Re: [Harp-L] Glass Comb?

["Vern Smith" <jevern@xxxxxxx>]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Richard Williger" <rlwilliger@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, August 04, 2008 5:39 AM
Subject: [Harp-L] Glass Comb


> ............. I got curious and started looking around, and
> found Hohner's anniversary harp - gold for $700plus, and chrome for
> $300plus, but with a glass comb the ad copy said made for great tone.  I
> guess I am just curious as to how well glass would actually work in a
> harmonica.  How would you affix the reeds?  Could you gap them?  Assuming,
> of course, you felt like parting with that much money in the first place.

"Crystal glass" may mean fiberglass-reinforced clear polyester. I doubt that 
it means solid, brittle, clear glass. Reedplates can be held on by long 
screws extending through holes in the comb and threaded into the far plate. 
Reeds are affixed to the brass reedplates, not to the comb.  Gapping would 
be the same as for any harp.

Glass is an amorphous, extremely-viscous liquid.  See 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glass  Therefore, the term "crystal" is 
misleading.  I would not want a solid glass comb that is brittle and would 
break if you drop it.

The claim that the material of the comb affects the sound is spurious. I 
offer a $1000 wager to anyone who thinks he can perceive differences of 
sound arising from differences of comb material under controlled conditions.

Having thus mislead the customer in two respects, I would be very skeptical 
of any of Hohner's other advertising claims.

The statement that the harp uses MS reedplates is probably true.

For beautiful appearance, the harp may be worth the high price. However, you 
should not expect the performance to be different from any other diatonic 
having MS reedplates.

Vern