Re: [Harp-L] ? about Suzuki Promasters

[Fernando Bresslau <bresslau@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On 21.07.2006 19:22, Paul LaBrier wrote:
> On 7/21/06, Fernando Bresslau <bresslau@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> does Hohner let the reed plates protrude past the comb and covers by
> design?  My lips much prefer harmonicas with recessed reeed plates.
> Is there a reason?
Hi Paul, I work for Hohner in Trossingen at the Product Management, yes.

Surely there are reasons.

1) Historical. The first harmonicas where sandwich type, like the Marine 
Band.

2) Technical. Once the harmonicas is of the sadwich type, it is very 
easy to make a body out of a flat piece of wood or out of slices of a 
bigger piece which has had the fingers carved. By then, it is just 
logical that the plate should protude, and not the fingers. The plates 
are rounded, while the fingers might hurt the lips if they protude. By 
making the plates wider than the body you also gave some space for the 
wooden body to swell a little, which is a problem with untreated wooden 
combs.

3) Technical 2. You need to have material where to cut the groove where 
the covers get in touch with the reedplates. These grooves are quite 
important for avoiding leakage between covers and plates, besides 
keeping the covers in place.

3) Performance. Sandwich type harmonicas are preferred by many players 
who feel a consistent difference in response between ST harmonicas and 
harmonicas with recessed reedplates. Marine Bands, Golden Melodies and 
Meisterklasse are more often customised for overbends than SP20s.

As soon as injection molding became available and cost efficient, Hohner 
developed the SP20, AFAIK, the firs harmonica with recessed reedplates. 
By then, the other models were already very popular, and it would not 
make sense to take them out of the market. Now players have the choice 
to choose between the one or the other type.

I myself prefer sandwich type harmonicas, my model of choice at the 
moment being the Marine Band Deluxe. But I also play GMs, SP20s and an 
assortment of MS harmonicas. Most players play both styles, and aren't 
bothered by the protruding reedplates, as long as the plate edges are 
correctly shaped, rounded and without sharp edges.

Cheers,
Fernando