Re: Re: longevity of custom harps

["Tim Moyer" <wmharps@xxxxxxxxx>]

Mark wrote:
> I wonder if [tuning by filing reeds diagonally] is a case of 
> built-in obsolescence? 

At SPAH2002 in Columbus I watched a video in the Hohner room about 
how Hohner harmonicas are made.  The point of the video, I think, was 
to compare the handmade process used to produce the Marine Band, 
Special 20 and Golden Melody to the MS process used to produce that 
line (Cross Harp, Pro Harp, Meisterklasse, etc.).  Of course, the MS 
process is highly automated, using wonderfully complex machines to do 
things like attach reeds to plates, set reed offset (gap) and tune.  

The handmade process is -- in a word -- handmade.  Reeds are attached 
to plates with a hand machine.  Gaps are set by eye and by hand with 
a shim slid between the reeds and plates.  Tuning is done by hand on 
a bench by a technician with a file.  I think looking beyond Hohner's 
desire to minimize the amount of time (and, therefore, money) spent 
setting up each harmonica is reading too much into this.  Filing is 
simply the fastest way to get the job done.  

- -tim