NOTE FOR ANY NON-UK CUSTOMERS: Every country works differently, but since we have left the EU, you will incur import tax and customs delays of several weeks when buying from a UK store. The tax will vary depending upon your county's rules, but please take this into account when ordering.
I think the 'double' comes from the fact that this instrument covers a full two octaves, but, whatever the reason for the name, it most certainly is a bass! As you play it you can feel the resonance of the deep notes.
This IS NOT a standard harmonica. First up, and the most obvious point, is the size - it is approx. 24 cm long, and weighs in at around 875g. As an ensemble instrument it is designed to play as a support in a band, not as the main instrument. The holes (there are 25) are blow only, and are laid out like a keyboard - the bottom row of holes are your 'whole' notes (the white keys), while the top row are #/♭, (your black keys). Compared to a diatonic harmonica the holes are big and well spaced, but on an instrument of this size it takes a while to get used to!
To produce the deep notes, the reeds are pretty substantial, and take quite a lot of air to shift, but once you 'get it' it is quite straight forward.
These beasts are not for everyone, and it will certainly help if you have a good grasp of some music theory, but in the right hands they sound amazing, and in the not quite right hands they can be frustratingly addictive!
