Re: Comb Material [revisited]

[Markburness@xxxxxxx]

What the hell is the point of this thread?

How will it be determined if there is a "factual" basis for stating that 
there is a difference in tone regarding materials other than using your ears? 
I can't believe any musician would use any other parameter. 

If it is "scientifically and factually" proven that a comb made from an 
Aardvark's earwax has unique and beneficial tonal qualities will you and 
everyone else switch to this material?

I can gladly concede that the listener can have a hard time determining one 
material from another (however in my own experience anyone who would stand 
still long enough was subjected to a blind A/B test as I played acoustically 
through 2 otherwise identical harps all came to the same conclusion) but what 
actually matters is what the player hears. If you like it, you will have a 
comfort level that will allow you to play better. This is the factor that 
should be influencing your desicion re. comb material..."Does it sound good 
to you?".

No matter how much someone wants to try and tell me that material A is 
superior to material B (and I've tried all the "off the shelf" and a couple 
of esoteric materials) I will continue to play what I prefer, rather than 
struggle with a machine/someone elses verdict as to what "IS BEST".

For the record, I and most of the players I know, (and this is a fact, as in 
it "is a fact that I like chocolate ice cream") seem to hear a difference in 
materials...not only wood vs plastic etc., but types of wood (openess of 
grain), wood sealed with wax and wood sealed with varathane. However, I am 
happy that when on the other end of the sound, the same guys would be hard 
pressed to tell when they switched from A to B.

Oh, hell now I've gone and gotten involved.....