[Harp-L] Re: Current Hohner reeds

["Joe Spiers" <joemopar@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I should retroactively insert an "IMO" here about my prior assessment 
of reed failures. I'm not a metalurgist, just a technician. I concede 
that occasionally a blown reed could be blamed on the harp. I still 
personally believe most blown out reeds are from bending down to the 
floor of the bend, combined with sucking or blowing too hard, and it's 
going to be really hard to change my mind about it.

Jeff, I don't see quality control issues with the current ('06-up 
plates) Hohner reeds. The milling is nice, and they're usually 
installed nicely. I can make them work if I have to. Fernando told me 
that these reeds are more durable, and I have no evidence not to 
believe him. I have quite a number of these harps out there, and could 
count on one hand the ones that have come back for repairs. The two 
issues I have with them is stickiness on the 3 draw when set up for 
tightly intonated bends, and the blow bends blowing sharp with harder 
pressure. Sometimes impossible to tune octaves. That alone is enough 
for me to hate them, or at least the extra work I have to do in order 
to live with them.

To my understanding, there's more to hardness than the brass formula, 
it's also cold-rolled???