Re: [Harp-L] Boor Harp Cradle

"Vern Smith" <jevern@xxxxxxx> · Mon, 27 Jun 2005 18:30:32 -0700

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Smith, Richard" <rismith@xxxxxxxxxxx>

To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>

Sent: Thursday, June 09, 2005 6:39 AM

Subject: [Harp-L] Boor Harp Cradle
Just wondering if anyone has tried the "BOOR HARP CRADLE" that's sold
at the Best Lil Harp House website?
http://www.harphouse.com/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=418
It looks a little bit "chunky", but the real question is - - is it a 
better mousetrap?

I'd appreciate a report from someone who has experience with it.

Thanks,
Richard J. Smith
Wormleysburg, PA

Disclaimer:  In making this review, I have tried to be fair.  However, the 
reader should be aware that I make and sell a harmonica neck rack, called 
the Ergonomic-Neck-Rack.  Although it has a much higher price, it could be 
considered competition.
I ordered a Boor's Harmonica Cradle for evaluation. It came today.
PRO:
It is has a nice low price, $20 including shipping.
It weighs about 12 ounces.
It is charmingly simple, consisting mainly of a frame bent out of sturdy 
1/4" steel rod, a length of flattened chain suggestive of a choke collar for 
a large dog, and two lengths of stiff 5/8" OD rubber hose.  There are also a 
few small parts such as hooks, rings, etc for securing the ends of the chain 
to the frame.
The harp is grasped between the two pieces of  hose.  There are no springs 
or metal parts inside the hoses.  The stiffness and elasticity of the rubber 
holds the harp.   There are undersized holes near the ends of the  hoses 
through which the 1/4" rod of the frame is threaded.  These "grab" the frame 
by friction and resist sliding up and down except when adjustment is 
intended.
Because it has no wingnut joint, it has no problem with that joint slipping.
The chain is attached to a pair of rubber grommets on the frame. This point 
of attachment can be moved up and down by overcoming the friction of the 
grommets against the frame.
The chain opens to admit the player by means of a harness clip on a small 
split key ring.  Thus, it is not necessary to thread your head through the 
rigid frame.
Harp altitude adjustments  can be made two ways...by raising and lowering 
the rubber hoses on the frame and by raising and lowering the grommets to 
which the chain is attached thus raising or lowering the whole frame.
The harp can be be brought closer or farther from the mouth by altering the 
length of the chain that goes around the player's neck.  For a permanent 
adjustment, the number of links in the chain can be changed.  For an 
immediate adjustment while playing, the hooks to which the chain is attached 
can be rotated about the frame making the chain effectively longer or 
shorter.  This adjustment is secured by the friction of the grommets against 
the frame resisting rotation.
CON:
I found these drawbacks:
Although the rubber seems to be good stuff, "Santoprene," if it ever aged 
and lost elasticity, the Cradle would be rendered useless.
The frame is not wide enough to admit a 12-hole chromatic.  This holder is 
strictly for diatonics.
Because of the size of the hoses, you can only get about 5/8" of the harp 
into your mouth.  This might not be enough to easily play octaves and other 
wide double-stops.
With the harp in place, the Cradle places a 2 1/4" high black barrier in 
front of your face.  (With a face like mine, that might be considered an 
advantage!)
In order to sing, one must tilt the head way back to raise the lower lip 1 
5/8' to get it above the horizontal part of the frame. For me, this seemed 
very strained and un-natural. An alternative is to use your hands to swing 
the hooks to which the chain is attached thus effectively lengthening the 
chain and allowing the harp to drop away from your face. Using your hands 
kind of briefly defeats the whole purpose.
Because of the flexibility of the chain, the harp doesn't seem very stable 
in the side-to-side direction. The bend of the frame that rests aginst the 
chest is slick and tends to slide.
The Cradle also seemed unstable in the close-far direction because the frame 
can pivot around the points-of-attachment of the chain.  Then the bottom of 
the frame would ride up my chest and the harp would retreat away from my 
face.  A belt attached to the bottom of the frame and running under the arms 
and around the player's back might fix these instabilities. Marv Monroe uses 
such a belt with his home-made holder.
Disclaimer #2

Please read the above disclaimer #1 again. I am not much of a diatonic 
player and so may not be the best person to make an evaluation of the 
cradle. Having designed a harp holder, I tend to have fixed ideas about what 
performance features are important.  Also, certain advantages and 
disadvantages may be more or  less important to a player depending on his 
preferences and mode of play.  YMMV!
If someone else would like to give it a try, mine is available for $8. 
Contact me offline.
Vern
Visit my harmonica website: http://www.Hands-Free-Chromatic.7p.com