jiceblues
226 posts
Dec 29, 2013
12:14 AM
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Just an idea , a dream .I love the BH , but the comb... I imagine Hohner doing for us a comb like the one of the CROSSOVER or MBDL .(not in doussié , of course) . It could be in pearwood or bamboo , flat , with rounded tines flush to the reedplates and not way behind , and completely lacquered . The comb could slighty protude and be rounded at the edges for better comfort of hands . They could check better the reeds at factory and sand the draw plates . OK , it would be a little pricey , but you get what you pay for , and a lot of people don't want to work on their harps . The name could be BH DELUXE ...
Well , it's just a dream...
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sonny3
102 posts
Dec 29, 2013
12:52 AM
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what exactly do you love about the, blues harp? Just curious, i had one years ago and hated it.do the Combs swell? They have started sealing the 1896s that i play.
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jiceblues
227 posts
Dec 29, 2013
1:03 AM
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The comb don't swell because it's in doussié ( african wood) .This wood has little "cracks" , it's not good for airtightness .Now , Hohner seals the comb . I don't like the MB 1896 .I don't like the tone and the size .For me , the BH has a good shape an size and i like the tone but the comb is the issue .
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jiceblues
228 posts
Dec 29, 2013
1:37 AM
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Thank you SergZZZ , but i mostly use A , C , & Bb . And i don't do overblows , only "classical" bends . What is the price ?
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arzajac
1232 posts
Dec 29, 2013
4:18 AM
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"The comb could slighty protude and be rounded at the edges for better comfort of hands . They could check better the reeds at factory and sand the draw plates ."
I do all that plus better tuning for $15. That's fundamental service.
Add advanced reed work and it's $10 extra. ----------
 Custom overblow harps. Harmonica service and repair.
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jiceblues
231 posts
Dec 29, 2013
9:06 AM
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i don't want to spend 110$ + shipping on a harp to play roots music with classical bends .I'like hohner could do this BH for a reasonnable price . In fact , i expected that Steve Baker could tell a word about that at Hohner's...lol...
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S-harp
187 posts
Dec 29, 2013
11:05 AM
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@jiceblues I optimize/ MS Blues Harps. Scandinavia. 20€ plus shipping. ---------- The tone, the tone ... and the Tone
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jiceblues
233 posts
Dec 29, 2013
12:09 PM
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@ S-harp : what is the price of a BH in your town ?
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S-harp
189 posts
Dec 29, 2013
12:59 PM
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I buy from Thomann.de BH €27 Shipping/post flat rate €15, buy over €200-ish it's free
---------- The tone, the tone ... and the Tone
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jiceblues
234 posts
Dec 29, 2013
1:13 PM
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well , it's a bit complicated . Scandinavia is too far from France . I'll do it by myself . Thank's .
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S-harp
190 posts
Dec 29, 2013
1:25 PM
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@jiceblues No problem (-: I have a couple already finished (A, C) if you change your mind. Quite easy with postage within EU.
---------- The tone, the tone ... and the Tone
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Lmbrjak
218 posts
Dec 29, 2013
8:44 PM
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love those doussiewood combs. A tongue blockers dream. I've slobbered all over them,soaked them and even boiled a couple of my Blues harps whole to clean them and never a hint of swelling.I don't understand why the marine band wasn't switched to doussie.The blues harp has longer reeds and longer reed chambers than marine band and may require more air to get compression,but they don't seem leaky to me. The attack is different,but I find the bends easier to get and easier to control than a marine band,but I love marine band also.
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jiceblues
235 posts
Dec 30, 2013
3:07 AM
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I wax the comb ( even the late ones) and sand the draw reedplate and it's fine .I don't TB .
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groyster1
2493 posts
Dec 30, 2013
7:38 AM
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just sent a harp to arzajac....had to pay customs fee for 100-200 miles north of American border....that's the way it is....nothing he or I can do about it...why complain over what you cannot control....wasted energy...move on
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arzajac
1234 posts
Dec 30, 2013
9:14 AM
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George: Oh my! That shouldn't happen!
There is no duty on harmonicas (customs code 9205.90.1900) coming across the Canada-US border. Some carriers charge brokerage fees on items of greater value than $20 coming into Canada. Did you use USPS?
----------
 Custom overblow harps. Harmonica service and repair.
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jiceblues
236 posts
Dec 30, 2013
9:32 AM
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The shipping costs from USA to France incresed a lot lately , so i won't order from US anymore .
