[Alan Brinton]

Hohner tried this in the 1960s and obviously decided the money was in mass marketing the kinds of melodicas they sell today. Maybe they also decided that the next steps for professional musicians were in the direction of electric keyboards and synthesizers. They also obviously have found that they can put $100 price tag on a gimmicked up cheap Melodica. But times change, and maybe you can find a sympathetic ear over there. The Hohner Shop is still offering the HM-26 for $58, though, so they probably aren’t getting the impression that there’s big market for sound holes and bendability.