Hohner CX12 vs CX12 Jazz

Hohner's CX12 and CX12 Jazz share Hohner's innovative one piece cover plates and mouthpiece design, but they differ in several ways, not least of which is their respective prices. Let's examine both and see why the CX12 Jazz is considerably more expensive than its standard sibling.

Both harmonicas use Hohner's one piece ABS casing, which allows for tool free removal of the comb for maintenance and reed plate replacement, and creates a smooth and fast mouthpiece, with no metal parts coming into contact with the player's lips.

However, the Jazz has a more complex design of casing around the mouthpiece area, with the aim of making it easier to perform rapid single note melodies. It also has a very impressive looking iridescent finish, that changes from orange to purple depending on the perspective of the observer.

The reed plates, cover plates and slide mechanism are all the same, so the casing is the main difference (aside from the price) between the two harmonicas. Tonally, they are almost indistinguishable, so it is playability and aesthetics that differentiate the more expensive Jazz from its cheaper brother.

Are the differences worth it? In terms of playability, the Jazz has a quicker feeling mouthpiece, but the differences are relatively slight. Where it triumphs is in its looks, which are much more striking than the ‘plain Jane' CX12 Black.

Ultimately, the Jazz will appeal to players who appreciate its aesthetics and want one of the fastest feeling chromatics on the market. For everyone else, the CX12 Black does the job almost as well for significantly less outlay.

	vs
Harmonica Name	Hohner CX12 Black Harmonica	Hohner CX12 Jazz Harmonica
Harmonica Type	Chromatic Harmonica	Chromatic Harmonica
Number of Holes	12	12
Comb Material	Plastic	Plastic
Number of Reeds	48	48
Spare Reeds Available?	Yes	Yes
Tuning	Solo	Solo
Valved?	Yes	Yes
Musical Styles	Jazz, Classical, Pop	Jazz, Classical, Pop
Available Keys	A, B Flat, D, G, C, F, E, B, E Flat, C Tenor
Price from	£189.99	£239.99
	View details & Buy	View details & Buy