There's sort of a mystery about the Hohner CX-12 Jazz. I.e., why does it cost so much more than the basic (black) CX-12? I bought a basic CX-12 from Rockin' Ron some years ago, and always felt that the mouthpiece "feel" was a little too large for my taste. I know, Winslow Yerxa has taken precise measurements and determined that the radius of the basic CX-12's mouthpiece is exactly the same as the Suzuki SCX models (of which I have three, and love them all), but "feel" is everything. Finally sprang for a CX-12 Jazz housing. Glad I did. It's a very different experience, and to my taste, a whole lot more comfortable and playable. And the CX-12 reedplate assembly and slide go right in. While I've read that Hohner actually machines the the housing to get that Jazz shape, and doesn't produce as many as the basic housing, both of which inevitably add to the cost, I'm making this a 4-star review only because of the cost. But then, for $185, with my basic CX-12 reedplate assembly installed, it's as though I have a whole new Hohner top-quality chromatic. So maybe four and half stars?
