Rustys26
32 posts
May 19, 2015
5:37 AM
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Hey guys,
Wanted to buy my first Low F harp and was going to also try out the Suzuki Manji at the same time...but can't seem to find any dealers in this part of the world.
Any aussies able to lend a hand?
Cheers,
Rusty
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florida-trader
692 posts
May 19, 2015
5:40 AM
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Rustys26 - if you don't have anyone in Australia who can help you drop me a line. I have a good supply of Suzukis (I am a Suzuki Dealer) and I can take care of you. It would ship from the US which generally costs less than $10 US. I can give you a good enough deal to offset the shipping cost.
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Tom Halchak
www.BlueMoonHarmonicas.com
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Rustys26
33 posts
May 19, 2015
5:51 AM
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Thanks Tom, I'll see if I have any luck here first but will for sure keep that in mind.
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SuperBee
2611 posts
May 19, 2015
5:54 AM
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Gotta be Dane Clarke at MandoHarp. Google it. He's in NSW, sells online, get on the phone, he'll steer you right.
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Rustys26
34 posts
May 19, 2015
6:03 AM
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Cheers, superbee
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BronzeWailer
1683 posts
May 19, 2015
6:27 AM
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+1 on Dane. He is a good guy and service is excellent.
BronzeWailer's YouTube
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Glass Harp Full
29 posts
May 19, 2015
3:39 PM
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I also recommend Dane Clark at Mandoharp. They have a good range of Hohners, Suzukis and Seydels that you can't find in stores at good prices. Many of them include free shipping within Australia. Great service.
The website is mandoharp.com Maybe Adam could put a link on this site for all the Aussies on the forum?
Last Edited by Glass Harp Full on May 19, 2015 3:50 PM
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BigBlindRay
248 posts
May 19, 2015
9:45 PM
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Hi Rusty.
Lamberti Brothers are the Oz supplier for Suzuki Harmonicas. Unfortunately however, their presence isn't very big when it comes to Suzuki Harmonica supply in Oz music stores as opposed to Pro Music or Kurt Jacobs who are the Oz suppliers of Hohner product. Not to go into great detail but its a real dick move by Hohner to have two Oz distributors when KJ has shown a great deal of loyalty and dedication to the Hohner brand in Oz but im going on a tangent there.
Dane @ MandoHarp does indeed stock Suzuki and you will have no drama with ordering through him. If purchasing online is not your thing though, you can go into a music store and order through the Oz distributor. Just expect issues with turnaround time and supply.
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- BigBlindRay
BigBlindRay website
Like me on Facebook
Listen to my music here
Last Edited by BigBlindRay on May 19, 2015 9:46 PM
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Komuso
583 posts
May 19, 2015
10:27 PM
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Suzuki Manji are ~A$32 at http://shop.taniguchi-gakki.jp/products/list.php?category_id=58 which is a lot less than A$80-90 it will cost you in OZ.
Maybe you should ask them how much to get delivered from Japan?
https://shop.taniguchi-gakki.jp/user_data/english.php
No offence to mandoharp (local prices are set by manufacturer++)...but if I could get 2 manji for the price of one I would. Who isn't on a budget nowdays and harps are not cheap anymore (relatively speaking, though quality is also way up).
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Paul Cohen aka Komuso Tokugawa
HarpNinja - Learn Harmonica Faster
Bringing the Boogie to the Bitstream
Last Edited by Komuso on May 20, 2015 1:54 AM
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didjcripey
887 posts
May 19, 2015
10:54 PM
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Dane at Mandoharp... offers an amazing replacement policy too.
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Lucky Lester
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harmonicanick
2238 posts
May 20, 2015
12:25 PM
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Cor Komuso harps at Japanese prices..interesting..
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Komuso
584 posts
May 20, 2015
6:36 PM
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I know there was a stink a while back with US distributors complaining about people ordering direct from Japan but nobody can stop you doing it.
It's your risk whether you decide it's worth paying more for warranty/service in case of a defective product vs a sometimes significant price difference.
Personally in all my years playing I've never had to replace a harp.
I've always blown them out myself.
Replacement reed plates work wonders after they finally die from too much re-tuning.
But it's up to the individual and we should have the option of being able to buy from wherever we want imho.
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Paul Cohen aka Komuso Tokugawa
HarpNinja - Learn Harmonica Faster
Bringing the Boogie to the Bitstream
Last Edited by Komuso on May 20, 2015 8:02 PM
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Aussiesucker
1474 posts
May 20, 2015
9:49 PM
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Dane at Mandoharp No 1. http://www.mandoharp.com/
Great service.
