Is the Blues Harp only for blues?

No. It is a standard Richter-tuned 10-hole diatonic, so it plays folk, rock and pop tabs too.

Which comes in more keys?

The Special 20: Hohner lists it in 13 keys, including high G. The Blues Harp comes in 12.

Hohner Blues Harp vs Hohner Special 20

Two mid-range Hohners with the same reeds and plates: the Blues Harp with a lacquered doussie wood comb, the Special 20 with a plastic one.

Side by side

Type: Hohner Blues Harp: 10-hole diatonic; Hohner Special 20: 10-hole diatonic
Reeds: Hohner Blues Harp: 20, brass; Hohner Special 20: 20, brass
Comb: Hohner Blues Harp: Doussie wood, double lacquered; Hohner Special 20: ABS plastic
Reed plates: Hohner Blues Harp: Brass, 0.9 mm; Hohner Special 20: Brass, 0.9 mm, recessed into the comb
Covers: Hohner Blues Harp: Stainless steel; Hohner Special 20: Stainless steel
Tuning: Hohner Blues Harp: Richter; Hohner Special 20: Richter; Country tuning in every key except high G
Keys: Hohner Blues Harp: F#, F, E, Eb, D, Db, C, B, Bb, A, Ab, G; Hohner Special 20: High G, F#, F, E, Eb, D, Db, C, B, Bb, A, Ab, G
Price tier: Hohner Blues Harp: $$ Mid-range (about $40 to $70); Hohner Special 20: $$ Mid-range (about $40 to $70)

Fact	Hohner Blues Harp	Hohner Special 20
Type	10-hole diatonic	10-hole diatonic
Reeds	20, brass	20, brass
Comb	Doussie wood, double lacquered	ABS plastic
Reed plates	Brass, 0.9 mm	Brass, 0.9 mm, recessed into the comb
Covers	Stainless steel	Stainless steel
Tuning	Richter	Richter; Country tuning in every key except high G
Keys	F#, F, E, Eb, D, Db, C, B, Bb, A, Ab, G	High G, F#, F, E, Eb, D, Db, C, B, Bb, A, Ab, G
Price tier	$$ Mid-range (about $40 to $70)	$$ Mid-range (about $40 to $70)

Which one for you?

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Choose the Hohner Blues Harp if

you want a wooden comb
you want MS-series parts that swap between models
you play mostly blues

Specs, pros and cons Check price on Amazon

Choose the Hohner Special 20 if

you want a comb that never swells
you want high G or Country tuning
you like a smooth, recessed mouthpiece

Specs, pros and cons Check price on Amazon

Questions

Is the Blues Harp only for blues?: No. It is a standard Richter-tuned 10-hole diatonic, so it plays folk, rock and pop tabs too.
Which comes in more keys?: The Special 20: Hohner lists it in 13 keys, including high G. The Blues Harp comes in 12.

Sources

Price tiers are approximate US street prices, checked October 2026.