[Harp-L] Subject: Re: Does anyone know what's being done about Marine Bands?

[EGS1217@xxxxxxx]

I think he has a third option, Garry.
 
Take it apart after buying a brand new MB...SEAL the comb thoroughly  
(following all the free instructions available on the 'net - Dave Payne talks  
people through how to do it), and then gap the instrument even just a little 
to  suit his own playing style. 
 
I don't play diatonics enough... yet, and even I can gap (carefully) my own 
 instruments. It isn't difficult if you follow two principles: 1)go slow 
and  2)check after each tiny gapping stroke. I learned the hard way early on 
by  screwing up a couple of reeds, which ARE replaceable...so practicing on a 
 'junker' is the intelligent way to go about it (as many here suggest).
 
Like Winslow, I'd also like to know exactly what is meant by 'it blew out'  
after two hours.  I play/practice my harmonicas for hours at a time - and  
still haven't done any major damage to any of 'em, and I'm not a wimpy 
player  especially at home, but I do switch off from one harmonica to another  
constantly.
 
Elizabeth
 
Message: 10
Date: Sun, 30 Aug 2009 14:51:43 -0400
From: Garry  <harp@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Does anyone know what's being  done about Marine
Bands???
To: _Harp-L@xxxxxxxxxxx (mailto:Harp-L@xxxxxxxxxx) 

Nicholas Lovett wrote:

> All of us guys who do the classic stuff  depend on them. 
...
> The tone keeps getting brighter, the wood  continues to be unsealed,they
> need to be gapped, the price keeps going  up, and what's worse is that 
many
> of us depend on them to make our  sound.
...
> Is anything being done about this?

offhand, i'd  guess no.  the situation you describe above is a veritable
recipe for  "not gonna change".  the MB is what it is, people buy them
anyway, no  real reason for hohner to change.  instead, they're investing
their  effort in making better MB's, as others have mentioned.  sadly,
these  better MB's are more expensive, but that's the way things work.

seems  like you have two options (aside from just living with the status  
quo).
invest more money in the better MB's, or find a way to make your  sound
with some other harp.  there are a lot of really nice harps out  there these
days.



-- 
We make a living from what we get,  
but we make a life from what we give.
- Kathy  Moser