While I like the Chrometta I wouldn't call myself a fan. It sounds nice and mellow. I don't have a problem with using the mouthpiece but it does seem to tire my mouth muscles a little quicker than other harps. I play it with a pucker. It also seems like it takes a bit more wind. The reed plates are held on with metal drift pins. Smo Joe clued me in about those. I have taken mine apart just once. I used a 1 inch C clamp and put a set screw (with a hole for an allen wrench) over one end of the pin and pushed the other end so the one end went into the hole of the set screw. I suppose you could do the same with a stack of small washers. Then I taped each pin onto a diagram I made of the harp so that I could put each pin back into the same hole. I used the C clamp and a smaller set screw (this time over the pointed end of the pin) to push them back in and it all worked just fine. Others have used a small hammer and punch but I fear there is a chance to do some damage that way if you slip. The slide spring is hard to get off but easy to get back on. You have to move the short arm of the spring out from under the reed plate and then over the reed plate. Then it just lifts out and the slide will come out. I made a little recording with my Chrometta tonight.

Aluvsupreme · « **Reply #74 on:** July 27, 2018, 01:41:06 AM »

Nicely done. But i can tell you are using alot wind to activate those reeds . Thanks, Brian

Keith · « **Reply #75 on:** November 26, 2018, 11:14:16 AM »

Quote

- so I was just wondering if anyone else has bought one, or revisited their old Chrometta lately.

Well, after having thought about it for the past year(?) or so - (quite a while anyway) - I just bought a '10' hole to go with my '14' - I will get used to those big square holes!

(Also got a Low Eb Session Steel - early pressies to myself.

)

Joe Phillips · « **Reply #76 on:** November 27, 2018, 11:24:38 PM »

I'm glad to see this thread re-awakened. I have three Chromettas and have a fondness for them because of their stories. All were impulse buys and can't be further justified. The Chrometta 8 was an impulse buy because I wanted a small solo-tuned instrument to practice on in the car, and wean my way off diabolic (it didn't work). The Chrometta 10 was bought because I was looking for a 12 and the store didn't have any. Once I got a feel for orchestra tuning, on the 10 it clicked immediately that I had to have a 14. Now I understood what the deal was.
I should point out that this all happened in about a year when I was returning to the chrome, was unaware of this site, and its resources and generosity, and unaware of the vast offering of harmonicas at lower price points than many or most of Hohner's. Today, as a value proposition, I couldn't recommend a Chrometta to a beginner, its original intended target.
However, I enjoy mine, especially the mellow tone and warmth. I like them for what they are, mouthpiece and all. I agree with Age; the Chrometta 8 is little more than Little Lady, which is funny when you think of it. I carry a Little Lady in its little plastic box in my pocket to remind me to make music every day. That fetish doesn't always work either.

Keith · « **Reply #77 on:** November 28, 2018, 04:41:11 AM »

A lot of us on here, (& these forums), just play for our own enjoyment, so it doesn't really matter what you're using, just that you're enjoying doing it.

..........& some of us tend to collect these things, too.

Yonder · « **Reply #78 on:** November 28, 2018, 01:39:29 PM »

I know this harmonica player from the local senior center. I used my laptop to record him a few years ago when he was 90 years old. Here are two songs he played on a Hohner Chrometta 8 .
Just goes to show, if you have the skill
you can sound pretty good on any harmonica.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrjPdwYmjMg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6nA0aF4_Ts

Keith · « **Reply #79 on:** November 29, 2018, 05:03:09 AM »

Thanks for posting those, it just goes to show how good these chroms are.

frankyb · « **Reply #80 on:** November 29, 2018, 12:54:48 PM »

Thanks I really enjoyed it. I wish I could play that well with any harmonica.

Yonder · « **Reply #81 on:** November 29, 2018, 08:15:05 PM »

Here is another one for the Chrometta,
he played it on the Chrometta 8 hole
harmonica. A nice song called "Ruby" I recorded him a few years ago at the Senior Center.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhKvtXPG_E4

Keith · « **Reply #82 on:** November 30, 2018, 05:05:11 AM »

Thanks, Yonder, & please let him know his playing is appreciated.

Keith · « **Reply #83 on:** January 24, 2019, 04:50:58 AM »

I found this whilst looking at something else - Ken Lieboff two Chrometta 10s - he must think them pretty good to have bought both the old & the new models.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUM32PjVWp0

Keith · « **Reply #84 on:** January 28, 2019, 04:41:45 AM »

.....& here he is again on a Chrometta 8.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojXJFV4xBaM

captainsteve · « **Reply #85 on:** January 31, 2019, 04:17:10 PM »

Still brewing with chromatic, finally starting to be able to play solo
notes fairly consistently since I started about a month ago. The chrometta's sound
good as far as I can tell. I have one newer built in asia with screws and nuts, the other
is older and has nails to hold the reedplate to the comb . ( be careful if you open
they can be sharp) Access to the spring is easy below the cover plate with a forceps or a needle nose ,
there is a little surgical tube over the spring to reduce noise and wear against the comb at the moving
contact area. Cleaning the slide is easy , i dont use any oil or grease at this time, but a decent
cloth and possibly a plastic pot cleaner fabric can get through the dried goop to clean and make it slide
smoothly. I have not had to replace any windsavers yet but I have some ready to go if I need.

draak13 · « **Reply #86 on:** February 02, 2019, 02:50:57 PM »

It has taken me a long time to get around to this thread. Shame on me. I have 18 harmonicas, no 2 a like. Love them all. 16 are only played at home. The other 2 travel. A Chrometta 10 lives in my car. If I am going to leave the house for an extended period of time, ( anything over 4 hours ) My Chrometta 14 gets tucked into the inside pocket of my coat. I like all my harmonicas but my Chromettas are my traveling buddies.

Otter · « **Reply #87 on:** May 18, 2020, 10:43:19 AM »

I guess this thread is the best place for this - I got my Chrometta 14 thoroughly cleaned, taped the slider and put it back together, and today I've been playing it and seeing if I can get used to it. The mellowness is nice, quite different from my Kmise 1040, and I'm liking the extra range at the bottom. I don't know if I can imagine playing it all the time, but it does have some charm about it.

Keith · « **Reply #88 on:** May 18, 2020, 11:14:04 AM »

They've got a nice tone, if you can adjust to the mouthpiece.....

SlideMeister · « **Reply #89 on:** June 30, 2020, 04:22:42 PM »

HERE IT IS!

Author Topic: Chrometta fan club! (Read 42841 times)

Gene D

Keith

Keith

Keith

Yonder

Keith

frankyb

Yonder

Keith

Keith

Keith

captainsteve

draak13

Otter

Keith