Lee Oskar Major Diatonic Harmonica A
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Designed by a master of the harp.
Well-suited for blues, rock, country, folk, and jazz. They're more airtight, easier to bend, and better sounding than many harps. Modular design.
Built in Japan to his exacting standards and incorporating new techniques and materials, it was in 1983 that Lee Oskar introduced his new harmonica. The radically different harp design grew out of Lee's frustration with the lack of quality and consistency in the mouth harps of the day. The design also benefited from Oskar's insights as a seasoned recording and touring pro.
The Dane's Design
Central to Oskar's design is a smooth plastic comb that doesn't swell like traditional wood combs. Aside from being easier to keep clean, the plastic comb is impervious to the swelling of conventional harmonica wood combs that can tear up the player's lips. By making affordable replacement reed plates available, Oskar's harps can be easily refurbished. You no longer need to toss out a harmonica because a reed or two has gone south. Replacement reed plates are available for every model in the Lee Oskar harmonica lineup and installation is easy since they mount to the comb with just three self-tapping screws. The reed plates have wide chambers and narrow dividers for faster, easier playing. A precision-molded, recessed bed holds the reed plate securely to prevent air leakage and project a bigger sound. The corrosion-proof, stainless steel cover plates are also engineered for excellent projection and tone. (Replacement cover plates are also available.) Lee Oskar harmonicas are tuned to 441-plus hertz for a brighter sound. With equal tuning by octaves, Lee Oskar harps have excellent intonation for blowing highly articulate, single-note leads.
More Keys and Modes
Lee's innovation didn't stop with a better-designed harp. Recognizing the need for harmonicas tuned in other than the major and natural minor diatonic scales, he introduced the Melody Maker and Harmonic Minor series that make it easier to play melodies difficult if not impossible to play with a standard diatonic harmonica. Another indication of Oskar's hard-won knowledge as a touring pro: Each harp is clearly marked in bright white on both ends with its first- and second-position (straight and cross-harp) keys. Each harmonica box is color-coded according to its series and also displays its key prominently. If you've ever struggled to find the right harp on a darkened stage, you will appreciate this simple yet essential touch.
About Lee Oskar
Even if you don't recognize Lee Oskar by name, if you've listened to pop radio much, you've probably heard his highly personal mouth harp style on War hits like "The Cisco Kid," "Low Rider," and "Why Can't We Be Friends." Oskar's staccato phrasing and uncanny tone—put to great use blowing horn-like unison riffs with saxman Charles Miller—gave War's funky stew of Latino, Caribbean, African, jazz, rock, and R&B elements a distinctive lead voice. This was especially true after the departure of vocalist Eric Burdon. The former Animals singer had been a focal point for War on early hits like "Spill The Wine." The band's eclectic and fluent mix of genres proved a rich fount leading to a string of '70s and '80s hits, usually with Oskar's distinctive harp riffs providing the signature sound.
Features
- Airtight
- Easier second-position bending
- All key components are replaceable
Order all the keys you need today!
Review Snapshot®
by PowerReviews(based on 111 reviews)
Ratings Distribution
89%
of respondents would recommend this to a friend.
Pros
- Easy to play (9)
- Quality craftsmanship (9)
- Consistent (8)
- Warm tone (8)
- Good audio (6)
Cons
Best Uses
- Accompaniment (7)
- Small venues (6)
- Reviewer Profile:
- Experienced (6), Novice (3)
Most Liked Positive Review
Review
I am a guitar player. I decided last May to finally incorperate the harmonica into what I do. I decided to start off with a pro-level harp because I wanted a pro-quality instrument. I...Read complete review
I am a guitar player. I decided last May to finally incorperate the harmonica into what I do. I decided to start off with a pro-level harp because I wanted a pro-quality instrument. I did some research and picked the Lee Oskar Major Diatonic. I knew I was getting a good harmonica, but I didn't know it would be this good. The Major Diatonic is a fantastic instrument. It is classy looking and has a no-nonsense design. I like the way the comb (where the holes are for those of you who may not know what that is) protrudes from the cover plates. It provides a nice roadmap for your tongue so you know where you are. The overall design makes playing and maneuvering from note to note much easier than other harps I?ve tried. The tone is great too, very big, bright and full bodied sound which is very much at home with warmer sounding guitars. Single notes sound great and bending is effortless making it great for learning on. You can get a ton of great sounds out of this thing. It?s one of those harps where if you play a wrong note it?s your fault, not the harp?s. The Major Diatonic is built like a tank too. The reeds have withstood some of my bad technique; it?s been dropped a few times in dust, and played next to a roaring fire. Other harps (if they have wood combs would have warped). The Major Diatonic keeps going in situations where other harps would bite the dust. It is also very easy and convenient to maintenance, which takes a load off my mind. I own two Hohners and they are not as easy to take apart and clean which makes me very reluctant to play them. Because of this feature I can bang away on this harp all I want and not worry about it getting dirty or skuzzy, because it is so easy to clean. Having the Lee Oskar Harmonica tool kit makes this process very hassle free. The website is also a super resource as well. This is a fantastic product. Give it I try, you really can?t go wrong.
