Re: [Harp-L] RE: Seydel Standard and Suzuki Bluesmaster (and Harpmaster)

[Vern <jevern@xxxxxxx>]

I challenge the notion that there is a perceptible ("mellow", "bright") difference in the sounds of brass and phosphor-bronze reeds.

The sound that is radiated directly from the surface of a reed (the sound of a plucked reed) as from a bell is so faint that it is masked by the sound of the modulated airstream, the principal source of harmonica sound.

The tone arises from the changes in flow area as the reed enters and departs the slot.  These are the same with any reed material at the same  pitch, and amplitude.

The metal properties that affect performance in the reed are modulus of elasticity and density. The modulus of elasticity is the same for both alloys, 15 million psi.  The density of brass is 8.4 g/cc and of bronze is 8.9 g/cc, a difference of about 6%.  This means that the brass reed will be only 6% thicker at the tip than the bronze reed and the thickness near the rivet (stiffness) will be the same.

I posit that the this difference in thickness is insufficient to make a perceptible difference in tone.  Every reed in a harmonica has a different tip thickness.  If it were sensitive to tip thickness, then the mellow/bright tonality of every reed would be different.

Vern

On Mar 19, 2014, at 6:28 PM, Dan Hazen <bluesmandan76@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> ……..The Seydel has brass reeds, which have a mellower sound….. 
> 
> The Bluesmaster has phosphor bronze reeds, which have a brighter sound….