Suzuki Slider Chromatic Series Harmonica Review

Music is an expression of the soul. It is the artistry of sound giving rise to a physical manifestation of a musician’s inner world. The instrument one decides to play is an extension of who they are. I have played different instruments off and on over the years, but the harmonica never appealed to me until I found the Suzuki Slider.

The Suzuki Slider Chromatic Series is a handmade and fit instrument created by a master craftsman. Each is made one at a time with precision and utmost care given to quality and detail.

The overall look of the Suzuki Slider is why I purchased it. I know an instrument's playing quality is far more important, but I’m a sucker for a pretty face. They come in fourteen and sixteen channel versions and I chose the latter. The brilliantly gleaming stainless steel cover makes this instrument seem to shine in the light.

One thing I adore about my Suzuki Slider is how durable the thing is. I know it's terrible to admit, but I have dropped it on many occasions and nearly cried each time at what I thought would be an instrument breaking event. There is still not even a scratch on its lustrous finish and it plays beautifully despite my butter fingers.

I've heard some people complain about sliders needing to be cleaned a lot due to clogging and all that, but I haven't really noticed any major difference between the normal maintenance of an instrument and this one. While it does seem to need cleaning a little more often than some cheaper brands I have played with, it hasn't really clogged up on me yet.

I may drop the poor thing a time or two, but I'm not one to let my instruments become unnecessarily dirty. Maintenance is of key importance for any instrument, especially wind instruments.

The Suzuki Slider I purchased has played beautifully ever since I bought it and I'm a picky one when it comes to maintaining sound quality. I suppose there must be something to bronze reeds. These are laser tuned phosphor and I love them. When I work the slider the harmonica releases some truly warm and soulful sounds when I play slow jazz. Whenever I feel like playing something with a pick-up beat that makes my feet start rocking and my head nodding in time this little wonder device can handle it well to!

I've heard people play classical melodies and even some popular modern rock styles on it, but I haven't really focused on these yet. They did sound quite excellent though. I'll probably pick up a few song sheets to work with soon.