Subject: Re: [Harp-L] French harmonicas?

[EGS1217@xxxxxxx]

Phil, I'm not sure if you might not mean the short while a guy who is  a 
Slidemeister made custom sealed wood covers for 280/Super 64's (along with the 
 screws to fit both chromatics), selling them on EBay for $40.00 a set? An  
unbelievably low price, to my mind.
 
 
I bought two sets--astonished when no one bid me up. They're gorgeous. I  
put the deeper toned (oak) set on my Super 64 and have used that one ever 
since.  The light-coloured maple with tan veins are still pristine and being 
'saved'.  The woodworker's name is David Jacalone and he only made a few until 
tiring of  it and deciding his time was better spent playing chromatic 
instead. I was very  fortunate indeed.
 
 
When I first played my Super 64 with its new covers at a GSHC Club  
meeting, Charlie Toker asked (without looking up at my instrument), if I'd  
switched to a different chromatic since the sound (to him) was quite different.  To 
MY ears too it's muted by the wood...not unpleasantly, but there's a clear  
difference. Charlie wasn't the only person to hear it...I have several 
Super  64's and can play the wood covered one 'side by side' with any of the 
others and  hear a distinction. 
 
I feel I got the benefits of the Suzuki wood covers for a fraction of  
their cost. David's are also quite beautiful. Lucky me! :)
 
Elizabeth 
 
"Message: 2
Date: Mon, 16 Sep 2013 13:49:12 -0400 (EDT)
From:  philharpn@xxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] French harmonicas?
To:  stpat95@xxxxxxxxxxx, harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx

Several years ago somebody was  selling custom wooden harmonica covers -- 
and I may even have a couple in my  harmonica archives -- but I don't recall 
what the covers did other than dress up  the harrp. They sure did look nice. 
I don't know if they are still available. I  couldn't find any trace of 
them.


I also don't recall anything about  how wooden covers affected the sound. I 
suspect the covers might have dampened  the sound somewhat -- more than the 
elusive wood-comb effect.


Now  Gregoire Maret claims he gets a "beautiful dark sound" from wooden 
covers. I  don't know this is the same fruitless path opened up by various comb 
materials  although wooden covers provide more mass than a comb wood.


Seems to  me the price was about $50 for a set of covers that fit special 
20. But I can't  recall.


The pricey ($795) (goldharps*com) Gregoire Maret signature  model Suzuki 
G-48 chromatic with its rosewood cover gives a "beautiful dark  sound." The 
harmonica Maret model with blue metal covers costs from $395 at to  Amazon 
marketplace to $560 at eBayto $799 at Guitar Center, Music123 and  Musicians 
friend, Woodwind & Brasswind and  Wal-mart*com.

<http://www.goldharps.com/index.php?_a=product&product_id=25>




The  Suzuki G-48 harp with metal covers is $413-$427 and the wooden covers 
is $458 on  eBay the day I looked at the page, indicating the covers were 
valued at  about??


And I think what brodur has proved yet again: If you wait  long enough 
somebody will again invest the wheel.
hope this  helps,
Phil