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MP
3017 posts
Dec 30, 2013
9:50 AM
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I think the modern Blues Harps have vastly improved since I bought an unplayable D BH in 1996. In fact, I think all of the modern MS series harps aren't bad at all. ---------- i still have a little Hohner stock for reed replacement in three common keys. when these are gone i'm out of the biz. click MP for my e-mail address and more info.
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barbequebob
2420 posts
Dec 30, 2013
10:42 AM
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@jiceblues -- The African wood doussie is NOT moisture proof, but because it is a harder, more brittle wood, it is more resistant to swelling than pearwood, but under the right conditions, I have personally seen them swell and the only wood comb that is truly moisture proof is one that is 100% fully sealed.
The very first MS harps were horrible and anything lower than they key of C were difficult to get good bends even for many pros and until they retooled them and changed the profiles of the reeds, did they become better playing harps and one of the big reasons why the early ones sucked was because they were using short slot reeds rather than what they've been doing since 1995, but the reeds are placed much further away, which I really don't care for and a Seydel 1847 is closer to what the MS harps really should've been in the first place.
The newer MB stock plays just as well, if not better than any of the MS harps do and they all come with a 100% fully sealed comb, which until a couple of years ago, you either got a custom or you did it yourself.
If you're slobbering all over your harps, that's just largely because of bad playing technique and most players who play too hard all the time often play with an extremely wet mouth. ---------- Sincerely, Barbeque Bob Maglinte Boston, MA http://www.barbequebob.com CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
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jiceblues
237 posts
Dec 30, 2013
10:57 AM
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I have been playing MS BLUES HARPS since the beginning of the MS series .In the early nineties , they were unplayable .The quality raised lately .Never had an issue with comb swelling .Like many other harps , i'd say all ootb harps , they leave the factory un-finished . The doussié comb is not at all comfortable .I just thought it could be an inprovement if Hohner could put a nice comb on this harp .That's all...i didn't ask for me , i got nice custom lip-friendly combs on my BH's .And i got others with stock combs for the "roots sound" .
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groyster1
2495 posts
Dec 31, 2013
4:23 AM
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@arzajac the charge I meant is the international charge that USPS charges...Im guessing you are probably a couple of 100 miles above the U.S border but that makes the charge twice the cost of sending harps 4000 miles away to honululu
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arzajac
1235 posts
Dec 31, 2013
5:24 AM
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Jiceblues: I'd like to send you one of my Dark combs. I'd like to know if you think it is both comfortable (rounded and lip-friendly) as well as having the "roots sound". I haven't found anything that comes closer to that authentic Pearwood sound...
Groyster: Ah! I see.
It's funny that Canada Post has three options: one for anywhere in Canada, one for the USA and one for International...
And, yes, I am only a 30 minute drive from the US border. A little less if you take a ferry... ----------
 Custom overblow harps. Harmonica service and repair.
Last Edited by arzajac on Dec 31, 2013 5:25 AM
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nacoran
7450 posts
Dec 31, 2013
6:54 AM
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I just got some combs from Arzajac. Very nice!
Now I get to play around with converting the reed plates to screws (pre-MS Blues Harps) and converting the covers to my magnets. :)
Mr. Arzajac, but you do like to tape your shipments up well! It took 5 minutes to get the package open! It was like Christmas all over. :)
I seem to have misplaced my drill bits too, so I'll have to pop out to the store. What are the recommended sizes for reed plates again?
---------- Nate Facebook Thread Organizer (A list of all sorts of useful threads)
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groyster1
2496 posts
Dec 31, 2013
7:10 AM
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yes arzajac makes great combs and wraps very well...what can I say?great customer service
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barbequebob
2423 posts
Dec 31, 2013
10:24 AM
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The reason Hohner went to doussie combs for the MS series was because they didn't want to seal combs as it would add to production line costs. It wasn't until 2003, when Hering came out with the 1923 Vintage Harps (which were partially sealed, just around the outer edges) that any 10 hole wood comb diatonic came with any sealing OOTB, and then in 2005 Hohner did the same thing with the MB Deluxe, and then around 2007, the Bends Juke and the Seydel 1847 Classic were the first diatonics to have a fully sealed comb OOTB. ---------- Sincerely, Barbeque Bob Maglinte Boston, MA http://www.barbequebob.com CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
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Lmbrjak
219 posts
Dec 31, 2013
11:11 AM
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@jiceblues- Even though the BH combs are quite comfortable for me,those bamboo combs on the crossover are even better,so yeah,a BH deluxe would be nice.
