[Harp-L] ACE Chromatic New wood inserts by Tom Halchak at SPAH

[Joseph Leone]

Mr.  Shelstraw raises an excellent point. I believe there are still personages on this list that remember 20 years ago when I said: “This test is silly”. And suggested bringing in a ‘voicecorder’. 
The same thing they use for bank vaults and CIA headquarters. Is that instrument a spectral analysis device? That would kill this whole enchilada. And here’s why. 

26 years ago I selected 2 chromatics at a fest. I played 6 of the SAME model. Placed them in group(s) of 2, 2, 1 & 1. Then I chose  one because of the sound. The second 
I chose because the tone was the best BUT the slide action was second best. Of the six, three sounded close to each other, and the other three sounded  differently..but also 
similar to each other. I brushed the two groups of two aside, and purchased two. A top pro was witnessing this and agreed with my purchase. 
 
I came away with the theory that NO TWO harmonicas sound exactly the same. Even from the same manufacturer, identical model. Yes, the differences may be slight, But they 
are there. And I’m not arguing that comb material(s) necessarily make a difference. What I think is that the player FEELS a difference. In their mouth. And isn’t that what it’s all
about... Alfie...with a mouth actuated instrument? Perhaps it was reed gapping? Perhaps it was reed tolerance.

When cutting close fitting parts, the operator will ask you “What’s the tolerance? plus or minus? Now if you were to say 1/1ooo, here’s what you get. Reed slots may be right on the money but the reeds are 1ooo
OVER. OR the reeds may be on the money but the slots may be 1ooo UNDER. OR worst case scenario, the slots it can be a combination of both. Both being over sized, both being undersized.
Just a few cerebrum drippings. 

sm0joe  

> On Jul 23, 2017, at 4:29 AM, Sheltraw <macaroni9999 at xxxxx> wrote:
> 
> Could do spectral analysis instead.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone
> 
>> On Jul 21, 2017, at 7:45 PM, Robert Hale <robert at xxxxx> wrote:
>> 
>> I am happy to respect the observations of experienced players. Until we
>> have randomized, double-blind testing, we only have opinions of our
>> respected players.
>> 
>> Robert Hale
>> Serious Honkage in Arizona
>> youtube.com/DUKEofWAIL
>> DUKEofWAIL.com
>> 
>> 
>> On Fri, Jul 21, 2017 at 2:39 PM, Winslow Yerxa via Harp-L <harp-l at xxxxx
>>> wrote:
>> 
>>> At the 2016 SPAH convention, I both played and listened to the ACE 48 with
>>> both wood and brass inserts.
>>> 
>>> Listening, I could track which was which by sound. The mellower sound was
>>> wood, while the brighter sound was brass. This was true even when each was
>>> played by a different harmonica player (the demonstrator players were Tom
>>> Stryker and Gerhard Mueller).
>>> 
>>> Later, I had the opportunity to play the instrument with both wood and
>>> brass inserts. Not only did I hear the difference as a player, the people
>>> sitting next to me, Michelle LeFree and David Fairweather, remarked on how
>>> strong the differences where when heard close up.
>>> 
>>> I haven’t confirmed this but I believe Hohner will have the ACE 48
>>> available to try out at the SPAH convention.
>>> 
>>> Winslow Yerxa
>>> Producer, the Harmonica Collective
>>> Author, Harmonica For Dummies, Second Edition: ISBN 978-1-118-88076-0
>>>           Harmonica Basics For Dummies, ASIN B005KIYPFS
>>>           Blues Harmonica For Dummies, ISBN 978-1-1182-5269-7
>>> Resident Expert, bluesharmonica.com
>>> Instructor, Jazzschool Community Music School
>>> President emeritus, SPAH, the Society for the Preservation and Advancement
>>> of the Harmonica
>>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> -- 
>> 
>> Robert Hale is the DUKE of WAIL
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