[Harp-L] pre-war harmonicas

[Captron100@xxxxxxx]

In a message dated 6/21/2007 1:49:33 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, brian  
writes:

Ron, I'm basically basing my definition of a pre-war harmonica on the  fact 
it has a 6-sided star in the middle on the back. I actually didn't buy  these 
harmonicas soley for playing purposes.
 
  Brian, since your orig. post, i have been informed in an offlist  post of 
the following, which if i had ever known, had forgotten.  I will  put in quotes:
  "The reason pre-wars are easy to blow is that the reeds had a  small amount 
of lead in the brass.
According to some sources the  formula was changed during WWII, probably due 
to the need for brass or lead  for artillery.  Anyway, as international laws 
got stricter regarding  the use of lead in products it was eliminated 
altogether.
  No one has ever gotten cancer from the lead leaching or tuning  the reeds. 
It was permanently bonded with the brass alloy.
The  reeds lasted longer due to being more flexible. The tunings also held  
better."
 
ron





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