@BBQ Bob- Your advice on breath control and playing softly might be the most helpful advice I've seen. I took it to heart several years ago and play quite soft. The saliva thing is sporadic and "Slobbering" was probably a poor choice of words,but the tongue is always moist and my marine band swells where the BH doesn't. Doussie wood contains natural oils that resist moisture. I've never had a BH comb swell but don't doubt that some do. Trees vary and combs sawed from the outer edge of the heartwood may contain less oil.
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arzajac
1238 posts
Dec 31, 2013
11:25 AM
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Nacoran: If you use an M2 tap, you can drill through-and-through with 1/16 inch bit and tap that hole. On the opposite plate, make that hole bigger using any bit that's in between 3/32 to 1/8 inch (inclusive). If you are slightly off-center, the 3/32 inch hole may not give you enough clearance.
Jiceblues: I charge $3 shipping for one comb and $5 shipping for more than one comb. That's it! ----------
 Custom overblow harps. Harmonica service and repair.
Last Edited by arzajac on Dec 31, 2013 11:26 AM
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florida-trader
419 posts
Dec 31, 2013
11:48 AM
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Seems to me, also, one reason Hohner uses pear wood on the Marine Bands is because they are assembled with nails. The pear wood is soft and does not split when the nails are driven into the wood. The Blues Harp uses screws to fasten the reed plates and covers so the holes are drilled through the comb. Hence you can use a harder wood like Doussie wood. I dare say if Doussie wood was used on Marine Bands the combs would split from the nails. Just my 2 cents. ---------- Tom Halchak www.BlueMoonHarmonicas.com
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jiceblues
240 posts
Jan 01, 2014
2:57 AM
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@ florida-trader : i think you are right . I maintain my idea : if Hohner could fit a lacquered pearwood comb on the BH , it would be a benefit for customers .They could concentrate only on tuning and adjusting the reeds .
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nacoran
7459 posts
Jan 01, 2014
9:10 PM
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jiceblues, not to give myself more competition on the ebay auctions, but if you like Blues Harps, you make like pre-MS Blues Harps even more. I'm slowly working on getting more into playing shape. I think, at least for the moment, they are my favorite harp.
---------- Nate Facebook Thread Organizer (A list of all sorts of useful threads)
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jiceblues
241 posts
Jan 02, 2014
4:40 AM
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@ nacoran : pre-MS Blues Harps were Marine Bands with un-vented covers ? and they were nailed , like the MB's , i guess ? If so , i prefer the MS BH , for the size , the sound and my convenience...
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barbequebob
2424 posts
Jan 02, 2014
9:54 AM
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@Jiceblues -- What you say is correct, tho the original Blues Harps, when originally introduced in the mid to late 60's were often tuned slightly sharper and many players often felt the reeds were thinner and moresusceptible to comb swelling and the pre-1990 Old Standby's were like the MB with a different cover plate, but that design gave it darker, mellower sound, especially on higher pitched harps. ---------- Sincerely, Barbeque Bob Maglinte Boston, MA http://www.barbequebob.com CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
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jiceblues
243 posts
Jan 04, 2014
4:47 AM
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I have had my new BH's in A & D for a while , now .I assume they are good harps once they're "broken-in" . I don't even know if "breakin' in " is a reality or if it's just that i become used to these harps .I find them very playable ( for a classical playin') and , overall , i love the tone .I don't even play on my SP20 's anymore...The tone is not the same to my ears , but i have to say that i play acoustically , in front of the SM58 ( my mic for singin') , like Phil Wiggins .But i'm not as good as Phil...ah ah...
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jiceblues
266 posts
Jan 27, 2014
5:34 AM
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Dear Santa Hohner , as you upgraded the SP20 , could you please upgrade the BH ? i've got some ideas if you want . Thank's .
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HarpNinja
3719 posts
Jan 27, 2014
7:35 AM
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It will cost more...you can already upgrade the BH with after market parts, BUT should they do those things, the cost would go up, at which point, people would complain (see the Rocket thread).
Harmonica companies are businesses. They aren't trying to operate at a loss. In fact, they want to maximize profits. In addition, we can't assume as uneducated masses we can accurately predict, infere, or assume we understand the logistics of making the harps (although many here assume drastic changes to design have no impact on overhead, and adding more intense quality control has no bearing on overhead). ---------- Mike My Website My Harmonica Effects Blog
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jiceblues
267 posts
Jan 27, 2014
7:57 AM
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Yes , Harpninja , you're right .But they could keep the BH "as it is" , for most of buyers and make a better one for "pros" or "addicts" , as they did with the MB , MBD , CROSS , etc... I was not thinking of drastic changes , but just a few little things for comfort and ergonomy .
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