Re: Re: [Harp-L] Seydel 1847 stainless steel reed harmonica




----- Original Message ----- From: "Rick Dempster" <rick.dempster@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "Vern Smith" <jevern@xxxxxxx>; "Harp-l" <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>; "Jeff roulier" <jroulier@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, April 16, 2007 10:55 PM
Subject: Re: Re: [Harp-L] Seydel 1847 stainless steel reed harmonica



Vern, I believe in what you say; I believe it from my own experience and
from what I have read.However, did you see the exchange between myself
and Smo' Joe. early today/tonight? (I'm in southern hem.) I woodn't -
sorry - wouldn't bet $1000 on this, because I still have a sneaking
suspicion that wood combed harps MIGHT be (inconsistently) identifiable
by sound  not because of the qualities of the wood itself, but their
inherent leakiness, plus perhaps a certain kind of grot-accumulation
specific to wood.

I have never said that leakiness would not affect the sound and especially the playability of a harmonica. However, I am skeptical that the degree of leakiness arises from the choice of comb material, even as a secondary effect. I suppose that a badly warped wooden comb could cause some problems.


I would like to hear why you think that the accumulation of "grot" under a wood vs plastic combs is enough different to perceptibly affect the sound or response.

I have a theory...as yet unverified....that the leaks are bad not so much because they allow some breath to escape (a "DC" effect) but because they dampen the resonance of the combined reed-chamber and embouchure, (an "AC" effect). "Leaks allow the sound to escape" is a simple way of putting it. In chromatics, leakage from hole to adjacent hole through the slide has more effect on playability than any other defect. Here is a subject for a different discussion.

I doubt that the differences in leakage under wood and plastic combs are great enough to make a perceptible difference in tone or response. In the absence of egregious unflatness of the plates or comb, I am also skeptical about the need for grouting or gasketing between the plates and comb. Even in this case, it would most likely occur because of wood warping. This is also a subject for a different discussion.

Vern
Visit my harmonica website www.Hands-Free-Chromatic.7p.com






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