Re: [Harp-L] Combs...

[Larry Sandy <slyou65@xxxxxxxxx>]

Steve, I was reallyyyyyy -pleasantly- surprised as you were but it's true in this case. ÂThey're not perfect but really good. ÂI play much more expensive harmonicas and only used these reed plates because my late brother left them to me. ÂThey are a NOS ÂLow F reed plate set. ÂI had a seldom used older, but still good Big River in Low F which I used in order to make a fair comparison. ÂI flattened the blow reed plate and applied lip balm to "insure" airtightness. ÂIt plays with very little pressure/vacuum at very low volume and it will play very loudly as well. ÂI don't get it.... except that the plates are MS replacements and (I believe) that is in the same family as Hohner Meisterklasse diatonics. ÂHopefully a more knowledgeable tech will jump in to explain how this works. ÂÂ I hope to purchase some Hetrick combs for further experimentation... perhaps for my PT Gazell half valved Session Steels. ÂStay tuned for further developments. ÂI'm
 learning some good stuff.

Larry


________________________________
 From: Steve Webb <swebb@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: Harp-L <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx> 
Sent: Thursday, August 2, 2012 9:26 PM
Subject: [Harp-L] Combs...
 
Do custom combs really make that much difference? I can't imagine a Big River that would overblow, let alone overdraw.
Of course, I am mostly a SP20 player and haven't really experimented with combs..
Steve Webb in Minn.

Sent from my iPad

On Aug 2, 2012, at 7:11 PM, Larry Sandy <slyou65@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> Yes, all these suggestions are good advice. I've learned a lot from many web sources and a few fellow harpers. I also choose to take advantage of some Harp-L experts' services with perhaps lofty expectations on a few select favorites. This week I purchased an MS brass comb, onto which I flattened and installed new Big River reed plates ( because I already had a set). I compared it to an identical factory sample and it blew the factory unit away. Let me tell you that this harp is exceeding my expectations a great deal. It overblows, overdraws and plays very easily- both quietly and loud. Next I will be doing a little reed tweaking and make a nice spalted oak cover just because.  I'll be buying more great combs real soon!
> 
>Â Keep learning and improving, Javier, and soon you will become an expert.
> 
> Lockjaw Larry
> Breathing Music daily
> 
> 
> 
> ________________________________
> From: Rick Dempster <rick.dempster@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: Robert Rowe <robertrowe2@xxxxxxx> 
> Cc: Harp-L <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>; "javier.dardon@xxxxxxxxx" <javier.dardon@xxxxxxxxx> 
> Sent: Thursday, August 2, 2012 7:38 PM
> Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Oberblow beginner
> 
> All good advice no doubt. But even the best custom will play up at some
> stage, so it's always best, gradually at least, to learn to work on the
> reeds yourself. There is certainly enough info. around these days to make
> giving it a go not that hard. My 'pocket' harp is always one I've tweaked
> myself, and is forever a work in progress. For all it's shortcomings, it's
> always closer to what I want than any customiser can do.
> RD
> 
> On 3 August 2012 02:56, Robert Rowe <robertrowe2@xxxxxxx> wrote:
> 
>> You really need to get someone like Mike Fugazzi to tweak your harp so
>> that it overblows and overdraws well without sticking. Alternatively, you
>> can buy a Suzuki Firebreath which works right out of the box. I have a G
>> that I've never played, and I had never even attempted an overblow, and I
>> overblew 4 on the very first try. 5 and 6 worked first time too, as did
>> overdrawing 7 and 8. I got the Peterson out and checked the pitch, and I
>> was pretty darned close for an absolute beginner.
>> 
>> Full of myself, and wondering what all the fuss was about, I tried the
>> same techniques on my G Crossover. I got everything from a windy zero to
>> barely catching the slightest instance of a pitch shift. Clearly, my
>> success with the Firebreath was due entirely to the harp's design.
>> 
>> I got my Firebreath from Ron Hobdy at rockinronsmusic4less.com. There's
>> also a Pureharp Suzuki with the same comb and reed plates, but with solid
>> rosewood covers that allegedly deepen the already dark tone of the
>> Firebreath.
>> 
>> If you have the patience, the best customizers in the world are right here
>> on this list.
>> 
>> Sent from my iPhone
>> 
>> On Aug 2, 2012, at 12:23 PM, Javier DardÃn <javier.dardon@xxxxxxxxx>
>> wrote:
>> 
>>> Friends, I'm an overblow beginner, by the moment I'm overblowing on
>> holes 1 and 4 of a C Lee Oskar, but sometimes the blow reed get stuck after
>> the oberblow, so I can't immediately blow after the overblow. Any idea?
>>> 
>>> Any help will be welcome.
>>> Regards
>>> Javier DardÃn
>>> Javier DardÃn
>>> 
>> 
>> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> Rick Dempster
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