Re: Harp rack

["Vern Smith" <jevern@xxxxxxx>]

- ----- Original Message ----- 
From: "MLeFree" <mlefree@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>

> Joel Fritz wrote:
> > Every rack I've ever used needed a better way of clamping.

Most designs pinch the harp between a fixed bar and a spring loaded bar, as
did the old Hohner design..

The Ergonomic Neck Rack that can be seen at
www.hands-free-chromatic.7p.com, (click on "Holder,")
has a pair of small "C-clamps" that grasp the harp at the ends by the rear
corners.  The clamps open and close by means of little 4-40 thumbscrews.
The clamps are attached to a bar that rotates so the angle of the harp can
be adjusted to the preferred head-tilt of the player. The right-to-left
positions of the clamps are individually adjustable to accommodate not only
the preferred side-to-side poaition of the harp but also differences of harp
length. AFAIK, these "C-clamps" and their adjustments are unique among
available harp racks.

 > My teacher was always repairing and fiddling with his ancient Hohner harp
> rack, so I bought him one of these Weltmeister (aka Bushman)
racks...........
> http://www.harpdepot.com/productdetail/~Model/12NR~/d.html
> ................... I could immediately see he was having trouble getting
his
> harp into it.  Just when he thought he had it, the harp escaped the rack's
> strong grasp and shot across the stage, bouncing along the floor.
...............
>....................  They
> are far more heavy-duty than the Hohner ones and will fit a diatonic or
> chromatic.  They have nice knurled knobs at the joints instead of
wingnuts.

The padded neck yoke and large knobs of the Weltmeister/Bushman rack are
definite improvements over bare wire and wingnuts! This appears to be a good
rack for the price.

Vern