[Harp-L] Suzuki Manji--comes in Double Country, darned close to Melody Maker

[Richard Hunter]

Gary Lehmann wrote:
***
I work for Suzuki as their harmonica repair tech, and have started helping
the warehouse manager with inventory. I noticed that the specialty tuned
Manjis aren't selling as well as I expected. Although I am not in sales, I
want to see these harps make their way into the hands of players--I think
they are great!

One of the tunings is Double Country, which raises not only draw 5 (like
Country tuning) but also draw 9.

That's very close to Melody Maker, so I figured I would retune one of our
demo harps to show folks at the upcoming Spring Harp Festival, held every
year here in San Diego.
***

I have a couple of harps with this tuning in my kit.  Anyone who wants to
make one for themselves can do so by combining the draw reed plate from a
Lee Oskar G melody Maker with the blow reed plate from a Lee Oskar standard
C harp. This is an example, not the only possible key combination; Lee
Oskar Melody Makers are keyed to the tonality in second position, and
standard tunings are keyed according to the tonality in first position, so
a Melody Maker G and standard C (or Melody Maker A and standard D, etc.)
are actually in the same key, just named differently according to the key
in 2nd or 1st position respectively.

As an added bonus, after you've made your Double Country tuning, take the
standard draw plate from the C harp and combine it with the blow plate from
the Melody Maker, and you now have a Paddy Richter C harp.

So many tunings, so little time...

Regards, Richard Hunter

-- 
"The Lucky One" 21st century rock harmonica project at
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/richard-hunter-s-the-lucky-one/x/5259889#/
Author, "Jazz Harp" (Oak Publications, NYC)
Latest mp3s and harmonica blog at http://hunterharp.com
Vids at http://www.youtube.com/user/lightninrick
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