If you're like me and want to add a harmonica to your playing while keeping your hands busy with another instrument – you know, guitar or keyboard stuff – a neck holder is pretty much a must-have. I picked up the K&M 16410 harmonica holder, and it's a straightforward piece of gear that totally works, especially if you're mostly using your harp for those rhythmic chords and fills.
This holder is actually really good for exactly that: letting me play some chords on the harmonica while my hands are free to strum, pick, or hit the keys. It holds the harmonica nice and securely, so I don't have to worry about it moving around while I'm playing something else. It feels pretty solid, like it can handle being used regularly, and the bit that goes around my neck is reasonably comfortable.
But, and this is a big one for me, where this holder falls a bit short is when I try to play clean, precise melodies. The main thing is that I just can't adjust the angle of the harmonica. When I'm trying to play single notes and those trickier melodic lines, I need a really specific and often subtle spot on the harmonica with my mouth. With this fixed angle, I just find it tough to consistently get that perfect position for clear notes and bending accurately. Honestly, it feels less natural and makes me move my head in kind of awkward ways compared to other holders I've seen that let you tweak the angle.
So, yeah, it's fantastic if you just want to throw in some texture and rhythmic harmonica bits while you're playing something else. But if your style involves a lot of playing melodies note-for-note and you need really fine control over where your mouth is, I think you might find this holder a bit tricky. It feels like a bit of a trade-off between how simple and affordable the holder is versus needing that flexibility for more detailed playing.
To wrap it up, I think the K&M 16410 harmonica holder is a solid, inexpensive choice if you mainly use your harmonica for chords while playing another instrument. It's built well and does that job effectively for me. But if you're planning on playing a lot of melodic runs and need really precise mouth placement, the fact that you can't adjust the angle could be a real sticking point. It's a good, functional tool, but I feel it's best suited for players whose needs fit within what it's designed to do.
