Manji Harmonicas
Important Announcement
September 9, 2024
Effective immediately, I will not be accepting orders for Built-to-Order Custom Harmonicas until further notice. As of this moment, I have enough orders on my bench to keep me busy for at least the next 5-6 months. Given how busy my personal life and schedule will be for the rest of the year, it makes little sense to continue taking orders which will only push me further behind schedule.
This will not affect orders for Custom Combs, Custom Covers, Tools, Logo Wear or Sonny Terry Estate items. All that will be business as usual. Orders for those products will be shipped immediately. In addition, as we speak, I am in the process of adding some new products to my offerings. New comb materials. Exciting new colors. A line of tools for doing harmonica repair and customization.
After I am caught up, I to offer more Ready-to-Go Custom Harmonicas. I am not opposed to doing Built-to-Order Harps in the future, but I do think it will be on a much more limited basis than what I have done in the past.
My apologies if this catches you by surprise. I am at a point in my life when it is time for me to make some adjustments in the way I do business. It is time for me to draw a line in the sand and move forward.
Thank you for your understanding and your support.
Tom
Built to Order
Suzuki Manji
The Manji is Suzuki's answer to the Hohner Marine Band. It features Chrome Plated Brass Reed Plates with Phosphor Bronze Reeds that are spot welded to the reed plates. The engineering and construction of the Suzuki Manji is superb. It is a top-of-the-line harmonica that is played by professionals and enthusiasts worldwide. It is the favorite harmonica of BLue Moon Endorsee Jason Ricci - The Moon Cat.
Jason Ricci at the 2017 SPAH Convention after accepting the Bernie Bray Award - Most Outstanding Harmonica Player of the Year
(Tom Halchak, Owner of Blue Moon Harmonicas on the left
and Randy Landry, Owner of Lone Wolf Blues Company on the right.)
Our Blue Moon Custom Manjis feature Manji Reed Plates and Covers with a Custom Blue Moon Comb. We make Custom Manji Combs in Corian, Aluminum, Acrylic, Brass and Phenolic Resins.
The Standard Set-up for our harmonicas is a "Blues Set-up". These harmonicas are designed for playing Traditional Blues, Rock, Country, Gospel and Folk music. They feature the following upgrades:
- Installation of a Custom Blue Moon Comb
- Draw Plate flat sanded
- Full Slot Embossing
- Covers opened in the back
- Gaps adjusted for optimum response
- Reed profiles checked and shaped if necessary
- Tuned to Modern Compromise Temperament @ A=442Hz (alternate tunings available upon request)
Our Standard Blues Set-up will be the harmonica of choice for the vast majority of players. Although we don't promote these harps as "Overblow Harps" the airtight construction and reed adjustments makes it very easy to Overblow the 4, 5 and 6. If you want a harp that can be played chromatically by use of Overblows and Overdraws, there is an additional charge for the extensive reedwork required to produce such a harmonica.
Manjis are also available as Double Reed Plate Harps
Expected Delivery Date
Please note that the turnaround time on Built-to-Order Custom Harmonicas is currently running 6 months, or perhaps longer. Unless a harmonica is listed as a “Ready-to-Go” harp, all custom harps are built to order, per the customer’s specifications. We keep an inventory of over 1,500 combs and about 400 new Hohner and/or Suzuki harmonicas on hand at all times. If it is listed on the website, we have it in stock. The wait time is not due to us making the combs or ordering the stock harp. It is simply that we are very, very busy and custom harps take time to build. Thank you in advance for your patience.
100 % Satisfaction Guarantee
Blue Moon Harmonicas LLC stands behind everything we offer with a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. If, for ANY REASON, you are not completely satisfied, please speak up. We will do everything in our power to make things right. That might include making adjustments to your custom harmonica, exchanging the product for something else or refunding your money. That is your call. We just want you to be happy. So, please do not hesitate to communicate with us.
One Year Comprehensive Warranty
Every Custom Harmonica comes with a Top to Bottom One Year Warranty. If ANYTHING goes wrong with your harp in the first year, we will fix it at NO CHARGE. This includes blown out reeds or anything else that can go wrong with a harp. After one year, we will service your harp for a flat rate of $25.00. That would include cleaning, tuning, replacing any blown out reeds and in general, making the harp look and play like the day you got it.