Re: Suzuki Harps

[James Hanson <HANSONJA@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I checked the comb lengths on my Suzuki, Hohner, and Lee Oskar harps. 
The Suzuki does have the shortest comb - but not by very much
compared to Golden Melodies.  A bigger difference between the Suzuki
and Hohner ProHarps, biggest difference for the Lee Oskars.  Lee
Oskars have very narrow dividers as well.  It seemed odd to me that the
Suzuki "feels" small to me when the difference between it and a Golden
Melody is only a mm or so over all ten holes.  Another variable my be the
vertical profile: the Suzuki, ProHarp, and Lee Oskars are about the same
height, but the Golden Melody is not nearly as tall.  This may change the
feel as well.

For the Aluminum connection, my reference says :" there seems little
doubt that Aluminum(III) is a dementing ion. [i.e., chronic exposure makes
you crazy! JH] Its association with Alzheimer's remains equivocal." 
(R.B.Martin, Accounts of Chemical Research, 1994, vol 27, p 204) This
article also includes a table of typical daily intake: 2-5 mg per day from
natural sources, 10-20 mg from food additives (especially American
cheese where aluminum salts act as emulsifiers), less than 0.1 mg from
cooking in aluminum containers (so this really isn't  much - and probably
most resembles using the aluminum combed harp), and up to 4000 from
medications (particularly buffered aspirin and antacids).  The lacquer
idea is probably a good one to stop the nasty taste.  I still would avoid
drinking anything acidic and particularly citrus while playing the thing.

(I'm a chemistry professor my own damn self.)

J. Hanson