Re: [Harp-L] The new Suzuki MANJI: Closest Reed/Slot Tolerances EverAchieved

["Vern Smith" <jevern@xxxxxxx>]

The Suzuki Manji appears to be an excellent harmonica.  You 
play it extremely well.  However, some of your claims seem 
overly broad.

Do you really think that tiny wooden particles buried in a 
plastic comb can affect tone?  This claim needs theoretical 
and empirical support to be credible.  My $1000 wager (of 
many years standing) says that when listeners must depend on 
their ears alone, differences in comb materials are 
imperceptible.

Because welding exerts no misaligning horizontal force or 
torque on the reed as do rivets and screws, it makes sense 
that the clearance can be less.  However, how important can 
this be when the leakage area from the same hole through the 
gap in the opening/silent reed is many times larger than the 
clearance around the closing/sounding reed.  This is 
especially true for low-pitched reeds where breath pressure 
opens that gap even farther.

It is arguable that stainless steel reeds are an equally or 
more important 21st-century harmonica development than 
welded reeds.

Because cover details whose dimensions are very small with 
respect to the sound wavelength are subject to diffraction, 
claims about their effects require support.

Sadly, all harmonica manufacturers make the same kind of 
unsupported claims.  Harmonica buyers need a little more 
truth in advertising!

Vern

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Brendan Power" <bren@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <Harp-L@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, August 08, 2009 3:03 AM
Subject: [Harp-L] The new Suzuki MANJI: Closest Reed/Slot 
Tolerances EverAchieved


> Suzuki will unveil their all-new Manji M-20 diatonic 
> harmonica at SPAH this
> coming week.
>
> Every component has been designed from scratch for high 
> performance: comb,
> coverplates, reeds and reedplates. All the bits are 
> striking, but the most
> impressive claim Suzuki are making is that, in the MANJI, 
> they have achieved
> an unprecedented level of accuracy in fixing the reeds on 
> the reedplate.
>
> This has allowed them to reduce the reed/slot tolerances 
> to a fineness never
> before achieved in a manufactured harmonica...
>
> You can see and hear the MANJI M-20 in these two videos:
>
> MANJI Part 1:
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOHJZr0-Qoc
>
> MANJI Part 2:
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PD7AqiBE5XE
>
> The icing on the cake is that the MANJI will retail at a 
> very affordable
> price (to be announced at SPAH).
>
> Regards,
>
> Brendan Power
> WEBSITE: http://www.brendan-power.com
> YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/BrendanPowerMusic
>
>
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