[Harp-L] Re: Crossover

[Steve Baker <steve@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Vern 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.

SB:
It makes an excellent comb material but requires sealing completely  
with water-resistant laquer. For

Vern:
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!

SB:
I'm aware of the contention surrounding this subject and deliberately  
made no claims that there is any "objective" difference. I'm happy  
for players to reach their own conclusions.

Vern:
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?

SB:
They were simply given a bunch of harps to play and asked to compare  
them and note their opinions on the points mentioned. Comb materials  
were not mentioned but the players could see that there were  
different materials involved. Using a 1 - 10 scale is a bit like  
awarding points to fine wines, it's certainly not an exact science  
but it does enable experts to make valid comparisons. The numbers  
were added up to determine any overall preferences. We were surprised  
by the degree of unanimity.

Vern:
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!

SB:
Nobody has claimed there are any such mechanisms, we simply asked a  
bunch of top players to compare a fairly large (I think it was about  
15) series of instruments which had been set up as close to  
identically as possible. We also swapped reed plates & combs around  
to eliminate errors through the the fact that one set of reeds was  
simply better than another. The main purpose of the test was to  
investigate reed profiles, the combs were secondary and no-one had an  
agenda to prove that any particular material was superior or inferior,

Steve