[Harp-L] Harmonetta inventor and page

[Jonathan Ross <jross38@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I miswrote the name of the Harmonetta inventor, it's "Hans Bibus" not  
"Bilbus" as I wrote.

Art Daane has a page on Bibus and the Harmonetta here:


http://www.geocities.com/artdaane/hbibus.htm


I would love to get my hands on that circular one.

I can see why the first three of these were not made and the final  
Harmonetta design was--the middle two both require multiple sliders  
to function (these seem to be the instrument in US2478963) and anyone  
who has played a Chordomonica II knows how big a problem that can be  
with regard to air-leakage.  The first is amazing, but quite complex  
(a sliding mouthpiece, perhaps several combs rotating in an assembly,  
some sort of buttons on one end...), most likely airtightness  
problems here as well and I can imagine it would be a bear to  
manufacture.  I'm not sure what was better about the Harmonetta valve  
system to the one which I assume was used in the fourth prototype  
(presumable US2827818 ) but it must have proved better in testing or  
as complex as the Harmonetta is it may actually be a simpler  
arrangement (looking at the drawings) and that was used instead.

Neat, and interesting to see the ideas and development leading up to  
the final product.



JR Ross