Re: [Harp-L] If anybody has a Richter chromatic

[David Payne <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

The Richter chromatic I play most is the Seydel, since it is valved, but I do have a Richter valveless from the 1940s that is pretty much the same thing and it does see some work.
I got a Borrah Minnevitch Technique Tone No. 44. It's the same thing as a Koch valveless, only it has an external spring and Borrah's coverplates. I can not tell the difference between a Koch comb and its comb, except the Borrah comb has no place for an internal spring to go – at least as I remember it.
When I got the thing, it was unplayable, about like any Koch I've come across. I put a lot of hours into that harp, I embossed all the reeds, which is like embossing two diatonics. Sealed the comb and flat sanded it. Filed the slide carriage down and filed and honed the slide flatter. 
When I did all that, it was playable. It still, after all that wasn't as responsive as a valved chromatic. After all that, I still wasn't happy with it. But
So after I played it for a little while, it started to loosen up and I was pleasantly surprised. It does pretty well in first position. It's really smooth and I enjoy playing it very much. I used it as a carry harp for some time, but now it needs tuned, or maybe I've just recently noticed that it needs tuned because I've been playing more double stops. 
The trade off is it is not very loud, even after all the work, but it plays very well for what it is. Actually, I love the thing.
 _________________________________
Dave Payne Sr. 
Elk River Harmonicas
www.elkriverharmonicas.com 




________________________________
From: "cscharp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <cscharp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Monday, December 22, 2008 10:17:34 AM
Subject: [Harp-L] If anybody has a Richter chromatic

To Dave Payne:

David, Thanks for posting the Diatonic Chromatic Vid.  I have had a KOCH Chromatic for years, which I have always hated.  You gave me new motivation to get it out again.  I never thought of it as a 1st postion instrument.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2a-JPtZb0M

So the question is this.  Has anyone worked at optimizing  the Koch, and what were the results.


Nice Vid, Dave

Harvey Berman
_______________________________________________