Breaking in revisited

[" B.G. de Boer" <boerb@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Some time ago there was a discussion on this list about whether it is necessary
to play harps for a while before they can be bent well and sound well. This
process is also referred to as 'breaking in'.

The discussion ended without really providing an answer to the question if break-
ing in is necessary (some people said they didn't need to break in their harps)
and whether it's a physical phenomenon or just the player getting used to the
harp. There was also no consensus about what breaking in does to a harp, if it
would be a physical thing.

I recently got some evidence that breaking in really has something to do with
the harp itself, instead of with the interaction between the player and the 
instrument (although that could be a factor, too ).
It so happened that I got at about the same time both a new and a used bluesharp
in C and also a used and a new little lady. I noticed that I could bend immedi-
ately at both used instruments, whereas for the new instruments it was much more
difficult.
Apparantly breaking in really does something to your harmonica's. Now the physi-
cists among us may determine what that is...

Bart de Boer
P.S. ( I have tried to send this before, but I'm afraid I never saw it arrive, 
but if it did, sorry for the wasted bandwith...)