[Harp-L] harmonicas are not guitars

[Jonathan Ross <jross38@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Mathew Smart writes:

"The big thing is the resonance and seal. A plastic comb doesn't resonate well imagine if a guitar was made from abs plastic. It would have no tone."


I've said this dozens of times before: harmonicas are not guitars.  There is essentially no similarity between how a harmonica produces sound and how a guitar does.  Comparing the construction of the two is pointless.  

As for the harmonica comb resonating--try this, remove the reed-plates and bang the comb against a hard surface.  Aside from metal combs you'll get a dull thud (metal combs will have a very slight, inharmonic tuning fork sound).  The thud may be a bit different if it's a wooden or plastic comb, but a thud nonetheless.  Not much resonating going on there.  Now, take two slabs of metal and clamp them over the same comb very securely with screws.  Bang this against a table.  Duller thud.  Do the same with a metal comb and you will now have no tuning fork action (logically, as the tines are now incapable of vibrating being securely clamped) and thus produce a dull thud.  The harmonica comb is essentially inert.

And, for the record, there have been plastic guitars (and ukuleles) which are rather successful.  I don't know how they relate to ABS plastic, but I doubt the basic characteristics were that different:

http://orgs.usd.edu/nmm/PluckedStrings/Guitars/Maccaferri/10458/G40Guitar.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsyTV-7mLjU

Skip to 3:10 on this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4yw90ylF-4







JR Ross