Hohner 1896 Marine Band Harmonica

A well-known, precisely crafted, historic harmonica with a pearwood comb and an amazing tone.

The Hohner 1896 Marine Band Harmonica is a harmonica classic that helped define the soundtrack of American blues. Unchanged since its 1896 patent, this iconic instrument produces a rich, expressive tone that shaped the sound of blues harmonica. Now you can experience the real deep blues with this piece of music history.

Traditional Assembly and Curved Covers

The 1896 Marine Band Harmonica features traditional assembly with nails, attaching the reed plates and covers for an authentic vintage look and feel. Its curved covers with side vents produce the original bluesy sound that this model is known for.

Double-Lacquered Pearwood Comb

At the heart of the 1896 Marine Band Harmonica is a pearwood comb sealed with two layers of clear lacquer. This double lacquering helps reduce swelling and warping, giving the harmonica a stable, airtight construction for consistent tone and pitch.

20 Brass Reeds for Rich Tone

This diatonic harmonica contains 20 brass reeds that generate a full, expressive tone. The reeds are mounted on 0.9 mm brass reed plates for resonance and durability. Together, the reeds and reed plates produce the rich, musical sound that defined blues harmonica.