Comparing Harps - Crossover, Manji, and Fire Breath
Forgetting ease of customization and price, can I get some opinions on these three instruments from anybody? I would appreciate it.
All three are great harmonicas.
If you don't know nothing about future customizing, I would rank them this way:
- Loudness:
1. Manji.
2. Crossover.
3. Fire Breath.
- Engineering.
1. Manji. Awesome harmonica in every detail.
2. Fire Breath (the comb is really great).
3. Crossover.
- Comfort.
1. Fire Breath.
2. Manji
3. Crossover.
- Sound.
1. Crossover. Hohner's sound.
2. Fire Breath. The sound is great (mellow) but is a little bit muted by the unvented covers. Good for delicate songs.
3. Manji. Not for beginners. You need good control in order to tame this harmonica.
Out of the box.
1. Fire Breath. My favorite harmonica, but expensive and not very available for me.
2. Manji.
3. Crossover. Needs to be tweaked a little.
I bought a crossover, but I've decided I don't like the wood bodied Hohners - pain! In hohner, I like the Special 20 the most, and while I haven't tried the Manji, I do have a Suzuki Promaster that I like - though it seems to take a lot of breath to blow it. That may be because it's a low F, but I have a couple of their Harpmasters that I like quite a bit - same reedplate, I think, as the Promaster, and probably my favorite harp right now.
Hope that helps.
-Alec