Re: [Harp-L] Fwd: New deluxe version of the Hohner 270

["Vern Smith" <jevern@xxxxxxx>]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bobbie Giordano" <bogio@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <Harp-L@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, February 02, 2006 5:52 PM
Subject: [Harp-L] Fwd: New deluxe version of the Hohner 270


> Over on SlideMeister, the harmonica forum confined to chromatic harmonica 
> discussions, Winslow Yerxa broke news about a new version of Hohner's 
> chromatic, the Chromonica 270.

A round-holed mouthpiece, thicker reedplates and the elimination of nails 
are worthwhile but marginal improvements.  Two things would have made 
IMPORTANT improvements:

1. Accurate machining of the "U" channel to minimize and standardize slide 
clearance and air leakage. Apparently, Hohner depends on the width of the 
sheet metal blank to control the height of the flanges and does not 
accurately machine them after stamping.  This could have a major effect on 
air tightness.

2. Use of a plastic instead of a wooden comb. Farrell and Hering proved that 
it can be done. The owner of a new "deluxe" 270 will still be stuck with 
moisture-sensitive wood that swells, shrinks, warps, splits, peels and 
sounds exactly the same as any other comb material. A wooden-combed 
harmonica might have "made sense" 60 years ago, but not in 2006.  Hohner 
loses their credibility as harmonica experts by continuing to promulgate the 
old myth that wood (or any other material) perceptibly affects tone.

My $1000 wager still stands that no one can tell the difference between any 
two comb materials in a blind test.  After about 6 years, there have been no 
takers. I have some stainless steel 270 combs that would make a comparison 
very easy to arrange.   How sweet would it be to take Vern's $1000 and force 
him to publicly admit that he is mistaken?

Vern