Re: [Harp-L] Reed plate protrusion

[Tom Albanese <reedwrecker@xxxxxxxxx>]

Michael, I know your post was directed at Steve and all your questions are
valid, but since I was the one who brought it up let me just jump in here.
When I first got my new MBDs I was pretty much appalled that the reed plates
protruded as much as they did. But it was an easy fix once I knew that it
could be adjusted by loosening the screws and sliding the comb up. If there
weren't the tolerance in the screw holes it would have been a big problem
rather than a simple one. Should the reed plates have been level with the
comb to form an even mouthpiece to begin with? In my opinion yes. But I had
anticipated having to really work on these plates with a file or maybe
a floor sander to get them down to where they weren't like figure skate
blades. So in lieu of retooling, I would suggest that Hohner keeps the play
in the holes just in case Gretchen is having a bad day when she assembles my
harps.

Seriously though, now that that problem is fixed I'm happy with the MBD
harps. For me, for now, it's pretty much as close to a custom harp I'm gonna
get. I've learned enough to adjust the reeds and slots to suit my playing
style and now I can adjust the mouthpiece too. I'm glad to be playing Marine
Bands again and looking forward to checking out the bamboo comb model. I
hope the protrusion problem is corrected by then.

tom albanese

http://www.myspace.com/bigrealdeal


On Thu, May 28, 2009 at 12:51 PM, Michael Peloquin <peloquinharp@xxxxxxxxxxx
> wrote:

>
> Steve,
>
>   Why can't the number 1 harmonica manufgacturer in the whole world just
> listen to its customers? I think all that we as consumers want to hear is:
> hey we didn't get it right and we will correct that moving forward.
>
>    I am not picking on Hohner or you when I address these concerns. I like
> Hohner's products and I have for my entire career. The MB Deluxe plays
> better tha comparable suzukis or seydels IMO, and I am a big Steve Baker
> fan...
>
>    But, please do not give us these guitar analogy cop-outs... here is my
> guitar analogy:
>
> Fender sells a deluxe version of the Strat to you with the fret ends
> protuding out the side of the neck, ripping your palms to shreds, Fender
> says, "just take a hammer and some tin snips and adjust 'em, they will be
> fine." That response would be unacceptable. You stated " I went through this
> issue with Hohner a couple of years back," why could this not have been left
> at that rather than tell us that this issue lies under the "tired" heading
> of "player personalized harp setup" This is NOT harp setup, but quality
> control. Why is there play in the holes? There is no play in a MB or GM
> (Hohner's 2 other sandwich style diatonics. )
>
>     Why must manufacturers act like they know what is best for their
> customers when many of us already know that the converse is true. Look at
> New Coke, the Selmer Mark VII saxophone, the Edsel, Apple's Cube & Newton,
> plus countless other corporate product blunders.
>
>    When will the next harmonica manufacturer really step up to the plate
> for us?
>
> Michael Peloquin
>
>
> http://harpsax.com
>
> http://myspace.com/peloquinharpsax
>
>
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>