[Harp-L] Manji - new favorite harp

[Mike Fugazzi <mikefugazzi@xxxxxxxxx>]

So I picked one up at SPAH...Bb...my first was a Low F and it didn't do much
for me.  However, I think I could have rectified the situation with a little
customizing.  In fact, I had tried an A Chris Michalek had setup and the C
that Suzuki set up for Howard at SPAH...both were stellar harps for all
types of playing.

With the Bb I wanted to start with as little intervention as possible to set
it up to play overbends and to kick butt.  I did nothing to it that isn't
"standard" custom work...nothing you can't read about in the Harp-L archives
or using the search engine on this site.

I can't really compare it directly to my other "tweaked" harps as the level
of intervention here was very minimal.  Nothing you couldn't do with a
screwdriver, toothpick, and chapstick.

OOTB, it played ok.  The obs were there but thin.  The ods squealed to the
point of being useless.  The standard bends were solid if not good for
OOTB.  It didn't feel leaky and it had solid response.

After 30min of work, broken up into two work sessions, I now have all the
bends - including overdraws - playing great.  I can easily sustain the ods,
bend them, add vibrato, play them soft of hard and have ZERO issues with
squealing or choking.  The obs are spot on everywhere but 6, which is still
a little to breathy.  I think I just need to work on the gap again.

Overall the Manji is a bit stiffer than the Bb Marine Band i have
customized.  I don't mean it is slow to react, it just isn't as springy.
This is neither a good or band thing, it just feels like the reeds are a bit
stiffer when initially sounding.  It doesn't take more breathe to play it,
and I am not saying it has slow response.  It is just "tighter" sounding.  I
actually think the work I did is the main reason.  The tone is a bit warmer
than the MB as well.  Both of those points could probably be adjusted to
taste with more time in on the harp.

I had several "advanced" players try some of the harps I worked on
(admitingly some were further along than others) and know that I have a very
solid grasp on how to set up a harp...and I am getting better and better the
more I practice.  That being said, I didn't do anything "fancy" or taboo to
talk about with the Manji...yet.

Bottom line...I will for sure buy more Manji's...they will become my OOTB
harp of choice (kill a stock MB and requrie less initial work to make
playable).  I will continue to work on MB's as I have several with Buddha
combs to finish for myself.  I will also pick up some more Buddha MB's down
the road as they are wonderful and allow me to spend more time practicing
than working on reeds!

My GM's will be used for experimenting with tunings.  ;)

----------
Mike Fugazzi
vocals/harmonica
http://www.mikefugazzi.com
http://www.facebook.com/MikeFugazziMusic