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HARPOLDIE’S YOUTUBE
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didjcripey
888 posts
May 20, 2015
10:32 PM
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Its a while since I've bought a Manji, but I have bought them direct from Japan too; they definitely cost me more than 32 bucks and I'm pretty sure I got them of that website. Danes prices are not far from the mark, and like I said he does a replacement guarantee.
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Lucky Lester
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Komuso
588 posts
May 21, 2015
12:46 AM
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>> they definitely cost me more than 32 bucks and I'm pretty sure I got them of that website
I wouldn't know you'd have to email them and ask.
The price I quoted is what they have on their website if I walked in and bought one or rang them up. I don't know if they charge more for international orders.
Maybe they do because Suzuki distributors in US got shitty and Suzuki Japan cracked down. I can't see why as it's the same product and they're still moving them.
But they'd be stupid to sell them at the same price (+ shipping + duty) as it would cost you in your country because why would you bother ordering from them in the first place?
I find the whole notion of exclusive domestic distributorships a bit strange in a world where you can now order directly from a store anywhere.
Replacements are nice, but for a lowish cost product made to spec shouldn't be a major risk decision.
That said the Japanese music instrument biz has traditionally been controlled by a couple of families who are extremely protective of their "exclusive" deals to sell brands in Japan.
American blues friend of mine found out how protective when he tried to direct import National's, who he had a working relationship with.
Don't poke the bear!
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Paul Cohen aka Komuso Tokugawa
HarpNinja - Learn Harmonica Faster
Bringing the Boogie to the Bitstream
Last Edited by Komuso on May 21, 2015 1:08 AM
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A440
379 posts
May 27, 2015
9:18 AM
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Hey Komuso, Thanks for the tip on Taniguchi-Gakki. You posted about the place a while ago and I noted the website. I'm in Tokyo this week and visited the shop. What a great little place! I picked up 4 Manjis for 3,105¥ each - or about 23€ (25 US$) each.
And Tokyo is such a cool city!
Last Edited by A440 on May 27, 2015 9:23 AM
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Komuso
608 posts
May 27, 2015
6:15 PM
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@1847
That's true, but I was referring to Manji's specifically. Afaik (and I could be wrong) they are made in Japan at Suzuki's own factory. Maybe Gnarly could confirm.
@A440
Good to hear. There's a few blues bars in Tokyo if you want to check them out. http://www.terraplane-blues.com/ is a neat one in Shibuya up in the love hotel area of Dogenzaka. If you open it in Google Chrome it should auto translate *well enough* to english for you.
Also Bright Brown up in Nakano http://www011.upp.so-net.ne.jp/nakano-BB/schedule/index.html has a regular jam session.
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Paul Cohen aka Komuso Tokugawa
HarpNinja - Learn Harmonica Faster
Bringing the Boogie to the Bitstream
Last Edited by Komuso on May 27, 2015 6:18 PM
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A440
380 posts
May 27, 2015
7:00 PM
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@komuso - thanks! I head home tomorrow, but I will be back again soon - venues noted for my next visit.
@1847 - Yes, China probably leads in volume maunufacturing. The low end Hohners, low end Suzukis, plus Swans and many other brands are made in China. Most of the Suzuki line is manufactured in Japan, as are Tombos. All Seydels and the mid-to-high end Hohners are made in Germany. Herrings are made in Brazil.
Last Edited by A440 on May 27, 2015 7:02 PM
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1847
2381 posts
May 27, 2015
9:03 PM
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Werner Lips, purchasing manager of Hohner in Trossingen, claims that all harmonicas made in China are labeled to that effect, but Cheng Min Gen, director of the Dong Fang factory, says that Hohner usually doesn't want the country of origin stamped on their harmonicas that are exported to Germany. (It is legal to ship goods into some countries with just a removable document showing origin.)
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1847
2382 posts
May 27, 2015
9:04 PM
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Chen says that the finer Suzuki models are shipped with the country of origin on paper wrapping only, not imprinted on the harmonica itself. Suzuki's export manager says he knows nothing of this practice.
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1847
2383 posts
May 27, 2015
9:07 PM
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"The world doesn't know this factory, but everyone plays our harmonicas," Chen says, proudly tooting his own horn. "If they knew, they would all buy from China."
