[Harp-L] Results of HHC/ERIFAHS Informal Comb Test

[David Payne <dave@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Tonight, the Huntington Harmonica Club and Elk River Institute of Advanced Harmonica Studies joined forces in the midst of Hurricane Sandy blizzards for an informal comb test. This is
 important stuff we are doing and junk.
There were two tests using my ear as the discerning ear. This was done during a break in a crowded room of folks who had come to hear the harmonica club at the pizza place - there was even a
 little girl's birthday party in there. One with wood vs. plastic. I could correctly identify wood or plastic about 2/3 of the time. We didn't really keep track and I make no claims from that test. The wood vs, plastic test wasn't all that serious, the one I was really interested in was plastic vs. metal.  
The idea was I have my back turned while two identical notes on two near identical harmonicas were played back to back. So, I hear one, then the other and say "harmonica 1 has a metal comb,"
 or whatever. THey were both Suzukis, coverplates looked pretty similar to me, reedplates the same. 
Once I got cocky, and only listened to only one and identified it wrong. 

But otherwise, when I actually did the test as I supposed to, listening to them both, then making a call, a very distinct pattern emerged. Six times we did the test. I identified the metal comb
 correctly all six times.
Jim Rumbaugh was the guy playing the two harmonicas. I have no desire to thrust him in the debate, but if he wishes, he could merely add one of two things:
1) These things David Payne says are facts.
2) These things David Payne says are lies. 
Now, I'm not good with math, but I think the odds of me correctly identifying the two combs correctly six consecutive times by mere happenstance is 64 to 1.


 
David Payne
www.elkriverharmonicas.com


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