Reply To: Angel Melodyhorn AM-37K3
Now for some comparisons with the Yamaha P-37.
The plastic tray of the AM-37K3 (on the left) is heavier, more solid, and less flexible than that of the P-37D. Otherwise, the tray and enclosure of the two instruments are interchangeable, though the end pieces are not. In other words, the insides of a P-37D could be transplanted into the enclosure of an AM-37K3 and vice-versa. The same is true with a Yamaha P-37D and a Yamaha P-37E. Everything lines up, so there can be no doubt that the Angel Melodyhorn AM-37K3 is a copy, in its basic design, authorized or unauthorized, of the Yamaha P-37D Pianica. (The SongLin 37, which I posted about earlier in this forum, is a direct copy, in all its details, of the P-37D — a cheaply made copy, but one that I now know from comparisons just made sounds a lot like this Melodyhorn.)
The photos in the Melodica World Reviews entry for the Angel Melodyhorn 37 are of the AMEX-37K. It looks the same as my AM-37K3, except that it’s blue rather than green.
These two photos show the works of the AM-37K3 sitting in the tray of the P-37D.
Here now is a view of the springs of the Angel in comparison with those of the P-37E (which are the same as those of the P-37D).
The springs of the Angel are inferior in quality. In general, the quality of materials and workmanship inside the Angel is inferior to that of the Yamahas. This is most evident with the reeds and reed plates:
The comparison here is with the reed plates of the P-37E, since that’s what I had handy. The plates and reeds are the same on the P-37D and P-37E. The Yamaha plates and reeds are a shinier gold in color and obviously much more resistant to discoloration and corrosion than those of the Angel.
But if you like the sound, look, and feel of the Melodyhorn, as I do, it looks as though its reed plates could be easily replaced with genuine Yamaha stock plates, with the expectation that this would make the sound even better. I may very well do this.
The mouthpiece of the Angel and the Yamaha differ slightly, but they are interchangeable.
