florida-trader
655 posts
Mar 12, 2015
7:44 AM
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Now that I have completed my project of designing recessed combs for the Hohners, Seydels and Suzukis I have decided to tackle making CMC Milled Cover Plates for all three brands. I think we all agree that the reed plates are the most important components in a harmonica. There is a never-ending discussion about the affect and benefits of custom combs. But I am also aware that many believe that after the reed plates, the covers are the next most important component in a harp.
I would like to invite you to share your thoughts about covers. I need to get educated and I can think of no better place than right here. So what is your opinion? Vented? Non-Vented? Full length like the ProMaster or Meisterklasse or Session Steel or traditional shape with the tabs on the ends. What about shape and how open the back should be? And why?
In addition to your descriptions I would also encourage you to post some drawings or sketches or even pictures of covers that you might have created. Remember, these will be CNC milled so we are not starting with any limitations that may be involved in modifying stock covers. We are starting with a blank slate, so anything goes.
Thanks in advance for the assistance.
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Tom Halchak
www.BlueMoonHarmonicas.com
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Piro39
78 posts
Mar 12, 2015
8:45 AM
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I want to add a few points of information to this cover plate discussion. Hohner MS system covers plates fit Lee Oscars. I have made a few LO hybrids with blues harp covers and after market combs. They become a big improvement over stock.
Using tabbed cover plates on certain reed plates creates a little problem near the end of the plate because the screw head will be in the way and the cover will not seat itself flat so one has to eliminate some end screws. I had this problem with Suzuki plates and Harpmaster covers. Also Tom if you are to make full length cover plates you need be a supplier of the appropriate bolts.
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florida-trader
656 posts
Mar 12, 2015
9:17 AM
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@ Piro39 - Thanks for the input. Screws are not a problem. I have good resources for screws. Let me invite you to think in terms not of what kind of problems you have had in the past with slightly imprefect fits. I'm going to be designing these covers from scratch using 3D CAD Software. Then they will be precision CNC milled. Whatever they wind up being and for whatever model they go on, there will fit perfectly.
Which of the MS covers do you like - Blues Harp? Big River?
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Tom Halchak
www.BlueMoonHarmonicas.com
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HarpNinja
4057 posts
Mar 12, 2015
9:20 AM
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I would think the market would most likely order custom cover plates at a price point similar to current cover plates.
I would order a full set of custom SP20 covers that were unvented but open backed in a heart beat. Hell, I'd even order closed back.
I'd like to see:
SP20/Rocket covers with no vents but open back that work for the MB XO and MBD too
Vented 1847 covers that are not matte like the Noble...they should also have a flat ridge in the front and not the rounded that Seydel currently offers
Maybe Session-like covers for Hohner harps BUT, IMO, part of the magic of the Hohner harps is the smaller profile than harps like the Session that have covers that stand really tall.
But at the end of the day, if you offered vented and unvented open version of the big three that could be custom engraved, that'd be awesome.
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Mike
My Website
My Harmonica Effects Blog
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Schook
3 posts
Mar 12, 2015
9:52 AM
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Not to discourage you, just playing devils advocate. Can a milled custom cover be price competitive with current covers?
That being said, I would like to see some lower profile shaped (example: SP20/Rocket, Lee Oskar) that would fit Seydel Session harps. Tabbed would be good, full length even better. Opened backs or side vents are not a big deal to me (yet).
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isaacullah
2952 posts
Mar 12, 2015
10:14 AM
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In terms of current cover plate designs, I've found over the years that I do no prefer full-length covers (not for tone reasons, but for playability), and I like non-vented covers (for a more focused tone). I do like them very open in the back. I also like them to be COMFORTABLE, which is at least as important as any tone requirements. The MOST comfortable coverplate I've ever tried is that of the Seydel Solist Pro. I like those covers a lot.
In terms of potential NEW designs, I've always wondered why the top and bottom covers are the same shape. Considering the direction of the top reeds vs. the bottom reeds, I wonder if a more "ergonomic" harp could be made by milling the top covers to be shallower up front at the mouth piece, but keep the bottom ones deeper to accommodate the swing of the reeds? I imagine this would also facilitate the "tilt" that us lip-blockers employ in our embouchures, and might be A LOT more comfortable. Could have some tone consequences, but I dunno...
