I was closely involved in the development of the Crossover, so I can’t claim to be impartial, but I love it. In terms of sound, playability and ease of servicing, it’s hard to beat. I’m also a big fan of the Marine Band Deluxe and use the two models interchangeably. The standard Marine Band 1896 is a great harmonica too and the comb is now sealed, so it isn’t as prone to swelling as it was in earlier times. I don’t play them as much as Deluxe & Crossover, because the screw together assembly of these models makes them much more service friendly and I prefer the slightly rounded channel openings. The Special 20 is as you say a workhorse and very comfortable to play.
1 Like