TheoBurke
62 posts
Aug 11, 2012
3:10 PM
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I know there are many of us who are partial to them,but I have found Suzuki's Manji harmonicas to the most over rated thing going. I've purchased to, a C and a B flat, and both are nothing special in terms of tone, the individual notes are sticky and don't respond well . The harmonicas, in fact, seems to be fighting me every inch of the way when I play them. The only real advantage is that the high end notes are resilient , easily bendable and produce a good, pure sound. Otherwise, I just have to take my purchase as a loss and recommend to anyone thinking of purchasing one to instead opt for a Marine Band Crossover; this, I think, is the harmonica the Manji was supposed to be.
What's your experience?
Ted Burke
http://youtube.com/watch?v=-VPUDjK-ibQ&feature=relmfu
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Joe_L
1975 posts
Aug 11, 2012
3:25 PM
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The Manjis that I have had are so good, that I was planning on buying a complete set. I've had no issues with them.
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SuperBee
495 posts
Aug 11, 2012
3:50 PM
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I can relate to your experience Ted. When I first played mine i could have described it in similiar terms. It felt to me as if the reeds were stiffer than the hohner harps I was used to. Additionally I do not like the comb which feels like a marine band comb which has swelled and been shaved back, this removing the lacquer.
But, I found that I could quickly adapt to the manji. When it went out of tune (6 reeds on the same weekend) I tuned it up and it didn't drift. It's loud. I think I could play them but I have a set of marine band types and I'm happy and comfortable.
Replacement reed plates for manjis are far more reasonably priced than crossover reed plates.
I think manji harps are fine, just a bit different
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sonny3
6 posts
Aug 11, 2012
3:54 PM
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i've had no luck with manjis.Maybe i just expected more out of them given the price and hype.Had to work hard on gapping just to make it respond halfway decent. But it may be a matter of taste.I like sound and feel of marine band classic.
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Patrick Barker
453 posts
Aug 11, 2012
5:35 PM
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I'm glad I'm not the only one with this opinion - I got two a while ago, and not only were they not very bendable, but they were out of tune out of the box! I completely recommend the Crossovers over them; I haven't tweaked my Crossovers for fear of making them worse and they overblow just fine otb.
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rogonzab
86 posts
Aug 11, 2012
6:10 PM
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My experience:
I only have one manji, and is a great harp. But, is just as good as any of the other "standars harps" (S20, MB, Harpmaster, bluesmaster, GM) whit some work being done to them (and I am not an expert of any kind!). A couple of hours working on your harp gives you the same quality for 1/2 the price. So, I am not going to buy another, because of that reason.
I do think that they are perfect for those who dont like to tweaks they own harps.
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groyster1
1978 posts
Aug 11, 2012
6:19 PM
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IMHO marine band deluxes are the best of the lot....but value wise...sp20s are the best....marine band 1896s have the best sound...after denailing and sealing the comb...open covers make the difference
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Chickenthief
263 posts
Aug 11, 2012
6:33 PM
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I thought that the 2 manjis that I tried were amazing in every way excepting two things which sent me back to hohner - the 3 and 2 draw bends were less pliable, quieter, and had a different feel than a good hohner that has been set up well.
Chromaticblues worked on one of those manjis that I had bought and was able to make it much less balky, but I think he would rather work on hohners. He didn't seem to prefer the manji 2 and 3 draws even on the harps that he had modified.
I suspect that whatever you got used to playing first is going to have a strong bearing on what you are ready to tolerate from a different make.
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FMWoodeye
449 posts
Aug 11, 2012
6:48 PM
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I agree with Ted. They are decent harmonicas but nothing special. I had two and gave them away to an underprivileged young man. I figured they would help him down the road. Better that than sit unused in some corner of my abode. My Promasters are gone, too, along with a couple of XB-40s. They were ALL supposed to be revolutionary and make my playing magical. The only thing that adds magic go my playing is practice. That's why I don't bite on the latest Suzuki vid. I have settled on the Special 20s as practice harps and the Crossovers as performance harps.
Last Edited by on Aug 11, 2012 6:50 PM
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Lazerface
46 posts
Aug 11, 2012
8:20 PM
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I havent pulled the trigger on a manji (yet) and keep buying Marine Band brand harps, might try an 1847 classic first, gotta give it to ze germans, theyre good at everything except invading asia in the winter
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ElkRiverHarmonicas
1277 posts
Aug 11, 2012
10:31 PM
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Lazer, Russia is the largest country in Europe, they were still in Europe when they invaded it, lol.
Some Manjis I've come across were incredible. Others were not. When they were not it was typically because of comb leakage. Take care of the comb leakage, Theo, and you might have better luck.
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David
____________________
At the time of his birth, it was widely accepted that no one man could play that much music so well or raise that much hell. He proved them all wrong.
R.I.P. H. Cecil Payne
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didjcripey
363 posts
Aug 12, 2012
2:14 AM
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I found the manjis hard to play at first; I was using too much breath force and bending too hard. To me they are easier to bend and respond better to a light touch.
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Lucky Lester
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chromaticblues
1298 posts
Aug 12, 2012
2:46 AM
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@ Chickenthief You said it all!
I found the 3 draw very touchy to set up. Very small window of adjustment, but as you said I am a Hohner MB and SP-20 guy! Those are the harmonicas I like and play. All harmonicas have pros and cons. I guess the MB is the harp that (after working on it) suites me the best. The crossover is probably the best OOTB harp, but it sounds bright to me.
