Hohner needs to revamp this model. Hohner should start making the Old Standby in Germany, high quality and craftsmanship at a low price. The Old Standby should become Hohner's lowest priced German made model. Give it antique bronze color P.A.C. coverplates, plastic comb (narrower width, like the Marine Band and Hering Vintage), and reedplates similar to the MB.

I love the Old Standby. The classic Hohner model 34b is an icon among harps that rivals the Marine Band. The sad thing is that Hohnor, for over a decade now, has been making Old Standbys in China with a significant decrease in quality. How I wish Hohner would restore the respect and greatness to model 34b by making it in Germany once again at a low price comparable to the Blues Bender and Big River harps. It would be to Hohner's benefit to offer more German made models in the lower price range, and the Old Standby is a model that deserves such an upgrade the most. Come on Hohner...please make the Old Standby, model 34b, in Germany again at a price comparable to the Blues Bender and Big River models.

I loved the original German made Old Standby. It was my harp of choice. When Hohner switched the Old Standby to the current Chinese made junk it is now, I swore I would never buy another Hohner harp until the Old Standby was restored to its quality German made glory. I hope all Old Standby fans will do the same. For top drawer harps, I now buy Bushman or Seydel, and for cheaper practice harps, I go with Huang. If and when Hohner starts again making the Old Standby as a quality German made instrument at a low price comparable to the Big River and Blues Bender, I would be more than happy to start buying Hohner again, and make the Old Standby my harp of choice, as it should have been all these years.

I got a couple of these after my sister came back from New Orleans and she bought me an A and a Bb. Both harps were extremely hard to play, and I need to use way more energy to get good full bends and these were also very quiet. You can get a Huang for the same price, and they are much better harps out of the box.

I used to love the old German made Old Standbys. These newer Chinese made versions are OK. They have a great, full sound, and I like the larger holes on the plastic comb, although the comb is a bit too bulky for the harp. But the quality is weak. My biggest complaint are the cover plates. They corrode and tarnish too quickly (in mere days). Huang makes harps in China, yet thier quality is very good. I wish Hohner would start making the Old Standby in Germany again, increase the quality, but keep the price low, similar to Big River harps.