Re: [Harp-L] The reed issue

["Vern Smith" <jevern@xxxxxxx>]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Zombor Kovacs" <zrkovacs@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <Harp-L@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, March 23, 2007 10:27 AM
Subject: [Harp-L] The reed issue


> Hi all!
>
> I have been fiddling around with harps for a while.
> The most annoying thing for most of us is the fatique
> of reeds. I guess that reed quality today is
> determined by sales figures and somewhere half way
> between what is profitable to manufacture and what
> customers still buy because they accept the lifetime.
> Maybe because they don't know that reeds can last
> longer. If they lasted longer, the harmonica lasted
> longer and sales figures would drop. Also price would
> increase because of higher reed quality.
> But I am not willing to accept that we have to use
> crap reeds, which are visibly crap. Has anybody tried
> to make reeds?

About 8 years ago, I made a set of little machines with which I could make a 
reed of stainless steel, beryllium copper, or other spring material in 
several hours.  This is much too slow to be practical.  Using what I 
learned, I am undertaking a new effort to cut the time down to about 15 
minutes.  I am building 6 little machines and my progress is very slow 
because I have other things to do...like practicing with my 
Hands-Free-Chromatic.

I have heard a rumor that someone in Europe is working on a reed-making 
process.  I'm curious about it but suspect that it is secret for proprietary 
reasons.  Good luck making money selling reeds!   ;o)

I believe that a properly designed SS reed can sound and respond just like a 
Cu-alloy reed of the same pitch but be much more robust.

I would be interested in corresponding with other reed-makers.

Of higher quality materials, from
> different alloys with good surface etc. I would be
> interested to know more about this topic.

Reeds can be made from any good spring material and, if properly designed, 
can behave just like standard reeds. Freedom from corrosion and from fatigue 
are desirable properties of SS and BeCu.  Exotic materials will NOT produce 
exotic tone.  Manufacturers avoid SS because the cutting tools are more 
expensive and wear faster.  Musicians will wrongly attribute different tonal 
properties to SS, just as they do to different comb and cover materials..

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