Re: [Harp-L] Manji welded reeds?

[Howard Chandler <h_chandler@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hey, we've all gotten used to technical advances in electronics giving 
us high performance gizmos for ever cheaper prices.  If you could get a 
cell phone in 1970, what do you suppose it would have cost?

If Suzuki can reverse the trend of ever more expensive high performance 
harps and come up with a harp aimed at the mass market that comes close 
to the performance of custom models, then I could get used to the idea 
of a cheap, disposable harp.  Back in the 70's this is how I thought of 
the Marine Band..  If they had customizers back then I was not aware of it.

I hope this is what they've done and eagerly await their availability at 
the usual harp outlets.  The market will decide.

Howard


Vern Smith wrote:
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Michael Peloquin" 
> <peloquinharp@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: "Harp -l" <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Monday, August 10, 2009 11:55 AM
> Subject: RE: [Harp-L] Manji welded reeds?
>
> > From: tusker23@xxxxxxxxxxx
> > I'm a relative newbie to harp-playing and I know it's probably a dumb 
> > question, but.......if welded reeds are such a tremendous improvement 
> > over rivetted reeds, wouldn't replacing a welded reed with a 
> > screw-fastened reed result in a poorer quality harmonica?
>
> Good question.
>
> > If not, then why not use all screw-fastened or bolted reeds in the 
> > first place, rather than welded reeds?
>
> Spot-welding is much more amenable to an automated assembly process 
> than rivets or screws.  (See those videos on assembly of automobile 
> bodies.)  One suspects that this is the most important reason for 
> choosing spot-welding.  Better alignment and closer tolerances are 
> real but marginal advantages to the user. Field-replacement 
> difficulties are challenging but not unsurmountable.  Replacement of 
> rivetted reeds is also a challenge to the average harper.
>
> > And if indeed the performance of a welded reed is so vital to the 
> > musician at the outset, why would he/she then settle for a lesser 
> > harmonica with a repaired reed which doesn't meet original 
> > manufacturer's specifications? I'm thinking that if welded reeds were 
> > so vitally important to the professional player in the first place, 
> > he/she would simply dispose of the damaged harp and buy a new one, 
> > rather than play an "inferior" instrument.
> >
> > .....Or am I missing something?    Jim,
>
> Quite the contrary.
>
> > As they say in talk radio; "you stole my thunder."
>
> > And, with those close tolerances, how could a lowly human easily 
> > align this replacement reed in the slot? What about all of the 
> > distortion and stress put on the reed and the plate when the holes 
> > are drilled and threads are cut?
>
> Valid questions.  Because you drill the hole in the reed bigger than 
> the screw, you can always loosen the screw and change the angle and 
> offset of the reed with respect to the slot.  Although this can 
> involve quite a bit of fiddling around, it is theoretically possible 
> to get a perfect alignment.  I have found that it helps to put a 
> lubricated washer under the screw head to reduce the tendency of the 
> reed to move as the screw is tightened.  You still need a drill press.
>
> Because welding is fairly new, harp techs haven't had much opportunity 
> to work out solutions to the problems that you have correctly 
> identified.  However, we're working on it. Stay tuned.
>
> Vern
>
>
>
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