[Harp-L] Harmonica Gaskets

[David Pearce]

Flat sanding on granite and checking the comb with a flat piece of steel is time consuming and tricky.  I hate doing it.  If a gasket could eliminate that step and eliminate leaks I would welcome it.  Many diatonic players are pushing the envelop in terms of speed, note bending, and overblows.  I would think that any reduced leakage would between the reed plates and the comb would be a benefit to the players who take their harmonicas to the edge.

David Pearce  

"Reducing leakage in a harmonica does improve performance.  However, gasketing isn?t a very effective way to do it. In the vast majority of cases, leakage under the reedplate is minuscule compared to leakage through the opening reeds in a diatonic or through the slide in a chromatic. Although gasketing may reduce leakage by a tiny amount, the % reduction of total leakage is imperceptible.

After I have gone to the  trouble and expense of gasketing, if I wish and expect to hear/feel an improvement,  I will.  Alas, it is my pareidolia and confirmation bias at work.  This isn?t a character flaw but human nature.  My car runs better when the windshield is clean.  I like Coors beer because it is made with rocky mountain spring water.  I use Ivory soap because it is 99.44% pure.  Etc????  The thing operated on hasn?t changed, but my subjective perception of it has.

Placing gaskets under the plate is like weatherstripping the windows in a room with an open doorway.

Why bother?

Vern"