Re: [Harp-L] plastic comb vs wood ?

[Joseph Leone <3n037@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Jun 9, 2013, at 2:09 PM, Eric Miller wrote:

> Although I've seen a great deal of discussion covering the tone and
> durability differences of plastic vs. wood (and other materiel), I don't
> see a lot of talk about the difference in *how they play.*

ExACTLY what I was just referring to Eric. :)
> *
> *
> To me, the difference is substantial, and it has less to do with the nature
> of the material and more to do with how they are physically shaped.  I have
> four harps with plastic combs:  a session, a special 20, a harpmaster, and
> a Lee Oskar.  There are two things I notice about these vs. a wood comb on
> my MBs.

Too many people worried about the sound, when, in fact, it's the 'EDGES' of the sound that the player feels. 
> 
> -each of them has slightly larger holes and hole spacing, with the session
> being the most disparate (a full "hole and a half" larger than the MB comb
> when held side by side)
> 
> - they all have some kind of chamfering/rounding/softening of the edges of
> the holes.  Again, the session has obvious, visible 45 degree chamfers that
> are about .5mm, The others are not chamfered, but the edges a rounded and
> softer than that of the MB.
> 
> This makes them have a softer and more comfortable mouth feel, but
> play *noticeably
> *less responsive (to me, anyway).  The sharp lip edges of the stock wooden
> MB comb make the notes "snap" into playing when shifting between holes, and
> the ever-so-slightly smaller distance between the holes makes some licks
> play clean and crisp, while the same runs are spongy and loose on the
> plastic comb harps.

This paragraph right here above pretty much sums it up for me..the player makes the response but only if the harmonica ALLOWS it. 
> 
> Does anybody else notice this phenomenon?  To me its like night and day.

It sure is. And as anyone whom has played a long time time knows all too well, ANY percentage of positivity lends itself to comfortability. AND confidence. 
A man (or woman) and his/her harp who are in alignment = Paradise. 

smo-joe 

> It's, honestly, like a 20% difference in my mind.
> 
> 
> On Sat, Jun 8, 2013 at 7:28 PM, Fran_3 <mailbox0600@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> 
>> The honer specal 20 and ms have wooden combs... right?
>> 
>> Can you replace them with a plastic comb?
>> 
>> And, I'd like to hear your thoughts and comments about plastic vs wood.
>> 
>> The concern to me would be maintainability... how many times can you take
>> the nails or screws out of a wood comb harmonica before it just doesn't go
>> back to gether any more? Or is this really an issue?
>> 
>> Regarding tone... years ago some soaked wooden comb harps before
>> playing... but I think that has been de-bunked... or has it?
>> 
>> Wooden or Plastic? Whadda ya say?
>>