Suzuki Manji vs Hohner Crossover

Suzuki's Manji and Hohner's Crossover are both mid to high end diatonic harmonicas with many similarities in look and feel, but some significant differences in terms of tone and construction. Let's compare the two and see which one will be right for you.

The Manji is named after Suzuki's founder and was the first harmonica to make use of the company's composite comb. This benefits from a wood/resin construction that has excellent flatness properties (important for airtightness, which facilitates bending) and is also completely swell free. The tone imparted by this material is much closer to traditional pearwood, so the Manji effectively bridges the gap between modern harps with ABS combs, like the Special 20, and more traditional wood combed harps, such as the Marine Band 1896.

The Crossover, in comparison, utilises a bamboo comb, which is exceptionally light, and has great resonance properties. Bamboo is also extremely resistant to swelling, making it an ideal material for this application.

In terms of temperament, the Manji uses an equal temperament tuning that makes single note melodies slightly purer sounding, whilst the Crossover provides more of a compromise tuning that slightly favours chordal work. The differences are small, though, so both harps can be used for pieces that incorporate chords and single note melodies without any issues.

Ultimately, there is not too much to choose between the two harmonicas. The Manji is a slightly heavier harps, and the phosphor bronze reeds may last a little longer than the brass ones in the Crossover. This may make it more favourable to heavy hitting players. The Crossover is a great harp for getting that traditional bluesy rasp, and its ease of bending and sweet tone will make it appeal to blues and folk players looking for an update to something like the Marine Band.

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Harmonica Name	Suzuki Manji Harmonica (Richter and Natural Minor Tunings)	Hohner Marine Band Crossover Harmonica
Harmonica Type	Diatonic Harmonica	Diatonic Harmonica
Number of Holes	10	10
Comb Material	Composite	Wood
Number of Reeds	20	20
Spare Reeds Available?	Yes	Yes
Tuning	Richter	Richter
Valved?	No	No
Musical Styles	Blues, Rock, Pop, Folk	Blues, Rock, Pop, Folk
Available Keys	A, B Flat, D, Low F, G, C, F, E, B, E Flat, G High, F Sharp, D Flat, A Flat, A - Natural Minor, C - Natural Minor, D - Natural Minor, B Flat - Natural Minor	A, B Flat, D, G, C, F, E, B, E Flat, G High, F Sharp, D Flat, A Flat
Price from	£63.99	£64.99
	View details & Buy	View details & Buy