Re: Re: [Harp-L] The reed issue

["Tim Moyer" <wmharps@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

A couple of years ago I met a gentleman named Randy Edwards here in 
the Austin, TX, area who had his own machine shop and made his own 
harmonicas in their entirety from scratch.  He showed me one 
particular example that was stainless steel reed plates and titanium 
reeds, with machined Delrin covers (the same material that the CBH 
is made from).  It was a beautiful sounding instrument, and the 
workmanship was exquisite.  They took a very long time to make, and 
he was only doing this for himself.  I believe he's the same guy who 
used to machine Tim Northcutt's Hot Rod acrylic combs.  I have no 
idea what his machining process was, but it was a very interesting 
instrument.

-tim


Vern Smith wrote:

> Zombor Kovacs wote
>> I have been fiddling around with harps for a while.
>> The most annoying thing for most of us is the fatique
>> of reeds. I guess that reed quality today is
>> determined by sales figures and somewhere half way
>> between what is profitable to manufacture and what
>> customers still buy because they accept the lifetime.
>> Maybe because they don't know that reeds can last
>> longer. If they lasted longer, the harmonica lasted
>> longer and sales figures would drop. Also price would
>> increase because of higher reed quality.
>> But I am not willing to accept that we have to use
>> crap reeds, which are visibly crap. Has anybody tried
>> to make reeds?
>
>About 8 years ago, I made a set of little machines with which I 
>could make a reed of stainless steel, beryllium copper, or other 
>spring material in several hours.  This is much too slow to be 
>practical.  Using what I learned, I am undertaking a new effort to 
>cut the time down to about 15 minutes.  I am building 6 little 
>machines and my progress is very slow because I have other things 
>to do...like practicing with my Hands-Free-Chromatic.
>
>I have heard a rumor that someone in Europe is working on a reed-
>making process.  I'm curious about it but suspect that it is secret 
>for proprietary reasons.  Good luck making money selling 
>reeds!   ;o)
>
>I believe that a properly designed SS reed can sound and respond 
>just like a Cu-alloy reed of the same pitch but be much more robust.
>
>I would be interested in corresponding with other reed-makers.
>Of higher quality materials, from different alloys with good 
>surface etc. I would be interested to know more about this topic.
>
>Reeds can be made from any good spring material and, if properly 
>designed, can behave just like standard reeds. Freedom from 
>corrosion and from fatigue are desirable properties of SS and 
>BeCu.  Exotic materials will NOT produce exotic tone.  
>Manufacturers avoid SS because the cutting tools are more 
>expensive and wear faster.  Musicians will wrongly attribute 
>different tonal properties to SS, just as they do to different comb 
>and cover materials..