Re: [Harp-L] Nails in Combs

["Rick Dempster" <rick.dempster@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

To be honest, the sight of the old nailed-together harp does give me a
feeling of security. I know eventually I will have to pull it apart,
drill and tap etc., but it looks a lot more solid than say, and MS style
instrument, with it's -what is it - 3 or 4 screws.
 I can't tell you if I really know them to be so; maybe my feeling is
based on past experience buried deep in my 'cellular memory'. At odd
times in my playing career I have marked harps with an 'in service'
date, but I haven't done it with any real organisation.I know some
lasted for years and others for a couple of months.
 If I didn't have too many other things to think about, it might be
instructive to keep a 'maintenance history sheet' on each harp in the
'roundhouse' (OK I'm a train buff) asign road numbers, keep histories of
which reed was tuned/changed etc. etc.
Trouble is, the info. gained might only be applicable to this engineer.
Ahh! but then if we all did it and pooled the information......?? Maybe
another train buff/harp player might like to set this up (this is the
kind of thing we train buffs like)
Anyone care to take the throttle?
RD

>>> fjm <mktspot@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> 27/02/2007 14:39:59 >>>
J Compton wrote:

> So harp manufacturers make more money by selling more harps...and
harps apparently need to be 
> opened up fairly soon after buying them and fairly often thereafter,
but doing so causes problems
> that can very easily make the harp unplayable requiring the purchase
of a new harp.  Hmm.  I 
> think we may have unraveled this mystery.

Hohner if you send them a relatively new harmonica will repair or 
replace it free of charge.  If you send them a completely destroyed 
harmonica they will offer you a replacement at a greatly reduced price.

  Hardly a moneymaking proposition.  I realise I'm still in the realm
of 
making things up just like everyone else but my guess as to why Marine

Band harmonicas are still nailed together is they always have been. 
There are several Marine Band reed profile plates that are fastened by

screws.  The Special 20 and the newer Golden Melody to name 2.  The 
Marine Band Deluxe to name another.  It could be worse.  We could still

be getting the Hohner product for the mid 1980's.  If only it was a 
problem with nails.  That would have been simple to solve.  You don't 
know how far we've come.  fjm
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