[Harp-L] Big River reedplate edges

[Richard Hunter <turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

At SPAH, Hohner was selling Big Rivers for $5 apiece, and I bought a low Eb.  The sound and response is surprisingly good, plenty good enough for real work, but the reed plates have sharp edges, and I cut one corner of my mouth up playing the thing.

We'll ignore for the moment the question of why any manufacturer in 2009 should make a product that, when used in the recommended manner, injures the user.  (I used to automatically sand down the square holes on Hohner model 260 and 270 mouthpieces, because they always had sharp edges and burrs that cut my lips.  But I've stopped thinking that's the kind of problem I should have to deal with.)  I seem to recall that other people on Harp-L or Harptalk have had this problem and figured out a way to deal with it.  I couldn't seem to find the right posts in the harp-L archives.  Anybody got any advice on how to turn the Big River into a safer instrument?

Thanks and regards, Richard Hunter
 

author, "Jazz Harp"
latest mp3s and harmonica blog at http://myspace.com/richardhunterharp
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