[Harp-L] Beginnner rack recommendations

[Vern]

The holder in question is the Ergonomic Neck Rack or ENR, so named because it has adjustments in four degrees of freedom to hold the harmonica in the exact position desired by the user.

I designed it in response to demands of my Hands-Free-Chromatic (HFC) customers who could not find  an adequate rack among those designed for diatonics.  Before the HFC, there was no market for a rack to hold a chromatic.

Users give the ENR high marks for comfort and stability.  Some have said that it is  "built like a tank.”  See Ken Leiboff’s review on   https://youtu.be/rlaKAMH3GD4 <https://youtu.be/rlaKAMH3GD4>

Although it can accommodate some diatonics, there are a few caveats.

The harmonica clamps resemble C-clamps that grasp the harp by the flat surfaces near the sides.  To change harps, you must loosen and re-tighten two little thumbscrews.  This process takes too long for you change harps during a song.  

On harps that have the old cover design seen on the Marine Band and many others, the clamps will work fine. On some of the newer designs where the cover slopes and stands away from the comb near the sides, there can be problems.  The irregular shape of the Golden Melody may be a problem.  The basic frame and adjustments of of the ENR could accommodate a quick-change clamp from a commercial diatonic rack.  However, I don’t think that anybody has done that yet. Perhaps something magnetic could work.

The ENRs have been made in small quantities in one-man shops.  Without the economies of large-quantity purchases and mass-production tooling, the price has been much higher than other commercial racks. 

Mike Easton is setting up to make and market HFCs and ENRs.  I think that he is getting close but he will announce the availability date and price. 

Vern

> On Sep 18, 2019, at 6:54 AM, Douglas Johnson <dmj at xxxxx> wrote:
> 
> Billy Hines wrote in response to my question about beginners' neck racks:
> 
>> I tried a bunch and there's no better (in my opinion) than the one that Vern designed and then was sold by someone else here. I forget the name, perhaps someone else can help. Excellent rack (finally) that's comfortable and doesn't seem to be made out of coat hangers.
> 
> I'd love to know more about this. What's the name of the rack? How much does it cost?
> 
> -- 
> Douglas Johnson
> dmj at xxxxx
>