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<From Harp-L Mon Mar 20 11:04:46 0800 1995 remote from WKUVX1.WKU.EDU
X-ListName: Harmonica Discussion List <Harp-L@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
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From: Mike Curtis <wd6ehr@xxxxxxxxxx>
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Message-ID: <199503201904.LAA23617@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: Dynamics on my Lee Oskar harps
To: Harp-L@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Mon, 20 Mar 1995 11:04:46 -0800 (PST)
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>      I beg your indulgence for - I suppose - a fairly elementary question. 
>      I have several Lee Oskar harps, specifically a B flat, A and D. I can 
>      get pretty good volume out of the A harp, but not nearly the same 
>      volume out of the B flat (particularly 2 draw). Is this me? B flat 
>      harps? This particular harp? Would soaking the harp help? Thanks in 
>      advance.  Charlie Crawford crawford@xxxxxxx  

I know I'm gonna get blasted out of the water on this one - asbestos 
shorts in place and ready, SIR!

It has been my experience that soaking does improve volume, something in
the neighborhood of 10 dB (measured by ear - but I have experience working
with SPL and relative dBm levels, so this should be reasonably close.)
However, the harps won't last as long. 

If you soak, make sure you thoroughly dry them out after playing.  a 
soaking wet harp will "bloom" if kept in an air (and water) tight case 
for extended periods :-Q

I prefer ice water - it seems to bring the harp "alive" for a song or two.

Soaking also keeps harps cleaner - you don't get that gunk inside the 
holes.  I'm sure it also keeps the reeds and plates cleaner, too, which 
will help tone and volume.

Other things that can affect volume:  reed offset of BOTH reeds in each
hole (how much gap it has between the reed and plate), and your resonance,
which needs to be different for each harp key. 

I'd check reed offset, comparing the A harp with the others, and trying to
closely match reed offset with the best harp.  Oskars are usually fairly
consistent, but nothing is ever perfect, except awful, e.g. "That was
perfectly awful" :-)

Another thing that affects harp volume and tone for me is proper break 
in.  I find that, if I play them "easy" the first 10 or 15 minutes, they 
perform better and last longer.  Your mileage may vary.

Because I now use windsavers on my harps, I can't soak them as much (the 
windsavers come off more easily when wet), but I still rinse them and 
shake them out thoroughly before playing.

Hope this helps.


 -- mike