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

[Deb Wind <debseifriedwind@xxxxxxxxx>]

Very well articulated, Smokey-Joe!. Am in solid agreement with you, too.

Deb
On Jun 9, 2013 2:49 PM, "Joseph Leone" <3n037@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> Yeah Mike, I think some of us were talking about 2 different things. Some
> of us (not me) were talking about the terminal sound coming from the harp.
> While some of us (me) were talking about the input end.
>
> Now an engineer is interested in the FINAL result of their work. And this
> is fine. A business systems analyst (flow charter) has to BEGIN somewhere.
> So I would explain it this way:
>
> IF the player is comfortable with their machette, they will probably do a
> better job. Without distractions. Sooo even though the audience is hearing
> one thing, the player is playing what THEY are playing. And if they are
> being distracted, this can hamper their performance. So, in the end, what
> does it matter exactly what sound is coming out if the player is fighting
> their axe. I never debated that comb materials mattered not as far as
> SOUND. My argument was FEEL. If it doesn't feel right, YOU don't play
> right. At least not at as high a percentage of execution.
>
> For example: I started on the Marine Band. A good harp but the reed plates
> were right in your face. So if you got one that was sharp, THIS would
> distract you and you had your mind on THAT instead of your creativity. So
> then you would 'bull nose' the tops of the top plate and the bottoms of the
> bottom plate. Ok, then if you were acetic (like me) eventually the covers
> would turn black, tarnish, and eventually the nickel plate would fail.
> Sooo, now you would have to clean that up OR the plates would cause drag.
> In the words of the Frankenstein monster: "Drag Baad".
>
> So then I heard people soaked harps. In cold water. The idea was that the
> water would tighten up the comb via swelling. AND the cold water would
> (somehow) shrink the tolerances of the reeds vs plates. How silly. The real
> thing to do was to just 'dip' the harp. The water on the reeds would then
> close up the reed slot tolerances via hydraulic presence. Would this change
> the pitch? Probably. It would probably drop a wee bit. Why? extra hydro
> weight on the reeds. BUT it would be evenly distributed. Was this
> necessary? Nope. Because the tines would swell past the reed plates.
> Leaving you 2 choices. Either razor the tines and always soak..or round off
> the tines. Rounded tines wouldn't have quite the 'sharp edged' attributes
> of sharp edged tines. So there's another thing to think about.
>
> A lot of people like the CBH chromatic. BUT the button is in the back of
> the harp. To someone whom is used to a button in front and playing a long
> time, this is distracting. I am a slide slapper and sometimes come from as
> far as a foot away to strike it. If it is not where I'm used to, I'm
> distracted..because I have to remember this nuance of that particular
> model. Ergo: "Distraction Baad".
>
> See, the way I see it. And I could be wrong. ANY distractions that take
> you away from what you are trying to concentrate on are negative waves. So,
> I maintain that if a person is doing fine with a particular harp set up in
> the way THEY think is best, then that's all that matters. They will feel
> right, they will have a better chance of playing right. They may even be
> more creative and let loose. BeCAUSE they are relaxed and comfortable with
> their instrument and both have become a team, so to speak, Each one
> complimenting the other.
>
> Oh, and before I forget (as if I could) most people can't tell the
> difference of a few cents here or there, or intonation on bends and over
> blows. Not unless they are wheeeey off. So, while you're playing, the
> attention will be more on WHAT you are playing and HOW you deliver it, OH,
> and note choices, than on 'sound minutae'.
>
> smokey-joe
>
>
> On Jun 9, 2013, at 2:28 PM, Mike Wilbur wrote:
>
> > That's right Joe, Toms Combs are smooth as glass and again you will
> always play best with
> > ( insert Goldie Locks Rule here ). The Putter, Harp, Fly Rod
> that's....just right !
> >
> > Mike Wilbur
> >
> >
> >
> > On Jun 9, 2013, at 2:09 PM, Joseph Leone <3n037@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> >
> >> I think most of the emPHAAsis was placed on the wrong SylABBle when it
> came to combs. Everyone seems to be worried about how they sound to the
> audience. What about the player? Like: the weight, the solid feel, the
> vibration(s), the mental feeling that the reeds are doing what you want.
> Maybe it's all psychosymantic, but if a player 'feels' a certain
> comfortability about how the harp feels and plays, couldn't this be an
> important factor? Could they not PLAY better because they feel what they
> are doing. Just a thought.
> >>
> >> I am familiar with the Halchak combs...and they just feel right. Maybe
> it's all mental? Why else would people prefer certain models of harmonica.
> Meisterklasse, Saxony, 64 standard, 64 PRE-war, super 64, Amadeus, CBH16,
> Polestadt, Renaisance, Silver concerto. And in the realm of diatonics, the
> list is huge too. Just a thought.
> >>
> >> smo-joe
> >>
> >> On Jun 9, 2013, at 1:16 PM, Mike Wilbur wrote:
> >>
> >>> Comb Material.........revisited.  :(
> >>>
> >>> Mike Wilbur
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> On Jun 9, 2013, at 12:18 PM, "Tom Halchak" <thalchak@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> wrote:
> >>>
> >>>> As a custom comb maker, I am tempted to but I won't get into a
> dissertation
> >>>> about combs made from wood vs. plastic vs. aluminum vs. Corian vs.
> brass or
> >>>> any other exotic material.  However, at SPAH this summer, I am
> planning to
> >>>> conduct a workshop entitled, are you ready for this.........
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> THE GREAT COMB DEBATE
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> It will feature some famous players demonstrating identical harps
> with combs
> >>>> made from different materials.  Those in attendance will be able to
> >>>> participate in a friendly competition as they attempt to correctly
> identify
> >>>> which harps are being played in a series of blind tests.  Prizes will
> be
> >>>> awarded to the winner(s).
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> It's sure to be a lot of fun, spark some friendly debate and settle
> this
> >>>> issue once and for eternity.  Stay tuned for further details.
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> Tom Halchak
> >>>>
> >>>> Blue Moon Harmonicas
> >>>>
> >>>> P.O. Box 14401
> >>>>
> >>>> Clearwater, FL 33766
> >>>>
> >>>> www.BlueMoonHarmonicas.com <http://www.bluemoonharmonicas.com/>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> =======
> >>>> Email scanned by PC Tools - No viruses or spyware found.
> >>>> (Email Guard: 9.1.0.2900, Virus/Spyware Database: 6.21100)
> >>>> http://www.pctools.com/
> >>>> =======
> >>>
> >>
>
>
>