Seydel 1847 Lightning vs Seydel 1847 Noble

Seydel's 1847 range includes a number of harmonica that share the same basic design, albeit with different comb materials and finishes. The Lightning and Noble are very similar in appearance, but there are some fundamental differences that we'll look at below.

Both harps have a traditional design, with the cover plates being similar in looks to something like a Marine Band, rather than the full length style seen on the brand's Session Steel. The reed plates on both harmonicas are German silver, with stainless steel reeds, but the Lightning gets a higher level of finish, with the plates being polished to a mirror appearance.

Delving further inside, the Lightning has a stainless steel comb and all stainless or non-corrosive screws. The Noble, in comparison, uses standard screws and an alloy comb. The difference can be felt immediately in the hand - the Lightning is an exceptionally heavy harp, due primarily to the solid steel comb. It feels absolutely bombproof and there is a real sense of resonance when playing it. The Noble, in comparison, feels less substantial, but this is only in comparison to the hefty Lightning - compared to lightweight harps like the Crossover it feels extremely solid. Tone-wise, it has a slightly less full sound than the Lightning, but this is a very small difference.

The main upside of the Noble over the Lightning is its lighter weight. Gigging musicians who are playing for long periods of time may find the Lightning to be a little heavy, and those who use racks/harmonica holders may discover that they need to tighten the bolts hard to stop the Lightning from pulling the rack away from their mouth.

The Lightning is also a little more expensive than the Noble, and is not available in the same variety of tunings and keys. Overall, though, it's the best diatonic Seydel makes, and, if you can afford it, it is worth adding at least one to your collection.

	vs
Harmonica Name	Seydel 1847 Lightning Harmonica	Seydel 1847 Noble Harmonica
Harmonica Type	Diatonic Harmonica	Diatonic Harmonica
Number of Holes	10	10
Comb Material	Alloy	Alloy
Number of Reeds	20	20
Spare Reeds Available?	Yes	Yes
Tuning	Richter	Richter
Valved?	No	No
Musical Styles	Blues, Rock, Pop, Folk	Blues, Rock, Pop, Folk
Available Keys	A, B Flat, D, G, C, F, E	A, B Flat, D, Low F, G, C, F, E, B, E Flat, G High, F Sharp, D Flat, A Flat, Low E, Low D, Low F Sharp, Low E Flat, Low D Flat, Low C, Low B Flat, Low Low F, A High, A Flat High, Low B, Low Low F Sharp, Low Low E, Low A Flat, B Flat High, Low G, Low A
Price from	£99.49	£79.49
	View details & Buy	View details & Buy