Re: [Harp-L] plastic comb vs wood ?



Thanks, Joe.  Its good to see my amatuer theory on this validated by a
veteran player.

Funny sidenote: when I first started playing, I thought id "seen the light"
when I discovered the comfort of the special 20 et al.  I swore that's all
I'd ever play.

After learning and practicing for months on 20s and sessions, I made this
accidental discovery that I was a far better player on my MBs.  Now I
honestly feel handicapped even on my custom seydel.

Does the MB feel like a Teflon coated marshmallow in mouth?  Nope.  Are the
plate front edges and comb holes a little metallic and raspy?  Yep.

Is it worth it? All day long.  Sometimes it feels as though the instrument
is proactively pulling notes out of me....the difference is that pronounced
to me.  Sounds like you experience the same thing.
On Jun 9, 2013 2:24 PM, "Joseph Leone" <3n037@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

>
> On Jun 9, 2013, at 2:09 PM, Eric Miller wrote:
>
> > Although I've seen a great deal of discussion covering the tone and
> > durability differences of plastic vs. wood (and other materiel), I don't
> > see a lot of talk about the difference in *how they play.*
>
> ExACTLY what I was just referring to Eric. :)
> > *
> > *
> > To me, the difference is substantial, and it has less to do with the
> nature
> > of the material and more to do with how they are physically shaped.  I
> have
> > four harps with plastic combs:  a session, a special 20, a harpmaster,
> and
> > a Lee Oskar.  There are two things I notice about these vs. a wood comb
> on
> > my MBs.
>
> Too many people worried about the sound, when, in fact, it's the 'EDGES'
> of the sound that the player feels.
> >
> > -each of them has slightly larger holes and hole spacing, with the
> session
> > being the most disparate (a full "hole and a half" larger than the MB
> comb
> > when held side by side)
> >
> > - they all have some kind of chamfering/rounding/softening of the edges
> of
> > the holes.  Again, the session has obvious, visible 45 degree chamfers
> that
> > are about .5mm, The others are not chamfered, but the edges a rounded and
> > softer than that of the MB.
> >
> > This makes them have a softer and more comfortable mouth feel, but
> > play *noticeably
> > *less responsive (to me, anyway).  The sharp lip edges of the stock
> wooden
> > MB comb make the notes "snap" into playing when shifting between holes,
> and
> > the ever-so-slightly smaller distance between the holes makes some licks
> > play clean and crisp, while the same runs are spongy and loose on the
> > plastic comb harps.
>
> This paragraph right here above pretty much sums it up for me..the player
> makes the response but only if the harmonica ALLOWS it.
> >
> > Does anybody else notice this phenomenon?  To me its like night and day.
>
> It sure is. And as anyone whom has played a long time time knows all too
> well, ANY percentage of positivity lends itself to comfortability. AND
> confidence.
> A man (or woman) and his/her harp who are in alignment = Paradise.
>
> smo-joe
>
> > It's, honestly, like a 20% difference in my mind.
> >
> >
> > On Sat, Jun 8, 2013 at 7:28 PM, Fran_3 <mailbox0600@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> >
> >> The honer specal 20 and ms have wooden combs... right?
> >>
> >> Can you replace them with a plastic comb?
> >>
> >> And, I'd like to hear your thoughts and comments about plastic vs wood.
> >>
> >> The concern to me would be maintainability... how many times can you
> take
> >> the nails or screws out of a wood comb harmonica before it just doesn't
> go
> >> back to gether any more? Or is this really an issue?
> >>
> >> Regarding tone... years ago some soaked wooden comb harps before
> >> playing... but I think that has been de-bunked... or has it?
> >>
> >> Wooden or Plastic? Whadda ya say?
> >>
>
>



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