[Adam Tombs]

The piano 27 with a red paint job is the alto model, the piano 26 with the grey or black paint is the soprano, according to my old Hohner literature (vintage how to play books etc). I am pretty sure that grey or black was the colour option for the piano 26 and that the red paint alto piano 27 followed on from the earlier push button alto Hohner melodica. I have not seen any Piano 26’s with red paint in the metal bodied versions.

However, there is a black piano 27 plastic bodied HM-27 model which looks to be a later model that is also an alto, range is F3 to G5 below middle C and extends up for over two chromatic octaves. It does not have small keys though…

Hope this is of some help.