Re: [Harp-L] Regarding the Upcoming Comb Test at SPAH

[Deb Wind <debseifriedwind@xxxxxxxxx>]

I agree with you Johh, I honestly can't tell a difference IN TERMS OF THE
SOUND ALONE, either. To me, our plastic combs sound the same as our wood
combs, but I *FEEL* a difference. For lack of a better word, I FEEL the
resonations of the wood.

You brought up taste. When playing our wood combed harps, we swear we taste
Maple (as in Maple syrup - only without the syrup).  The wood is said to be
sealed Pear wood. Can't figure out why we're tasting Maple.... And that
taste stays in the mouth for several hours afterwords. It's not an
unpleasant taste... Just - well - unexpected and different. :-)

Thank you for your reply, John. Very much appreciated!

Deb

On Thu, Aug 12, 2010 at 6:13 PM, <MundHarp@xxxxxxx> wrote:

>  Back in 1997, Vern Smith conducted a comb test at SPAH....
> I WAS the harp player.
> Honestly, I could not tell the difference in the sound of the music, as I
> was playing, between wood, metal, or even expanded polyurethane....EXCEPT by
> the taste, and the feel of the harmonica...
> Vern convinced me!
> I don't think the material the comb is made from matters IN TERMS OF THE
> SOUND THE AUDIENCE HEARS..
> On the other hand, I prefer to play harmonicas with metal combs. WHY?
> Because they don't crack! And they simply feel more substantial as you play
> them.
>
> John "Whiteboy" Walden
> Cebu City
> Philippines
>
> In a message dated 13/08/2010 00:22:33 Malay Peninsula Standard Time,
> debseifriedwind@xxxxxxxxx writes:
>
> <<I am very interested in the results of the upcoming Comb test to be
> conducted during this year's SPAH convention.  Of particular interest is
> whether the *players* can physically tell the difference between a wood
> comb, a plastic, and an aluminum/metal comb. By "physically" I mean whether
> or not they can differentiate *by feel of mouth and lips alone* between a
> wood comb, plastic comb, or aluminum comb of the exact same shape,
> temperature, and setup.>>
>
>
>