Re: [Harp-L] for hohner 270 deluxe owners, probably a small crew at most

[Dennis Michael Montgomery <gaulay2@xxxxxxxxx>]

To those that don't think grain is important or that think you are nuts for the record: I agree with you.  The reason: just ask a good guitar luthier.  Most of them will tell you they look for and study grain.  The grain in most cases have something to with the characteristics of sound and how it is projected.  In a number of instances it may have to do with nuances.  The better a musician becomes the more they care about nuances and that include harp players.

Dennis  




On Sunday, October 20, 2013 3:23 PM, Mike Wilbur <mike@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
 
For what it's worth, I find the " Hering " plastic replacement Comb and Reed assembly
That fit a 270 perfectly are very nice.....no splinters at all !

That coming from another mainly Diatonic Heretic ...:)

Mike Wilbur



On Oct 20, 2013, at 5:10 PM, Joseph Leone <3n037@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> 
> On Oct 20, 2013, at 3:44 PM, JON KIP wrote:
> 
>> If there are any dissatisfied owners of Hohner Deluxe 270's out there, and it's admittedly a small group who even forked up the money to buy one.... It's my favorite, but there have been some mysteries involved over the years.... I think that, between dick gardner and me, we've figured out what to blame for the majority of the issues. 
>> 
>> In a word "the comb".....
> 
> It doen't have to be. If one were to use a piece of wood that is nearly vertical grain, the piece would be more stable. Trees are like people. No two are the same and therefore growth patterns differ from tree to tree. BUT, vertical grain from a straight part of a tree with NO limb bud roots interfering, is a fairly stable piece. One way to choose a good comb would be to remove a reed plate (something a store is NOT going to allow) and study the grain. 
> 
> I have never seen a 270 comb separate. Hairline cracks? maybe? but these are usually sealable. The more likely is to find 280 combs separate. That's because I have seen  them in two and even three pieces. There were no lock joints. The pieces were merely slapped together, glued, and pressed. The grains were 'book' matched. In other words the grains ran in OPPOSITE directions. This was done to prevent the combs FROM twisting, bowing, warping. Much like modern closet shelving. But if the glue fails, you have a split comb.
> 
> I prefer wood combs but I like them to be laminated. This way, like plywood, the individual slabs work against each other, none of them wins the battle, and the piece stays the same shape. OR you could seal the combs. Many solutions could be used. Some would fly directly in the faces of those whom have a klepto for 'toxic shock' possibilities. lol
>> 
>> ok, in two words, but you get it... (At this point I'd think that nobody on harp-L has much interest in this, being mostly diatonic folk, but I'll go ahead, since about two (2) people in the past have expressed interest in that particular instrument, if I remembered who they were, i'd have just emailed them)
> 
> You could, but I'm leaving for the gig at 5:30. 
>> 
>> IF anyone has an interest in how to make these instruments into really good three octave chromatics, feel free to email me and I'll pass on what I've learned, with Dick's help recently.
> 
> Three possibilities. 1... seal the comb (I used to use mineral oil or shellac). I no longer have to as I use laminated combs. 2... change the comb. I have one made from porous bronze (electric motor bearing). But brass or alum. would also be a candidate. 3... use laminated comb.  
>> 
>> the wooden comb. nature's time bomb.
> 
> No, only a percentage of them fail. Maybe 8.77%. A lot has to do with maint. 1.. NEVER leave them in a hot car or other hot locale. 2.. NEVER totally wet the comb. This includes living in Fla. where the humidity can get to 67.......thousand percent. 3.. NEVER let the comb get ultra cold. While Circassian Walnut and Pear trees DO grow in extreme climates, the trees were probably alive at the time and were able to hold their own moisture content regardless. 4.. NEVER let them completely dry out...and THIS  I Z  the number one cause of failure. 5.. NEVER remove both reed plates at any one time.  
>> 
>> mind you, this is NOT the explanation of why I TWICE killed perfectly good reeds by having them get caught on my shirt cuffs....
> 
> Ha ha, snagging reeds IS a danger. When working on chromatics you have any where from 10 to 16 reeds..on EACH side just looking to D I V E at any protuberance handy. It's like they have chosen that as their main job. I hardly ever take off more than one cover at a time. This way the side I am working on is always facing up and towards my face. And then I notice that Kinya Pollard always wears a short sleeved, impeccably clean, pressed khaki shirt. I'm sorry but I don't have shirts that fine. So I don't wear one. 
> 
>> I finally solved that issue, after my wife suggested that I don't really have to wear a full tux to tweak my instruments.... who knew?
> 
> Ah yes, French cuffs DO protrude. 
> smo-joe
>> 
>> jk
>> 
>> http://jonkip.com
> 
>