Re: Fwd: Re: [Harp-L] Big Rivers

[G <gigs@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>Fernando Bresslau wrote:
>> > From: "R.S." <jollyweasel@xxxx>
>> > So I used the Micropore tape fix to provide a gasket
>> > then lowered the gap.  I cannot believe how great they
>> > sound and play now.
>> I would carefully suggest that lowering the gap had more effect 
>> than using micropore. Big Rivers seal nicely, usually. 8<
>> And leaks 
>> between comb and plates usually have obvious and easy to repair 
>> reasons: dirt, burr, bent plates, screws tightened wrongly.
>"Tim Moyer" wrote:
>I agree with several of Fernando's points: things like bent plates, 
>and uneven screw tensions are more easy to fix without resorting to 
>gaskets, and gaskets are generally undesirable as they hold moisture 
>inside the harp and collect nasties.  8<
>I don't care too much for Big Rivers, as I've seen lots of leakiness 
>in them that's troublesome to remedy.  A lot of it is between the 
>covers and the reedplates.  As the bottom of the Hohner MS line, I 
>remember seeing harps that were tuned with deep gouges going nearly 
>all the way through the reeds.  I think Hohner has discontinued this 
>practice.
>-tim
>Tim Moyer

Microporing combs to this extent was started on a misunderstanding on this
group some years ago.  I'm amazed the practice continues to this day.

I've seen MS model reedplates tuned the way Tim describes, and I'm pleased
to say they only used it for a relatively short period of time, and
certainly do not use it now.  It was a fright the first time I saw a set of
reedplates tuned in this way, but I've seen worse.

Regards to airleaks between the covers and reedplates of MS Big Rivers,
I've also seen harps with this problem.   But again this only happened for
a period of time, current MS Big River stock does not have this issue.

MS harps have had a patchy history, but whats available today is relatively
better overall than it has been at other times.

An unrelated, but useful piece of information is several MS reeds and
Hohner chromatic reeds are interchangable, helpful to know when you need
replacement reeds, and making altered tunings.
-- G.