Although choosing the right harmonica is mainly a matter of taste, it is still worth investing in a good harmonica. You can get a good harp for about 20-40 euros. Reliable experienced harmonica manufacturers include Hohner, Suzuki, Ceydel and Hering. However, they also make cheap models (less than 10 euros). The disadvantages of cheap harmonicas are their uneven quality and poor air tightness. If the air is ”wasted” when blowing or drawing, the sound is clogged and playability becomes more difficult. For example, bending with a leaking harp is often difficult. In practice, buying a bad harmonica can dispel the beginner’s enthusiasm right from the start. It’s a good idea to invest at least 20-40 euros in a harmonica.

When choosing a new harmonica, make sure that its cover plates are fastened to the comb with screws and not nails. The screw-fastened covers are conveniently removable and reattachable, which allows maintenance of the harmonica and extends the lifespan of the instrument.

Diatonic harmonica is a 10-hole tiny instrument known as the ”blues harp”. The material of the central part of the harp, the comb, is mostly either made of wood or plastic. The comb material is mostly a matter of taste. Of course, wood reacts more to moisture than plastic.

For example, I think the following models are great options for starting a hobby:

There are some example models that I would recommend for beginners:

Hohner Special 20

Hohner Golden Melody

Hohner Blues Harp MS

Seydel Session

Seydel Solist Pro

Suzuki Manji

Suzuki Olive

When buying a new harp, you should also think about the key of the instrument. Most of the harmonica exercises on the internet are for harmonicas with the key of C. Slightly lower G and A key harmonics are also good instruments to start with. In practice, however, I would recommend buying a C-harmonica first. Most of the exercises on http://www.huuliharppu.fi are for C-harmonica.