[Harp-L] combs becomes coverplate discussion

[Matthew Smart <matthewsmart@xxxxxxxxx>]

Robert that is really good info. thanks. I too like bamboo and make my 
own line in that material.

I personally like the rosewood covers for certain sounds and this can 
lead to another discussion of coverplates. I believe that the 
coverplates actually have more of a role in changing tonal 
characteristics. In my humble opinion.

For example, some manufacturers overseas make heavier guage brass 
coverplates (hering, huang) and I have successfully transplanted them to 
some hohner customs and I love how they sound. Still I do prefer most 
standard covers once modified like opening the back of them, but it is 
nice to have these options to achieve certain sounds and effects. I like 
the suzuki rosewood covers on lower harps.

I also like the marine band covers the best because of the side vents 
and  you can deepen the bottom of the coverplate like the thunderbird 
even on harps that do not require reed clearance.

FYI, Seydel has recently developed a conical coverplate like the 
thunderbird although I have not tested them yet.

 Dave Payne recently send me an old prewar Seydel bandmaster with the 
coolest coverplate design I have ever seen. Im helping him restore it 
and I cant wait to hear how it sounds. It has big cone like vents on the 
side.

Coincidentally, we (Hetrick) have invented a new type of coverplate 
design with a material that has never been done before (to my knowledge) 
that I will be releasing soon. I am interested to hear how people will 
react to them.


On 10/28/2012 10:09 PM, Shirley Rowe wrote:
> "So let me revise consider the example using an acoustic guitar. Is not the hollow wood body the house of the guitar and a major factor in the sound? Now take those strings and put them on a metal national resonator guitar... Does that not make a difference in sound? If you made an acoustic guitar from that comb plastic would it really sound beautiful and vibrant?"
>
> Now you are in my world for nearly half a century. You are comparing apples and oranges in your theory. The resonator generates *some* of its sound by transferring string vibrations to one or three spun metal cones, and to the body cavity. There is no way to compare a wooden acoustic guitar to a resonator and reach any meaningful conclusion about sonic properties of the construction materials. A more proper comparison would be between a wooden bodied National and a brass or German silver bodied National of the same design. There's a lot going on under the hood of a reso that has no counterpart in the acoustic guitar world. To the average Joe, the metal body and wooden body resonators will sound very much alike (hence National's trademark "It's in the cone"). To me, one who can identify a '32 National Duolian with one strum, they may as well have been built on different planets. I'm very much in tune to the extremely subtle differences. National guru Bob Brozman could probably tell you model, construction material, and maybe even serial number, from one strum. :). Material matters, but not as much as you might think. Playing technique makes a much bigger difference. Google up and read a poem titled Touch of the Master's Hand.
>
> I personally love the sound of Crossovers (bamboo combs) and 1847 Nobels (don't know what the combs are), but can't stand the Firebreath and the Pure Harp (rosewood combs and rosewood cover plates on the Pure) because they have such a dark sound. I don't don't know if it is the combs, plates, reeds, or IFM that makes the difference.
>
> I have no dog in this race. I just wanted to keep the comparisons on track.
>
> Cheers!
>
> Robert
>
> I