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nacoran
8327 posts
Mar 12, 2015
10:14 AM
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I suspect that, even although I prefer full length covers, that they would be less popular, but that's just based on my sense of their popularity from reading a lot of posts. It might be that once people got their hands on long covers they'd go crazy for them.
I'm running out the door to an appointment. I've got some other ideas. I'll post them later.
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Nate
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isaacullah
2953 posts
Mar 12, 2015
10:31 AM
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I mocked up a quick drawing of what I meant:
This would be the profile along the whole harp. Make any sense?
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Last Edited by isaacullah on Mar 12, 2015 10:31 AM
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florida-trader
657 posts
Mar 12, 2015
10:32 AM
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@ Shook - I'm not discouraged. I sell custom stuff. My combs range in price from $30 to $65, which is more than a lot of harps cost. Milled covers would be more expensive to be sure and that means that not everybody would want them or could justify spending the money on them. It is obviously up to me to create something unique and special enough to compel people to want them. One thought on that subject is that it is becoing increasingly easy to spend money on harps. Harps are more expensive than they used to be. Guys either invest their own time to customize them or pay someone esle for their time to do the customizing. Custom combs add to the total cost of a really nice harp. The only way guys can justify that mentality is if they plan to own these things for a long time. If you've got $200 tied up in a harp then you are going to take care of it, maintain it and fix it if/when it needs repair. So in the long run it might not be more expensive than replacing worn out harps every 6 months to a year.
@ issacullah - Yes! I agree 100%. Thank you. There are some great examples of covers moving in that direction. Thunderbird covers are bigger on the bottom than on top. Low Tuned Manjis are too. Lee Oskars are that way too. I'm not sure if guys will go for an asymetric look but from a functional standpoint if there was more room under the hood for the draw reeds it would eliminate reed rattle. That is a great thought.
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Tom Halchak
www.BlueMoonHarmonicas.com
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florida-trader
658 posts
Mar 12, 2015
10:34 AM
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@ issacullah - Yes. Makes perfect sense. Thank you.
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Tom Halchak
www.BlueMoonHarmonicas.com
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Diggsblues
1687 posts
Mar 12, 2015
10:40 AM
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I was wondering if covers made out of different materials is an option. Maybe ebony, brass, silver and gold plated.
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florida-trader
659 posts
Mar 12, 2015
10:43 AM
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Diggs - I make combs out of wood, Corian, Aluminum, Brass and Acrylic. It is likely that I would do the same with covers. Not at first probably because it would be an expensive proposition but if it takes off I would definitely add materials as I go.
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Tom Halchak
www.BlueMoonHarmonicas.com
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STME58
1225 posts
Mar 12, 2015
10:56 AM
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One feature that would be great to eliminate is the 'Moustache Grabber" I was very disappointed that my Seydel Nobel, which addressed this issue in their ad copy, is one of the worst offenders. I think this is a quality control issue though.
I have notices that some of my harps, most notably Manji's will sometimes hit a resonance in the cover and you can really feel it vibrating. I think there is an opportunity in cover design to use this to an advantage.
Making a cover using a CNC process that is as thin as a stamped cover would be a challenge. If you were going for a thin resonating cover, you might use a process similar to making the bell of a trumpet. Taking this from its current rotary process to a linear process that matches the shape of a harp cover is a big undertaking.
My Suzuki Pure Harp has a thick wood CNC milled cover and it is a decent harp overall, but it does not come close to resonating.
Good Luck with your project.
Last Edited by STME58 on Mar 12, 2015 11:41 AM
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srussell
27 posts
Mar 12, 2015
11:07 AM
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I would think about different materials... Namely how would a brass coverlet sound, would it be strong enough? Also what about a closed low end but vented high end in order to focus the low end of the harp, but dial back the high end.
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Dr.Hoy
12 posts
Mar 12, 2015
12:21 PM
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Covers that snap onto place on the comb, making it a lot easier to put the screws back in?
