Re: [Harp-L] Sound of Hohner (was Hering harp comment): could beHohnerApology

"Bob Maglinte" <bbqbob917@xxxxxxxxxxx> · Fri, 4 Mar 2005 09:21:34 -0500

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "ben bouman" <fitgo@xxxxxxxxxx>

To: "Nicolas Fouquet" <bbhcfr@xxxxxxxx>; <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>

Sent: Friday, March 04, 2005 7:59 AM

Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Sound of Hohner (was Hering harp comment): could 
beHohnerApology
Hi Froggy
Well, I've customized a few Hering 1923 and the players who use these 
harps

will not completely agree with you.

There is a slight difference in sound but the moment you start 
cupping/using

hand effects/tongueblock/vamping....etc, in a double-blind test no

harpplayer will be able to tell me which harp was played.

Isn't it sometimes a mind over matter thing..you hear what you wan to 
hear?

and...customizing(embossing/tipscooping/chamfering etc) SEEMS to brighten

the sound a little..??!!
There are a lot of players who have THE SOUND...no matter which brand of
harp they play.
These players are able to play from their heart and that's (for me) THE
SOUND!

Hi Ben,

I absolutely agree here. The side vent holes on the covers of the Hering 
1923 Vintage Harps, much like the Marine Bands was to make them louder and 
brighter, and this will make the instrument more sensitive to how you hold 
the instrument. If it's too bright, get some micropore tape and cover the 
side vents and then you won't hear as much of the brightness. A good player 
will always sound good no matter what they're using. I've found these to 
last longer than the present day Marine Band, but before I started playing 
them, I has already KNEW right upfront that ANY harp using a thicker reed 
plate will be playing much louder and more aggressively than the standard 
thickness of about 0.90mm (give or take a few) that's on most diatonic 
harmonicas, and thus extra stress is placed on the reeda if you tend to play 
VERY hard ALL the time, and ANY player who plays this way will ALWAYS blow 
out ANY brand of harmonica real quick no matter what, the players who are 
the most guilty of this usually have ZERO clue about it or refuse to admit 
it. Just like some people can make any car last over 10 years in excellent 
running condition of the EXACT same model car as someone else is going to 
beat on it and it's already broken down in 2 years, with the factor that 
they BOTH bought them brand new at the same time!!!! Think about it!!!
Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
MP3's: http://music.mp3lizard.com/barbequebob/