Re: Re: [Harp-L] Seydel 1847 stainless steel reed harmonica

["Vern Smith" <jevern@xxxxxxx>]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Rick Dempster" <rick.dempster@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "Vern Smith" <jevern@xxxxxxx>; "Harp-l" <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>; "Jeff 
roulier" <jroulier@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, April 16, 2007 10:55 PM
Subject: Re: Re: [Harp-L] Seydel 1847 stainless steel reed harmonica


> Vern, I believe in what you say; I believe it from my own experience and
> from what I have read.However, did you see the exchange between myself
> and Smo' Joe. early today/tonight? (I'm in southern hem.) I woodn't -
> sorry - wouldn't bet $1000 on this, because I still have a sneaking
> suspicion that wood combed harps MIGHT be (inconsistently) identifiable
> by sound  not because of the qualities of the wood itself, but their
> inherent leakiness, plus perhaps a certain kind of grot-accumulation
> specific to wood.

I have never said that leakiness would not affect the sound and especially 
the playability of a harmonica.  However, I am skeptical that the degree of 
leakiness arises from the choice of comb material, even as a secondary 
effect. I suppose that a badly warped wooden comb could cause some problems.

I would like to hear why you think that the accumulation of "grot" under a 
wood vs plastic combs is enough different to perceptibly affect the sound or 
response.

I have a theory...as yet unverified....that the leaks are bad not so much 
because they allow some breath to escape (a "DC" effect) but because they 
dampen the resonance of the combined reed-chamber and embouchure, (an "AC" 
effect). "Leaks allow the sound to escape" is a simple way of putting it. 
In chromatics, leakage from hole to adjacent hole through the slide has more 
effect on playability than any other defect.  Here is a subject for a 
different discussion.

I doubt that the differences in leakage under wood and plastic combs are 
great enough to make a perceptible difference in tone or response.  In the 
absence of egregious unflatness of the plates or comb, I am also skeptical 
about the need for grouting or gasketing between the plates and comb.  Even 
in this case, it would most likely occur because of wood warping.  This is 
also a subject for a different discussion.

Vern
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