RE: Subject: Re: [Harp-L] comb material

["Mark Lavoie" <lavoie@xxxxxxxxx>]

Vern,
I did not expect or want anything. This was an EXPERIMENT, to see if there
would be a difference, and there was. The difference was in tone and
projection. These are simply the FACTS. Just about ALL harmonica playeres
who can produce a Solid, Fat Tone can hear the difference between Wood,
Metal and Plastic comb harmonicas. The Reality is, the Covers, Reeds,
thickness of Reed Plates, how the Reed Profile is set, and Yes Comb
Material, thickness of comb, chamber size of comb, are what make this
instrument perform amazing things when in the hands of acomplished players.
Vern, My human nature is stick to the facts, and tell it like it is!
STAY TUNED!
Mark

-----Original Message-----
From: Vern Smith [mailto:jevern@xxxxxxx]
Sent: Wednesday, April 18, 2007 9:28 PM
To: Harp-l; Mark Lavoie
Subject: Re: Subject: Re: [Harp-L] comb material



----- Original Message -----
From: "Mark Lavoie" <lavoie@xxxxxxxxx>
To: "Vern Smith" <jevern@xxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, April 18, 2007 3:54 PM
Subject: RE: Subject: Re: [Harp-L] comb material


> Vern,
> Explain this! I seal my malple wood combs with bees wax. I have a mini
> crock
> pot and soak the comb completly for around three to five minutes. The
> results are a seald comb that has a distinctive sound. Now, there was a
> thread on Hohners Hand Made Marine Bands that the very front of the comb
> was
> sealed but not the complete comb. Hohner stated that they wanted the sound
> of the pear wood comb to project the sound from the natural pear wood. I
> took my LaVoie Vermont Maple Wood comb and dipped the front of the comb,
> about an 1/8th of an inch in the Vermont Bees Wax. When I assembled the
> harmonica and played it, the tone and projection, was not even close to
> the
> Vermont Maple Wood Comb that was soaked completly in Bees Wax. What's
> going
> On?

Any comparison in which you know what material is being played isn't valid.
You expected and /or wanted to hear a difference and you did.  I'm not
acusing you of deliberately trying to deceive anyone, just being subject to
human nature as we all are.

I believe that sealing wood against the effects of moisture is a good idea
if you must use wood.  Having worked with maple, I agree that it is one of
the better varieties of wood.  However, metal or plastic is more stable and
doesn't sound any different.

Vern
Visit my harmonica website www.Hands-Free-Chromatic.7p.com