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Post by JamesP on Mar 16, 2018 17:16:18 GMT -5
Thinking about the thread in the guitar section reminds me of a question I've had for a while:
How important are the materials used in Harmonicas for Reed and comb?
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Post by jbone on Mar 23, 2018 22:30:53 GMT -5
I would say the reed material is crucial. Many also claim that aftermarket combs are a big improvement, but I have yet to try one. Reeds were pretty much the same for decades. Lee Oskar came along and brought replacement reed plates in the 70's or early 80's. He also tuned his harps a bit high and made them tighter to play. He has made a lot of alternate tunings available to Joe and Jane Average. Seydel- a brand I have never tried but have read up on some- developed stainless steel reeds, which are supposedly the longest lasting reeds out there. I don't know. Hohner fell behind the curve in the 80's. I don't think their brass recipe has ever changed except that, post WWII, the bell brass they originally used had been used up in the war effort, so they went to a different recipe which worked but just not as well. Just something I read, no idea if it's true. However. In the 70's/80's demand for harmonicas skyrocketed, and Hohner dropped quality standards to increase throughput. Quality suffered a lot. Asian harmonica makers to this point had been very much second string, making cheaper poorly made instruments if you believe the hype. I have seen many cheap Asian brand harps but I think that there must have been some good ones even early on.
Suzuki has built good harps for a long time. My first was in the 90's and the Pro Harp was well established by then. They brought out new models in recent years including the Manji. Manji was, I think, the first to have laser aligned reeds, braised in place, and a different more durable brass recipe. The comb was a composite of wood and resin which does not warp or absorb moisture.
Hohner came out with a couple of models in direct response to Manji, but their brass and riveted reeds are still behind the current trends in my opinion. They also came out with sealed wood combs and went to bamboo on one model.
Eastop is a Chinese harp maker that adopted several features, like tight reed tolerances and a solid comb along with a variety of cover finishes. Good harps as well from what I have seen and played.
Many models and brands have injection molded combs which are light and strong, but to me don't give the same resonance.
So, short answer, materials are a big component!
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Post by JamesP on Mar 24, 2018 9:21:10 GMT -5
HHow about wood vs plastic combs?
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Post by jbone on Mar 24, 2018 17:20:14 GMT -5
Jim, to me the material is not as important as if it is sealed ie wood comb, to prevent the wood from swelling with breath moisture. This invariably shortens the life of a harp since it promotes air leakage around the reed plate/comb area, where a good seal in vital to good performance of a harp. Plastic seems to work ok for me. Eastop is plastic combs, but solid. The injection molded combs like those on Hohner SP20, Lee Oskar, and some Suzuki models-which look like a kind of framework rather than a solid comb- just don't feel solid to me these days. Personal preference.
I like the resin/wood composite combs Suzuki uses on Manji. I also have a Suzuki PURE harp, all rosewood, which is a solid and sweet sounding harp. A sealed Hohner Marine Band can be a great harp.
Something else to consider- and I admit I have not worried about this to date- is if the comb and reed plates are very flat to each other. Better seal means better control of your air focus. A lot of players these days have their parts flat sanded or do it themselves; as I said though, I am a run what ya brung guy mostly.
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