Re: [Harp-L] Replaceable Reeds

[Robert Koch <rok68@xxxxxxx>]

   FIGY. Very interesting...
   R.
> On Oct 21, 2010, at 7:26 PM, pneupco2@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
>
> > There has been a lot of hype about the new B-Radical harmonica and 
> > itsreplaceable reeds. However, and this has been pointed out by 
> > others onthis Forum, they are really not very easily or quickly 
> > changed. Forinstance, you must fool around with some very small nuts 
> > and bolts –and have the proper sized wrenches to do the job. Once you 
> > get the newreeds on, you must properly align them, possibly tune 
> > them, and set thegap. These tasks are not easily done without a lot 
> > of time and practice.
> > There is, in my opinion, a better way of providing reeds that can 
> > bechanged quickly and easily with no gapping or adjusting required. 
> > Itcan be done with no more than small needle-nosed pliers and perhaps 
> > ascrewdriver. This, by the way, is nothing new. The basic idea has 
> > beenaround since the mid nineteenth century! I’m referring to reeds 
> > thatare set into individual reed shoes (or reed plates, if you 
> > prefer).This technique was, and is still used in quality English 
> > madeconcertinas. 'But', you say, 'concertina reeds are a lot larger 
> > thanharmonica reeds'. True, but this type of reed/shoe assembly was 
> > alsoused in harmonicas from the late 1930s. Harmonic Reed Corp., 
> > ofPhiladelphia, PA produced the ‘All American’ harmonica which 
> > usedreplaceable reeds mounted on separate reed shoes. The design 
> > patent forthis was issued in 1936 (D92285). The blow and draw reeds 
> > were each onseparate shoes. This was a large and unusual looking 
> > harmonica.
> > A few years later, probably in the late 1940s, Harmonic Reed 
> > introducedthe ‘U.S. Army Band’ harmonica – which was also sold by 
> > Sears undertheir ‘Silvertone’ label. This harmonica was about the 
> > same size asHohner’s ‘Blues Harp’ and looked like a ‘Special 20.’ It 
> > had a blackplastic comb and plated steel coverplates. The coverplates 
> > were snappedinto place. Remove the plates and the reed shoes could be 
> > easily andquickly removed from the front.
> > Neither of these harmonicas – the’ U.S. Army Band’ or the ‘All 
> > American- were particularly good, in my opinion. The U.S. Army Band 
> > was leakyand the reeds were not set very well. HOWEVER, with 
> > modernmanufacturing techniques and materials as well as tighter 
> > qualitycontrol, harmonicas could very easily be constructed which 
> > would be airtight and of the highest quality. They would now be great 
> > players andinstruments whose reeds could be changed by anyone in just 
> > a fewminutes and they would be in perfect adjustment and tune when. 
> > Becausethe factory would be able to produce any number of perfect 
> > reed/ shoeassemblies - which would all be marked with their pitch - 
> > anotheradvantage would be that a player/performer could keep a set 
> > ofdifferent reed shoes so he/she could quickly change the key or 
> > thetuning (Richter to Paddy Richter to Country, etc.) of the 
> > harmonicawhenever the need arose.
> > It would be interesting to know if Brad Harrison was aware of either 
> > ofthese harmonicas when he was developing his B-Radical. If he was, 
> > Iwonder what his reasons were for passing up on this design.  
> > Regards,Paul N.
>  YOUR key word........Leakiness. Accordion reed shoes are waxed into 
> position. Unless you seal the reed shoes in somehow, there are 
> literally hundreds of places to leak (every edge, in fact). Since 
> harmonicas are blow AND draw and not just blow, the sealant would have 
> to be chosen carefully.
> smo-joe