Re: [Harp-L] Re: New wind saver valve leather



Joe and Cass Leone <leone@xxxxxxxx> wrote:

If you check the archives you'll find that it was Pat Missin who first developed the ultrasuede (or as he calls them, microfibre) valves that have been mentioned.

Do you know the year?

I didn't find PT's first post in the archives, but the convention was before that, so that could help date when that was. I simply don't remember either which convention it was or which year. The last one I attended, IIRC.


As for when I first heard about these from Pat it would have been when he was working on my 280. That was probably sometime around 2000. I might be able to get a more exact time, but my emails from then are currently inaccessible. I don't know when Pat first started using this stuff.

put on others for a test). However, I have noticed that the valves droop some over time depending on how you store the harmonica.

Some guys lay them on a side. That's bad for the 'other' side.<snip>The better way is to set them on an END. And with a chromo, it would be the non spring end. This way, the valves are sideways and won't droop.

Hmmm...the only problem with this is that it doesn't allow for just laying it on a table, and for me if the harmonica isn't in plain sight and easily reached, it doesn't get played. But, this might be a good excuse to build a small chromatic cabinet thing.


BEST solution is to use a spring backer. The very fine 'E' wire from a guitar is still too strong. But you can beat it on an anvil or vise (or chunk of railroad track lol), and with practice, flatten it and get it to where it equates the little bear's porridge....just right.

I've been meaning to try a spring backing for some time. I have access to significantly thinner springs than guitar strings, just haven't gotten around to it yet. I find only the lowest few valves of a 280 need anything like this, and even then it's not major, this the delay. All the others work fine.




JR Ross











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