Marine Band vs. Special 20
I recently splurged on a Marine Band 1896 after playing on plastic combs for awhile.. Right after I bought it, and before I took it out of the box, I called my friend who has been playing for decades and told him the news.. He told me that it's a great harmonica, but he prefers the Special 20 because it has a plastic comb and the wood can be problematic with swelling and all. After playing it for a few days, my observation is that the wood comb is slightly recessed under the ridges of the metal plates. Compared to my trusty old beginner plastic comb harps, the combs actually hang over.. I have found myself having to relearn tounge blocking on the Marine Band, and it is kicking my ass. I have found that the tounge rests easier on the plastic comb harps and I can feel my way around a lot easier. Is this a normal thing to go through?
The standard Marine Band can have these issues... this is common. For this reason I recommend students get the Crossover version of the Marine Band (which has a fully-sealed comb). Yes, the reed plate tends to extend slightly past the comb, but you get used to it. If you like the feel and the way the Special 20 plays, stay with it... it's a great harmonica for the $.