[Harp-L] NEW PROTPTYPE MARINE BAND

["Robert Koch" <rok68@xxxxxx>]

> Lats weekend I was in Klingenthal Germany....Steve Baker showed me a 
> "new "Marine Band from Hohner(prototype....!)
> Ben Bouman

Hi Ben,
Was the comb sealed? If you have any more details, please let us know.
Barbeque Bob Maglinte


   Dear list,

   I saw and inspected very closely this prototype. I even played it at
the masterclass Steve gave this August in Toscana... Hohner has indeed
been loosing ground after Hering introduced their "Vintage Harp" and the
Empire intends to strike back with Steve's prototype. For instance, I
surprised Steve with a picture of Kim Wilson's gig case: he was carrying
FOUR (!) 1923s among his set of Marine Bands... (Txs Tim for pointing
this out to me)... The very fact that Kim is trying Hering is considered
bad news by some people in Trossingen. Now about this prototype...

   1) The comb:
   According to Steve, this is a problem is the industrial process of
mass producing this particular harp. Steve is convinced that the comb
for this "Marine Band Deluxe" (it's the tentative name of the harp)
should be sealed. But no machine can do it properly. It therefore has to
be made by hand. And this, of course, is expensive. Other than that,
it's a traditional pearwood comb with the edges a little smoothed out...
   2) The plates:
   It's apparently a new material/alloy, Hohner not being able to secure
the "old" brass anymore. I don't now the exact thickness but Steve
assured that it would be the same as the MS series. Steve thinks that
the major flaw of the 1923: they are to thcik, according to Professor
Baker. The plates are screwed to the comb with three (or four, it was
not settled in Steve's mind last August) screws with Philips heads.

   3) The reeds:
   Steve intends to have Hohner do a lot of work on the reeds: "proper
gaping" is the key word here. Of course, don't expect Hohner to emboss,
curve, etc...

   4) The covers:
   Also screwed with four Philips head screws to the comb (two on each
side...) and no more nails. They will be chromed and more open on the
back for better projection.

   5) The tuning:
   Here too, Steve wants to have Hohner do a better job on the tuning.
Here are the values (relative to each either. These are no cents or Hz)
of the prototype I played. Mind you this harp was set up for Mr Baker:

   1B: +5    1D: +6,5
   2B: +2    2D: +6
   3B: +4    3D: +4
   4B: +4    4D: +5,5
   5B: +2    5D: +5,5
   6B: +5    6D: +6,5
   7B: +4,5  7D: +4
   8B: +3    8D: +6
   9B: +4    9D: +5,5
  10B: +4   10B: +6,5

   6) How does it play:
   Quite good. It overblowed quite easily and was very fluid to play. It
is sort of a compromise between your regular MB and a custom one. Not
bad at all. I really liked it. It was also fun to hold (it's a little
heavier that your regular MB) and looked good. It's price? Don't know...
Around 45 euros a pop, they say. But don't quote me on this one.

   Sunnyside in Vienna