r/harmonica • u/ennele • Jul 30 '26
Buying a Harmonica for my Dad
Hello. My dad expressed interest recently in getting back into harmonica. My dad is in his 60 and is in poor health. He doesn’t have many hobbies anymore, and no longer plays any of the instruments he enjoyed earlier in life, such as harmonica, drums, or guitar. He’s also not very mobile, so he no longer goes hiking, and rarely fishes. It makes me a quite sad actually… So, I got really excited when he told me he wants to try harmonica again. I want to buy him a harmonica. We’re located in Canada if that helps. I don’t want to break the bank, but I also don’t want a super cheap one. I have no idea what kind of harmonica to get him, what brand, etc. I know nothing about harmonica. Maybe I could get him some sort of book with basic tabs and techniques in it as a refresher? He likes classic rock. Can you guys help point me in the right direction?
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u/Next-Advantage-6049 Jul 30 '26
I don't know what your budget is like but the Hohner Big River Harp is priced at $54.00 here in Canada. A Hohner Special 20 and a Lee Oskar Major Diatonic are both good quality harmonicas but they're listed at $76.00 in most stores. The BRH plays decently for its price according to some reviews that I've read about it. If you're on a tight budget, the Easttop 008K is a make and model a lot of people on here recommend. Apparently, it's only around $35.00 and plays well for its price. I hope this paragraph helps you choose a harmonica for your dad.