[Harp-L] Fallacy of "Playing Wet" (was MB-D comb swelling)

[Will duFauve <harpguild@xxxxxxxxx>]

Gee, guys. I guess some of you weren't around 2 or 3 years ago when people were discussing the MB Deluxe comb, and offering remedies like lacquering the insides with Hard-As-Nails nail polish top coat.....I only asked what is current re: varnishing them, should I use the Behlin's salad bowl finish, etc. That's not a cue to go off on "you play too wet, you play too hard, do you soak them, it never happens to me, do you sleep with them in your mouth 24/7. 

Thanks for the put-downs. And, what's with all the private emails trying to sell me something? Your parents never taught you any social graces, like starting out saying "Hey, Bud. How's it goin'? Nice day?" like I'm a fellow in the brotherhood of musicians, and then try and sell me something?

I will now explain the fallacy of playing "wet." All harmonica playing is played wet. Moisture is unavoidable. You put them in your mouth and exhale. The wetness proof? 1) go outside and exhale into the air on any cool day. See your breathe? Water condensation. 2) Cup it like a bullet mic and breathe into a clear drinking glass. See condensed water coat the glass in only one or two breathes? 3) Play any harp for a few minutes, disassemble it, and observe all the little condensed water droplets on the reeds, reed plates, covers and comb. 

Is this water (proofs 1 thrugh3) saliva from poor technique and "playing wet?" No! It is condensed moisture from your exhaled breathe. You never accidently gapped a low reed just a hair too tight, so the harp played great for the first 3 minutes untill the condensation made the reed stick and you had to go in and open the gap a little more to get it to vibrate under the weight of the condensation?

When you exhale thru a harp you make the innards very wet simply by breathing into it. If you play that harp for a half hour, it stays wet for (more than) a half hour and much of that condensation will be absorbed into an unsealed wood comb, I don't care how good your driest technique is. I doubt there's very few uninformed newbies anymore who think you break-in a harp by soaking it in a glass of beer, and they're not usually buying MB-Deluxe's a dozen at a time at $53 a pop.

For the guy who said he only plays single notes, no tongue blocking, or split octaves, etc., you probably need to give up keeping your instruments dry in favor of developing some fat wet tone. I think I'll sparingly use the Behlin's on the bare wood innards of the combs, and leave the factory finish intact. That should work.