VS
Most Liked Negative Review
Not a strong harp
Though beyond novice, I'm still something of a harp newbie. This Oskar was my first venture outside the Hohners and I found it somewhat disappointingly "weak" - though others might say...Read complete review
Though beyond novice, I'm still something of a harp newbie. This Oskar was my first venture outside the Hohners and I found it somewhat disappointingly "weak" - though others might say "mellow" - especially compared to my favored Special 20's -
Reviews
Reviewed by 111 customers
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Pros
- Consistent
- Easy To Play
- Quality Craftsmanship
- Rich Sound
- Warm Tone
Cons
Best Uses
- Accompaniment
- Small Venues
Comments about Lee Oskar Major Diatonic Harmonica:
Lee Oskar harmonicas. Yup, good harps. A little better than Suzuki Blues Masters (blow out way too fast) & Hohner Marine Bands (nasty wooden comb). Comparable with Hohner Special 20 & Pro-harps. Oskars are easier to change reads on than pro-harps but the reeds ain't cheap & replaceing them ain't fun. Oskar harps are more clearly marked re: key. (I use bigger stickers to mark my harps so they can be easily picked in dark noisy gigs.) Oskar's also come in a bunch of weird keys which is also fun. The box is nice 'cause it fits together with other Oskar boxes. They give a little warning when about to blow out rather than all at once like special 20's do. however after you've got as many boxes as you want there's not much advantage over special 20's or pro-harps. I play very hard with lots of bends, overblows & other gimmicks. therefore, I blow out harps fairly quickly. Usually I check to see which one of my preferred 3 is on sale (I already have enough boxes)to decide which to replace with this time.
Pros
- Consistent
- Easy To Play
- Quality Craftsmanship
- Rich Sound
- Warm Tone
Cons
Best Uses
- Accompaniment
- Small Venues
- Soundtracks
Comments about Lee Oskar Major Diatonic Harmonica:
I have been playing for many years, but put off buying an E flat harmmonica. It was getting more difficult to play along with all the music opportunities because of not having the correct key. Once I made the decision to purchase another quality harp, availablity and price became a factor. Musician's Friend and Lee Oskar made the choice easier because they had met both criteria. A full and easy sound to produce. My company has continued to use Musician's Friend as the vendor for music support.
Pros
- Consistent
- Quality Craftsmanship
- Warm Tone
Cons
- Flat Sound
Best Uses
- Accompaniment
- Small Venues
Comments about Lee Oskar Major Diatonic Harmonica:
Though beyond novice, I'm still something of a harp newbie. This Oskar was my first venture outside the Hohners and I found it somewhat disappointingly "weak" - though others might say "mellow" - especially compared to my favored Special 20's -
Pros
- Easy To Play
- Warm Tone
Cons
Best Uses
- Accompaniment
- Small Venues
Comments about Lee Oskar Major Diatonic Harmonica:
Very easy to bend. Have not had it long enough to tell about quality or how consistent it will be.
Pros
- Consistent
- Easy To Play
- Quality Craftsmanship
- Warm Tone
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Lee Oskar Major Diatonic Harmonica:
Great sound, mellow tone.
Pros
- Easy To Play
- Quality Craftsmanship
- Rich Sound
Cons
Best Uses
- Accompaniment
- Small Venues
Comments about Lee Oskar Major Diatonic Harmonica:
I'm new to the harmonica but very pleased with this brand and model. The sound is very bright and I am enjoying learning all about it. The portability of the harmonica and the neat little case it comes in all add to my pleasure. I'm looking forward to many happy hours both at home and out in nature with it. I would recommend it to anyone and everyone. I researched the product first and it was time well spent. I will definitely buy another Lee Oskar instrument in the future.
Pros
- Consistent
- Easy To Play
- Quality Craftsmanship
- Rich Sound
- Warm Tone
Cons
Best Uses
- Contemporary Music
Comments about Lee Oskar Major Diatonic Harmonica:
Good tone, easy to bend and very dependable. The physical design is very nice for stacking when performing song's with multiple key changes. Good variety of special tuned harmonica's also.
Pros
- Consistent
- Easy To Play
- Modular
- Quality Craftsmanship
- Rich Sound
- Warm Tone
Cons
Best Uses
- Accompaniment
- Jazz Clubs
- School Bands
- Small Venues
- Studio
Comments about Lee Oskar Major Diatonic Harmonica:
I'm new to the harmonica, but have been playing guitar and other instruments for a little over ten years now. This was my second harp, following the Hohner Blues Band, and before making any comparisons, it's important to note that there is a significant price point difference between them. That being said, the Lee Oskar is markedly better in every way I've cared to measure.
It has a bright, brassy sound to it that projects well, and it's significantly louder than the cheaper Hohner. It also works very consistently with no adjustments so far. I even checked it with a tuner and it's a tiny bit sharp (441+ like the ad says) but uniform. It also bends very easily. The holes in the comb are a bit larger and closer together, which makes pucker technique a little bit tougher, but my does it sound sweet.
Being a new player, I don't really know what I'm doing and have had to learn a lot by trial and error. Even after repeated misguided "overblow" attempts none of my reeds have failed or gone out of tune enough that I've noticed.
The reasons that I chose the Lee Oskar Major Diatonic are simple and I believe practical. I wanted a decent instrument that wouldn't put me in the poorhouse. I wanted to be able to maintain and repair the instrument to squeeze even more blood from the ol' money stone, and I was primarily interested in rock and blues. Given these factors, the rest makes sense.
I've had this harmonica for about three weeks now, and I couldn't be more satisfied with my purchase. I don't have the experience to compare it to others in it's league, but I know that for my money I am very satisfied with my purchase. I would one hundred percent recommend this to anyone that has been curious enough to try the harp, and is looking to take it up a notch. Five stars.
Pros
- Consistent
- Easy To Play
- Quality Craftsmanship
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Lee Oskar Major Diatonic Harmonica:
Lee Oscar harps are the best, no air leaks and you can change reeds.
Pros
- Consistent
- Easy To Play
- Quality Craftsmanship
- Rich Sound
- Warm Tone
Cons
Best Uses
- Accompaniment
Comments about Lee Oskar Major Diatonic Harmonica:
I usually buy Special 20's, but lately have bought a few Lee Oskars. They are great and dependable.
