This basic concept of these harmonicas has been around for a long time. The idea of four reeds lumped together has been around for a very long time. The idea of these reeds interacting together has been around for a very long time - this was developed by F.R. Hotz and Wilhelm Thie in the mid 19th Century - the difference is the type of interaction. Nobody had ever thought of bend interaction, that I know of, before the XB 40 and SUB 30. The SUB 30 plate that has 20 reeds is the reedplate (part of the Knittlinger system) invented by F.R. Hotz back in the mid 19th Century. I want to in no way detract from the brilliance of all this exciting development. It is exciting and it is brilliant. I just want to point out its roots and all this leads to my next question that I want to pose to Brendan especially. What kind of harmonica is this? The bendable octave harps of mine are a true Knittlinger, they are just modified in a way to do stuff Knittlingers aren't supposed to do. The Bluesified Concerto is pretty easy to classify. I would argue the XB-40 is a modified Knittlinger - the cells can open to one another, so it's not a true Knittlinger. The SUB-30 is a bit harder to classify what type of harmonica it is. It's obviously not a Richter harmonica, but it's not a Knittlinger harmonica, either, even though it has a Knittlinger reedplate. Even Chromatics are modified Knittlingers. So, Brendan, it seems to me that you have invented a new type of harmonica, period. It's not Richter, it's not Vienna, not Knittlinger, etc., it fits in a new type of construction category. As I think of diatonic harmonica construction, I think can think of very few people who have come up with new designs. It's a short list and you're on it.
So, what do you want to call it?
For those who aren't familiar with types of harmonica construction, here is an explanation.
---------- David
____________________ At the time of his birth, it was widely accepted that no one man could play that much music so well or raise that much hell. He proved them all wrong. R.I.P. H. Cecil Payne
I still have my dad's harp he played in a harmonica band in the 1930's in Windsor Ontario, Canada.
Looking at it now, it's a Hohner with a star of David, but he had the coverplates chrome plated in Portsmouth dockyard in England.
I'm going to do a vid for it. If you'd be so kind, I'd really appreciate any feedback to it's history. It's a tremolo harmonica, but apart from that, I know or understand nothing about it.
Could you even call it a diatonic because the intention of design is with bends being the focal point of the design. The progression isn't of whole tones but of semi tones.
I mean logic states the piano as being a chromatic instrument despite the key divisions and spacing being based around diatonic scales.
E.S.P style harmonicawould be my thoughts on a type for Epping, Scarlet and Powers. As they all developed the concept independently around the same time from my understanding of the history. Epping actually landed the patent iirc. Not that I am Brendan just my 2cents
UltraBend is a diatonic harmonica--it's got the traditional 10 hole tuning (I want so much to say Richter) and form factor-- ESP sounds good, wish I'd thought of that . . .
Bluesified Concertos are Knittlinger harps and diatonic. They have Richter note placement, but are not Richter harmonicas (per video above). The SUB 30 has Richter note placement, a Richter-style construction, but with a Knittlinger reedplate and another heretofore unknown reedplate.
Chromatics are Knittlinger harps and not diatonic because it has accidental reeds. The SUB 30 is still laid out in a diatonic scale, thus it is diatonic - as are regular ol 10-hole harmonicas that have become chromatic instruments.
My point is, all constructions have a name. This one doesn't. I think it needs a name. Brendan, y'all could call it "Awesome Badass" construction if you want.
---------- David
____________________ At the time of his birth, it was widely accepted that no one man could play that much music so well or raise that much hell. He proved them all wrong. R.I.P. H. Cecil Payne
I think the tuning needs to be ruled out as a criterion for classification. Sure the UltraBend comes in Richter OTB, but it can work in a myriad of other tunings. I've made it in Paddy Richter and PowerBender so far, and will soon offer it to buy in a range of other alternate tunings with custom combs.
I think it's best to look at the reed function in a single cell. The XB-40 and SUB30 UltraBend are in a new class of harmonicas that have auxiliary reeds in each cell for extra bending. So they could be called Auxiliary Reed Harmonicas, or "AR Harps".
But Auxiliary is a bit of a cumbersome word. I was talking about it with Richard Sleigh on Skype a few weeks ago, and we both liked the names "Extra Reed" or "Triple Reed" to categorise the SUB30.
I suggest sexing this up to "X-Reed Harps" to cover all harmonicas with extra reeds for bending. So the XB would be an X-Reed with 4 reeds per cell (X-Reed x4, or X-Reed Quad) and the UltraBend is an X-Reed x3, or X-Reed Triple (or Triple X-Reed, though that might get it confused with a crappy type of Australian beer!).
How does "X-Reed Harps" sound for a category title, and which sub-category names do you guys prefer?
Last Edited by on Oct 23, 2012 1:02 PM