Re: [Harp-L] Differenfces between Oskars and Marine Bands (was Little Walter & Lee Oscar)

[Winslow Yerxa <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx>]

Oskars are tuned to equal temperament, not just. Marine Bands are tuned
to a compromise tuning that is neither equal nor just.

As to ease of bending, thinner reeds has little to do with it - the 
statement about thinner reeds making for easier beinding was first made
by Hohner marketing when they first introduced the Blues Harp even
though the reeds were identical to Marine Band reeds. In fact, the
length of the weighted portions of the lowest reeds of some Oskars
makes them effectively thicker than the corresponding reeds in Hohners.


Quality control does seem quite high with Oskars, but I suspect it has
to do with controlling the quality of execution during the
manufacturing process itself as opposed to chucking bad instruments at
the end of the production line.

Plastic or wood infliencing the sound? This is a controversial point
with plently of vocal advocates on both sides. There are numerous other
differences in design (covers being one, along with reed design and
temperament) that can more easily be demonstrated to affect audible
differences between Oskar and Marine Band.

Winslow

--- Philharpn@xxxxxxx wrote:

> As I recall -- I haven't checked recently -- that Lee Oskar harps are
> not 
> only tuned "brighter" A 443+ (instead A 440 USA [Europe, A 445?]) but
> also "just" 
> tuning instead of "equal" tuning with thinner reeds that also makes
> the 
> Oskars easier to bend.
> 
> But the real reason they sound different is that the Lee Oskar has a
> plastic 
> comb and the Marine Band has a wood comb. Wood tastes different. 
> 
> As for quality control, I suspect that more Marine Bands are produced
> than 
> Lee Oskars. If this is true, larger production might leave room for
> wider 
> variation in specs.
> 
> There is also the price difference. LO used to cost $10 more than MB.
> Which 
> might leave more room for a quality control department to weed out
> the bad 
> ones.
> 
> Keep on harpin' whatever you do.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In a message dated 1/4/07 10:50:54 AM, garry@xxxxxxxxxxxx writes:
> 
> 
> > "Kevin M. Duggan" <kevin_duggan@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > 
> > > I met a really good harmonica player
> > > who uses Hohner Marine band or blues harps.
> > > This person buys maybe ten of these and
> > > finds roughly,  one good harmonica out of ten.
> > 
> > don't know about blues harps, but i'd be amazed about that many
> > marine bands being "not good", unless that just means not set up
> > exactly to his liking.  i think that as you advance beyond beginner
> > level, most harps could use some degree of tweaking to make them
> > play really well or fit your playing style.  but certainly the
> popularity
> > of these harps would suggest that *somebody* is getting good ones. 
> > maybe hohner reserves all the bad ones for this guy, and once every
> > 10 times a good one slips through.  :-)
> > 
> > but if he really means "can't be played or made playable", then why
> > does he keep buying them?
> > 
> > > Is there any advantage to playing a Marine band
> > > over a Lee Oscar?
> > 
> > the only advantage is if you, personally, prefer the
> > look/feel/sound/playability/image of the marine band,
> > vs. the LO.  if not, then no.
> > 
> > > I wonder if Little Walter was still around
> > > what he would be using?
> > 
> > probably a walker.
> > 
> > 
> > ----
> > Garry Hodgson, Senior Software Geek, AT&T CSO
> > 
> > But I'm not giving in an inch to fear
> > 'Cause I promised myself this year
> > I feel like I owe it...to someone.
> > 
> > _______________________________________________
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> > 
> > 
> 
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