[Harp-L] Re: GM harps

[HTownFess <Spschndr@xxxxxxx>]

Good point, smo-joe, didn't explain myself clearly: one reason the ca.
1998 yellow brass reeds were superior was that Hohner started the
milling near the reed base with smooth curves instead of right angles
on that generation of reeds.  Better milling there seems like the
prime route to longevity improvement (http://www.harp-l.org/pipermail/
harp-l/2006-August/msg00102.html is one place I'm on record about
that).

Beyond that, not using diagonal slashes for tuning would cure a small
remaining % of reed failures (think I've seen two failures there in
>100 reed repairs on my own & others' diatonics).  The diagonal
slashes also lead to other problems, like the burrs you mention or the
phenomenon of high reeds that go way up in pitch when you play them
harder.  I think they can make the reed flex in less of a straight
plane than it should.

I didn't say Hohner doesn't make a fine product--they do.  Their
quality control has improved, but their design decisions are sending
me elsewhere.  Ca. 1998, it looked like Hohner was intent on slamming
shut the door they'd left open for their competitors during the bad
years.  Said door is still ajar--



On Mar 7, 9:51 pm, joe leone <3n...@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> I have never ever had a reed break at a tuning mark. If anything,  
> there have been 'smears' where the tuning mark was run over onto the  
> plate leaving a tiny burr that subsequently chirped or sent out an  
> extremely faint high pitched ping.
>
> Any reeds that I have had break, broke at the junction where the  
> rivet pad is milled down to the reeds final thickness. It is not a  
> good idea to come down on the reed with a sharp edged mill that  
> leaves a sharp inside corner or step. Any engineer will tell you that  
> ALL edges should be 'broken'. It matters nary a wit as to what the  
> item is.
>
> Ftr: breaking edges is machinists parlance for rounding all radii. I  
> just replaced a reed in a spl-20 Bb this afternoon. It had failed at  
> the aforementioned juncture. I don't often HAVE reeds fail as Hohner  
> products are such fine items, but I put a lot of stress on the 5 blow  
> reed and I use a wind saver on the 5 draw, and this shifts a lot of  
> strain onto the 5 blow when I blow it down a half step.
>
> Ok, when a player is going to play a harmonica in a way that it  
> wasn't meant to be played, they should expect occasional failures.
>
> smo-joe , agent 00L  (from Haiti with love)