I only charge $55 for a custom SP 20 because they are so easy (for me)to make work well.
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jbone
1031 posts
Aug 12, 2012
11:31 AM
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i've tried a lot of harps over a lot of years. not all. since the marine band debacle of the 80's i have not bought a mb. since blues harp went mosular i have not bought. the list goes on and includes lee oskar, huang, and several other makers.
i may not be as easy to please and i may even be gullible in some ways, but suzuki touted the manji as a compostie wood comb, ultra-accurate aligned reed, open at the back, louder harp, with more durable reeds, and this is how i have found them to be. A, Bb, C, D, LOW F, and G grace my case. i got my first- in D, soon after they were released and yes, i have replaced the comb for a blown 4 draw since. i also wore out a reed or two on a l0ow f over nearly 2 years of hard work both acoustically and amplified.
i refuse to work on a harp esp a brand new harp. for the money though, i have not had to work on a manji. other side of the coin, when i flat a reed that plate is gone and i spend the $30 for a new set of plates, no worries. i may overblow but not consciously or intentionally. so maybe my standards are lower than some of you.
there have been no corrosion issues, i have yet to crush a cover plate, and these harps clean up as easily and any. the comb will never warp but does give some depth to the tone imho. when i pick up a manji i know what i am getting. the base and overall volume is about 20 to 30% higher than most other harps i have played without straining.
i'd love to see a manji inspired chromatic model but i might shudder at the price!
over all, i am pretty fond of suzuki in recent years. i know there are threads complaining about that company's ad tactics. i don't care. what i look for is quality and a harp that plays the way i want it to, and manji has filled that hole better than any other harp i've tried.
if anyone wants to send me their unwanted manji's i promise to give them a loving home and a chance to fulfill every harp's dreams of being played until they can no longer play.
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Lazerface
48 posts
Aug 12, 2012
11:54 AM
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Probably no manjis (or any new harps for that matter) in my near future...i just bought a telecaster
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Noodles
236 posts
Aug 12, 2012
12:05 PM
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I just bought 3 Suzuki's in the past 30 days. They are ultra-responsive and take only the slightest breath pressure. For my style which includes treading lightly on a harp with a good deal of tongue articulation, Suzuki harps are a good fit. But, even so, my next two harps to try will be a Crossover and an 1847. Then I'll probably settle in to a particular model. No commitments yet.
My ONLY knock of Suzuki harps is that the really need center posts to support the cover plates. I don't squeeze harps, but you could bend Suzuki plates easier than most.
Last Edited by on Aug 12, 2012 12:23 PM
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FMWoodeye
450 posts
Aug 12, 2012
12:47 PM
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Just as a post script, the Suzuki harp I found the most playable was the Overdrive, but I was always afraid of inadvertently covering one of the holes on the cover and having a dead space on the harp. The problem was solved when I had it apart and dropped the comb. It broke into eight pieces....maybe nine.
@Noodles, yes, trying on clothes to make sure they fit is advisable; but with harps and condoms....well, the merchants tend to frown.
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TheoBurke
64 posts
Aug 12, 2012
1:17 PM
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I should note that I've playing Suzuki harmonicas on and off for the better part of ten years and have been, in most cases,a satisfied customer. The Bluesmaster harmonicas that I've played (C ,D)were purchased six ago and stil give me a superb sound, MY E flat Promaster is a dream sound, and the two Hammond Promasters I have (C,D) both give me first rate response, a rich,malleable tone, and generally the best single-note articulation I've come across. And the Promaster Valved harmonica in C is likewise rich in surprises of the good sort. Suzuki makes a quality series of harmonica instruments, which is why the Manji was a disappointment , especially after the heavy promotion. I have talked with other Manji owners and the response is as mixed as it is on this board--the experience of others is that the instruments are a breeze to play, a sheer joy, or that their harmonicas are slow, sludgy, stiff and squeaky. These are other harmonica players who are experienced, so I think the issue is quality control. It seems too many skilled players wind up wrestling with this harmonica in order to get the note they wanted to play.
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Ted Burke
http://youtube.com/watch?v=-VPUDjK-ibQ&feature=relmfu
ted-burke.com
Last Edited by on Aug 12, 2012 3:36 PM
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Chickenthief
275 posts
Aug 12, 2012
3:08 PM
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@Chromaticblues
As long as there are guys like you and MP around I don't know how I could afford to go all the way into another brand and get out of hohner.
55.00 for your special 20, considering how well built they are and what you set them up for, that's just a great opportunity for anyone to get a set of real nice harps without spending a lot of money. I also thought that your turnaround times were surprisingly short last year. There's another customizer on this forum (NOT Joe Speirs) who has someone waiting for over a year and a half for a couple of non overblow marine bands.
Re: Suzukis
Manjis or not, we sure do have it good with all of the super tech people out there nowadays.
Suzuki just replaced a flat reed on a chromatic I own that is still under warranty. They made it fast, simple, and easy. I hope that suzuki will always be able to have a support system and/or the people at large to address the maintenance issues of all of their products new and old.
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Aussiesucker
1178 posts
Aug 12, 2012
5:44 PM
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The first Manji I purchased was in G and it is a great harp. I was so impressed I purchased another in C but it was awful.
I normally like Suzuki products eg Bluesmasters & Harpmasters as being robust & reliable but my experiences with their premium products like Manji's & Promasters are mixed & a bit disappointing.
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