Suzuki Melodica (M-37C)

Wow! I had seen other reviews, but had to find out for myself. I had an off brand melodica for many years and decided to get the Suzuki. It came today. First impressions: it's HEAVIER than I thought...very well designed and engineered. I then threw on the standard mouthpiece (NOT the trumpet-like mouthpiece, but the other one) and played it. GORGEOUS! Very smooth, keys feel great, tone is excellent. Seems plenty loud! Hooked up the plastic hose and its mouthpiece is really cool because you can hold it between front teeth.CANNOT WAIT TO RECORD WITH THIS THING!What inspired all of this was the album: "El Embalao Vol. 2" by Adrian Schinoff. This dude SLAYS on the melodica. He makes it sound so good that I figured I would upgrade from the off-brand to a legitimate brand like Suzuki. I am EXTREMELY pleased with this purchase.Comes in a nice sturdy case.

I'm loving this thing! Wow, such great fun. The tuning isn't perfect for you perfect pitch folks, but the instrument has a really good sound overall. Nice quality feel, and the gig bag is gorgeous. It is also nice to have a few mouthpiece choices. I prefer the trumpet style. I have really enjoyed the music that can be produced with this instrument. Great dynamic contrast and articulation. I play clarinet and piano and this instrument incorporates both skill sets beautifully. I would highly recommend this instrument. It is hard to find a satisfying instrument for under $100. It is wonderful for everything from jazz to Irish jigs and will surely keep you coming back to play. (This has certainly been the case for me). I just took it to Florida on vacation and it was such a treat! The portability is great. It went right in my suitcase (standard size, fits in the overhead bin). If you are looking for a satisfying, portable music maker, this is for you. It is versatile and has great potential. I haven't had the opportunity to play with a group, but I think this instrument would probably hold its own. I hope this helps! My research was fairly extensive before I landed on this model, and for me it is just what I was looking for. Writing this review has me wanting to play :). Cheers!

I like the sound and tone. Comes in a soft carrying case with straps. It's very fun to play and the keys feel good. I've not attempted to tune it but it seemed fine against a piano. Now if someone could tell me the proper way to clean out the hose and body of my spit and condensation...

I am having so much fun with this instrument! The reeds are tuned beautifully, the action of the keyboard is excellent, and the size of the keys are just right for my hands. Because it is a woodwind instrument, I can get emotion into the sound with vibrato, dynamics, tonguing, etc. Because it is a reed instrument worked with a keyboard, intonation is excellent. I spent all day playing accordion tunes, concertina tunes, harmonica tunes, and just plain songs that I like. And here's a bonus that I hadn't anticipated: I can play songs and keep the tone going EVEN WHEN I'm choked up or crying tears. Songs I would not be able to sing, because they are too emotional, sound wonderful on this instrument. Maybe it is a "toy" but boy, am I having fun playing with it.

The service and shipping from JAPAN IMPORT SHOP ★ RISE was excellent--received the melodica in just under 2 weeks (without priority shipping). The instrument was packaged well and is high quality. The keys are a little more narrower than I thought but shouldn't prove a problem. I am a pianist so know basic keyboard techniques. However, I am hesitant to play this instrument like a keyboard. A look at online videos, such as on YouTube, show a variety of ways the instrument is held and played. Some hold the melodica horizontal like a keyboard, even setting it on a hard surface like a table and use the long tube. Some hold it flat and look down the keys while they play. For me, I like the idea of holding it like a wind instrument (which it is) on it's side, sort of like a trumpet (a trumpet style mouthpiece is included). This does make playing less like a keyboard (and so more challenging for a pianist) but is more fun to play and looks cool!This is my first melodica but believe the price, the sound, and build quality make it a great choice. It's generally easy to play but like most instruments will require time to play well. Be patient (I'm telling myself this also) and I'm sure enough practice will pay off with a lot of fun and a sense of accomplishment.