Re: [Harp-L] Marine Band Crossover



There's nothing new about bamboo combs. I made one out of a piece of flooring when I did our home. It's a perfect thickness. It's easy. Just takes a coping saw. Unlike a chromo (which has 'levels' and requires milling).

smokey Joe & the Cafe s (at the Harbouside, no. Ft. Myers,..featuring Craig Christman on sax).



On Apr 7, 2009, at 10:20 PM, Vern Smith wrote:

Bamboo may very well make an excellent mechanical comb material because it is laminated, straight-grained, hard, stable in the presence of moisture, readily available, and blonde.

I challenge the notion that bamboo or any other comb material perceptibly affects the sound of a harmonica. If anyone can demonstrate the ability to hear differences between pearwood and bamboo combs under controlled conditions, they can win my $1000 wager!

You mentioned a "blind test" and that the participants played the harps "without knowing
the others' preferences or the materials tested" . How were the distinguished players or listeners denied the knowledge of the comb materials in the harps that they were hearing or playing? What was the test protocol?


I am also curious to know the mechanisms by which the properties of comb materials perceptibly affect "volume, tone, response, bending, overblow and general playability".....on a scale of 1 to 10!

Vern




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