[Harp-L] Re: Bolt-on reeds...

["Michael Timler" <mail@xxxxxxxxx>]

> Message: 8
> Date: Tue, 14 Feb 2006 19:17:07 -0000
> From: "Tim Moyer" <wmharps@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: Re:  [Harp-L] Bolt-on reeds...
> To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
> Message-ID: <dstabj+iuoj@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1"
>
> George Leung wrote:
> > Yeah, I know that you can get it customize... but do you think
> > that we will see bolt-on reeds from the factories anytime soon,
> > considering that after so much pleas, Hohner finally made a screw
> > assembly 270, and may make a CX-16 for 2008, but personally I
> > prefer the use of bolt on reeds.
>
> In a word, no.  I don't think manufacturers are interested in doing
> things that make it significantly more time consuming and expensive
> to build their instruments without a huge amount of demand from
> consumers.  If anything, I think things are going the other way.
> Suzuki has already moved to welded reeds on many of it's top
> diatonic models, including the Promaster, and the Delta Frost they
> build for Bushman.  I don't know whether they do this for their
> chromatics (where repair is a bigger concern than with diatonics),
> but imagine how much more labor it would take to build a harp with
> reeds attached with screws.
>
> -tim
>
> Tim Moyer
> Working Man's Harps
> http://www.workingmansharps.com/

May I mention, that Seydel has its official repair method here
http://www.seydel1847.de/epages/Seydel.sf/?ObjectID=25208&Locale=en_GB

It includes a toolset and the possibility to get single reeds as well as 
reedsets for both Diatonic and Chromatic Harmonicas.
We also will provide single windsafers as well as whole sets for the 
Chromatic Harmonica and the special glue.

It's not useful to build instruments other than riveted because of producing 
costs, it's simply faster to rivet, that is.
Estimated, that 1% of the customers ever work on reeds we just for them 
provide all repairing facilities to get an easy possibility to exchange 
broken reeds.

At the moment we are working to actually be able to offer the toolset, 
please have about 14 days patience, until you find it in our shop.

However it's easy to do and therefore we feature this method.

Please do understand, that I do not want to force a discussion what is 
better, re-riveting or use bolt and nut for fixing a reed. We use this 
method, because it's the easiest to learn. If someone decides to prefer 
re-riveting, he/she may do so. However in our experience you must be a bit 
more skilled to do a good job with that method.

We will hold on on riveting in our production, because -among others- 
repairing with bolts and nuts will be easier then. Spot welding reeds is not 
so favorable under a repairing context because recentering the reed isn't 
possible and the rebuilding process while using bolts and nuts is something 
that isn't easy to learn anymore, 'though it's possible.

Yours
Michael
www.seydel1847.com