Re: [Harp-L] reed plate covers

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

The cover plates are steel; some are nickel plated and some chrome. I'd guess (without having any at hand at the moment) that Hohner uses nickel and Tombo/Lee Oskar Chrome. Chrome has a hard, blue-ish tinge while nickel is a softer, golden hue; a bit like the difference, respectively, between flourescent and incandescent light. Nickel wears more easily than chrome, which is harder, both in the 'Moh's scale' sense and visually.
I seem to recall seeing some older harps where the electroplating had worn off and brass being revealed beneath. But let a Hohner or any other brand of harmonica made in the last fifty years I'd guess, languish damplly for a good while, and it will rust through it's plating, thus proving its ferric nature.
Hmm....guess Joe Leone has taken a break from contributing to then list; this is his kind of question.
Hope this helps Glen, but if you are writing something for publication, I'd check with someone other than a bulldust artist such as
Your's truly,
RD
PS Hey Neil Graham, you ole metallurklist you, drop me a line and confirm or destroy the above!

>>> "Glenn Weiser" <celticguitar1@xxxxxxxxxxxx> 1/11/2007 4:09 >>>
Gang-

Question-what are reed plate covers usually made of? Isn't it nickel or an 
alloy thereof?
I need to know for something I'm writing.

-Glenn Weiser 

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