Tombo slideless chromatic harmonica...

[rustydusty]

About a week ago, I got a "slideless" chromatic harmonica by Tombo in the mail. Sounds nice, not hard to play if you are used to playing chromatic with a slide. I was hoping to be able to play some chromatic stuff with a "rack" and a ukulele but it's a little too awkward for that. Fun to play though... I have included pics of it with a Tombo Lee Oscar and some pictures with a Suzuki tremolo for size comparison. It's considered a Japanese "student" harmonica.

 

[KohanMike]

Someone posted that a few weeks ago. I think it's a great idea to make chromatic that much easier. I play diatonic blues and decided not to use a neck holder, I just don't play my uke for that song and use my hands with a Shaker Madcat mic.

 

[rustydusty]

Bending notes on a diatonic harp in a holder takes practice and the right harp.
The slideless chromatic harp is not necessarily easier or faster, just a different way of playing the black keys on a chromatic scale...

 

[plunker]

What is a slideless harmonica?

 

[rustydusty]

A chromatic harmonica includes the sharps and flats of the full chromatic scale. Basically it's the black keys of the piano that aren't present on the much more common diatonic harmonica such as a blues harp or a tremolo harmonica. Normally these sharps and flats are accessed with a slide that opens a second set of holes while closing the first diatonic scale. This type of harmonica is used in jazz, some blues, and any tune that needs the sharps. The Tombo places the sharps in a row above the major diatonic scale and are accessed by tipping the harp. Is it an advantage? Probably not, but it is fun to try something different...

 

[ElvishParsley]

I've been curious about this instrument. Not that I've exactly got the hang of a normal chromatic yet.... A shame it's not really rackable. I guess without the ability to turn the harmonica, you have to crick your neck at a an unpleasant angle to move between rows. Wonder if there's some way of rigging it to pivot?

 

[Down Up Dick]

Does the Tombo Chromatic S50 have windsavers? I hate those darn things. I’m an admittedly wet harp player, and chromatics always fail me. I have three of them, but. I never play them,

 

[ElvishParsley]

Does the Tombo Chromatic S50 have windsavers? I hate those darn things. I’m an admittedly wet harp player, and chromatics always fail me. I have three of them, but. I never play them,

Those are the plastic strip thingies that close themselves with a THPP! exactly when you least want them to, right? I think they're mainly there to deal with air leaking into the wrong holes via the slide mechanism. So if there's no slide...

This description makes it sounds like there are no windsavers / valves on the Tombo S50:

Tombo S50 Chromatic Harmonica

Tombo S50 Chromatic Harmonica - The Harmonica Company - Order online now for fast delivery worldwide.

theharmonicacompany.com

 

[Down Up Dick]

Yes, Elvish, you’re right. That would be good for me too.

I have an old Tombo Chromo, but it’s different from most Chromos. I have a few Lee Oscar’s too, but they’re also not my favorites. I like Hohners. Especially the old ones.

 

[malarz]

Yes, Elvish, you’re right. That would be good for me too.

I have an old Tombo Chromo, but it’s different from most Chromos. I have a few Lee Oscar’s too, but they’re also not my favorites. I like Hohners. Especially the old ones.

I think Seydel also makes a slideless chromatic.

 

[LimuHead]

So I read this thread and am instantly captivated with the layout of this harmonica. I can play regular diatonics and I also have 2 Hohner chromos, but the chromos are not so easy for my brain to grasp on the fly.

The fact that this harmonica plays the exact same note on the blow and draw for each hole appeals to me. For those of you familiar with concertinas, it's like the difference between Anglo and English systems:

- The Anglo concertina makes a different note on the push and pull.

- The English concertina makes the same note on push and pull.

My brain gets the English system layout but is befuddled by the Anglo. (Again, I'm talking about 'on the fly' music, meaning both sight reading and improvisation.)

I was taken so much with the concept of this instrument that I did a web search and found one on the big river site for a couple of bucks shy of $40. I should have it next week sometime and will report on how I'm getting along with it.

Thanks to the OP for sharing an instrument I was totally unaware of!

Aldon