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Komuso
611 posts
May 27, 2015
9:32 PM
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I found this 2010 thread from slidemeister where someone dug up some Chinese info:
http://www.slidemeister.com/forums/index.php?topic=3918.0;wap
John Broecker:
Hello, A.J.
As far as I know, there are no harmonica factories in Singapore. But, I found some leads on Google.
There is a business venture between the Jiangyin Harmonica Plant (formerly Golden Cup) and the Singapore Jiang Enterprises companies. The venture's new name and location: The Jiangyin Jiyang Musical Instrument Co., Ltd., No.1531 Zhen Chang Rd., Shen Gan Town, Jiangyin, Jiangsu, China 214443.
The Golden Cup Musical Instruments company was founded in 1996. The new venture makes low-priced harmonicas, fewer models than in the past.
http://jyjiyang.en.alibaba.com
Web: www.golden-cup.com
The websites of most of the Chinese harmonica companies have, over the last year or two, been almost closed to non-Chinese customers by the Chinese government. The Chinese government got in an argument with Google over it's censorship of Google, and now it's very difficult to make contact with the Chinese harmonica manufacturers, at least for me. Some have been relocated at new websites that are difficult to navigate.
The Shanghai General Harmonica Plant (China's largest harmonica company) is located at No.1122 Zhongxing Road, Shanghai, China, 200070. Some of the world's biggest harmonica manufacturers have contracted Shanghai General to make low-priced models.
I've had trouble contacting the SGHP at their current website:
http://beijing.ndodo.com/detailed/30612.html
The SGHP has been in business since 1939, making only harmonicas, and was state-owned by 1954. They have kept secret the names of the harmonica manufacturers that have done business with SGHP, until they invited a reporter, Ron Gluckman, into their factory in 1994.
Another reporter, Bruce Steinberg, wrote in 1994 that the SGHP had merged with the Shanghai Gas Company. They built a new harmonica factory in the late 1980s, almost tripling their previous floor space.
At that time, the SGHP Director Chen Di Bin claimed that Hohner, Huang and Suzuki had done business with them at one time or another. The SGHP also makes it's own brands: Star, Victory, Lark, Shanghai, Friendship, etc.
Other Chinese harmonica companies include the Jiangsu Swan Musical Instrument Company, Maqiao Town, Jingjiang, Taizhou, Jiangsu, China 214526. Swan was founded in 1982. Some of their products look like SGHP products.
Swan was bought a few years ago, under the new name of the Jiangsu Swan Musical Instruments Company. It's current website:
http://swan.en.alibaba.com/aboutus.html
http://www.harmonicas.com.cn
Wuxi-Suzuki is a "Sino-Japanese joint venture" between the Wuxi company and the Suzuki harmonica company of Japan. Wuxi-Suzuki is located at No. 1 Renmin Road, Zhutang Town, Jiangyin City, Jiangsu, China.
As far as I know, the only venture Wuxi and Suzuki have in common is the Wuxi-Suzuki Golden Butterfly WH-12 slide chromatic harmonica, a copy of the Hohner CX-12. The "Golden Butterfly" name seems to be used by many companies, including Golden Cup, Yamaha, Wuxi-Suzuki, etc.
Wuxi's website also lists products such as Xanax, Oxycodone, life insurance, a furniture store, saliva drug test, and 5 -star hotels.
No kidding. Those may be links to other companies.
http://www.wuxi-suzuki-musical.com/
There are reportedly 7 Chinese harmonica manufacturers. I found a listing of Chinese exhibitors at a trade show in Frankfurt, Germany, 2009. There were 33 pages of Chinese exhibitors, and a big portion of these were musical instrument makers. A big majority of those were harmonica manufacturers, a lot more than 7, but I didn't count them.
The above listed companies are the most well-known.
John Broecker
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Paul Cohen aka Komuso Tokugawa
HarpNinja - Learn Harmonica Faster
Bringing the Boogie to the Bitstream
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1847
2384 posts
May 27, 2015
10:43 PM
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the quotes i posted were from over 20 years ago
ask yourselfs what has changed in the last twenty years?
that my friends is a good question.
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Rustys26
35 posts
May 28, 2015
5:01 AM
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Ha, so i bought 2 harps from Dane at MandoHarps as suggested. a manji and a seydel session steel.
but you guys were right...had a chat with him for 25 minutes about nothing really to do with my order...real good guy. will have my business again.
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