RE: speaking of racks

["MLeFree" <mlefree@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Marcus Just <mjust_2000@xxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: speaking of racks
>
> I want to try a rack so I can back myself with guitar,
> in the safety of my own living room :)
> There are three harmonica racks listed on Musician's Friend:
>
> http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/sid=04062909500012815601008009
> 5611/g=home/search/d=tp?q=harmonica+holder
>
> Lee Oskar for $19.99
> Hohner for $14.99
> Musician's Friend for $7.99
>
> From the pictures, the LO version looks ergonomically
> better and less clunky than the others. But it's hard
> to resist trying the $7.99 MF version.
> Anybody care to comment on their preferences?
>
> - -Marcus

Marcus, if you'd like a harp rack that's beefier than the bent coat-hanger
type (Hohner, etc.), but is less expensive than Vern's milspec model, take a
look at this one from, yes, Harp Depot:

http://www.harpdepot.com/productdetail/~Model/12NR~/d.html

It's much beefier, and has nice knurled knobs with a sandwich lock system
that really works, instead of funky, pokey wingnuts.  It's comfortable with
the foam over the neckpiece and the lack of sharp corners to poke you in the
chest or collarbones.  Holds a chrom' or a diatonic.

There are a couple of things worth knowing about this rack, though.  One,
the spring that holds the "jaws" that grip the harp together are ~very~
strong, making it difficult (for me) to place a harmonica in the grips of
the jaws.  I gave one of these to my teacher and the first time he tried to
use it, he didn't get the "jaws" set quite right on the harp.  I enjoyed the
look on his face more than he did when the diatonic in question spuriously
shot out of the rack across the room.  I guess it's a good thing, 'cuz a
harp, when placed properly in the jaws, isn't likely to fall out of the
rack.  The other thing is that the rack works better with harps that have a
ridge along the back side of the cover plates, like a Marine Band, LO, or
SP-20, because there is a corresponding depression in the rubber bumpers on
the jaws.  Doesn't work as well with harps that lack that ridge like Golden
Melodies.

As to Harp Depot, I've never had a problem dealing with them.  The "Bushman"
rack in the link above is actually a Weltmeister rack and is drop-shipped
from their US office, which I think is in Utah.  The rack used to be on the
Weltmeister site, but the link is broken now.  You could probably order one
directly from them if you called them on the phone.

http://www.weltmeisteronline.com/

Works for me.  :)

Michelle