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JInx
984 posts
Mar 12, 2015
12:40 PM
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Some cover plates don't work well with harp racks. The best rack out now, by far, is the Farmer Archtop Harmonica Holder. It works by strong magnets and a groove.
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harpdaddy
5 posts
Mar 12, 2015
12:50 PM
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Not sure if this helps but my favorite combination is your corian combs, MS reed plates and Hohner Meisterklasse covers.
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SuperBee
2456 posts
Mar 12, 2015
1:39 PM
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I don't like pro master and session covers because of the tall and square profile. Perhaps this is how a full length cover must be?
Anyway, that is the reason I do not buy session harps. I like the soloist pro cover, but it is the worst for my hairy top lip. I would possibly have chosen those harps as my regular but for their epilatory quality. Would be an excellent cover could that be eliminated. If a non-grabbing solist pro cover could be created which would also fit the session, these types would become interesting to me.
I am in full concert with HarpNinja regarding the hohner option for an unvented rocket cover which could be fitted to all the marine band and sp20/rockets.
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SuperBee
2457 posts
Mar 12, 2015
1:43 PM
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Oh, the Suzuki Manji has excellent covers IMHO. My favourite of the type, though I think I've read complaints about their strength?
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walterharp
1606 posts
Mar 12, 2015
1:50 PM
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wow "tuned" cover plates.. now that is an interesting concept, but would need to vary with every key
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Todd Parrott
1314 posts
Mar 12, 2015
1:52 PM
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As Mike says, it would be nice if there were a SP20 style cover without vents, which would fit correctly on an existing Marine Band Deluxe or Crossover, without having to be modified. Yes, the Rocket covers will fit on a Crossover, but they don't quite snap into the groove in the reed plates the same way that the Marine Band covers do, and you can't modify (bend down) the front edge of the Rocket covers to fix this like you can with SP20 covers.
I also like Isaac's example of deeper covers on the bottom plate. The Thunderbird design is good, but why couldn't the depth be extended across the full length of the cover, rather than just on the first 3 or 4 holes? I think Lee Oskar covers are deeper all the way across on lower keys. I like the Thunderbird covers, but I don't like the non-symmetrical look. What Isaac suggests, and the drawing provided, makes more sense to me.
And what about Golden Melody plates? It would be nice to be able to get something that's already opened in the back that would fit on a GM. GM covers are the biggest pain in the neck to open and to do so neatly.
And can I get an amen from someone about covers WITHOUT NUMBERS on top? I hate the look and feel of numbers on top - makes the harp look more like a toy or beginner model.
Lastly, what about metallic-colored covers, like the gun metal gray of the B-Radical, or the nice blue finish of the Suzuki G-48 chromatic? To me, that's pretty classy-looking. Even the Olive is a nice color.
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Meaux Jeaux
53 posts
Mar 12, 2015
2:07 PM
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Brother Tom,
While I applaud your efforts as always, I would like to
see mouth covers that punched in form and have no cuts at the folds (Like Seydel) available for all popular models of diatonic harmonica. The cuts on mouth covers as anyone with facial hair will attest is where the offending cover will grab. I wish to commend you for asking for input here. Adding design improvements will set you apart from the "stock" covers and help justify additional costs, keep it up brother.
Pete
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Georgia Blues
151 posts
Mar 12, 2015
2:07 PM
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I would be interested in full length covers like those on GMs. Full covers seem a bit more resonant. Having said that, one of the issues I have had in the past with GM covers on low harps like G and A flat, is that the lowest draw reed can rattle on the cover if you work it too hard. I have taken to doing a bit of metal forming on that part of the cover to give the reed a bit more room. Works fine. Having said that, one of the reasons I like the GM covers is the low front profile makes them a more comfortable to play. Complicated. I can't help wonder if heavier covers would deaden the tone.
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isaacullah
2954 posts
Mar 12, 2015
2:23 PM
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@Todd Parrot: Amen to no numbers on the top covers!! That's one reason I like those Solist pro covers so much -- no numbers! Glad the pic I drew made sense, and glad to see some agreement about it too!
@SuperBee: I know that Session reedplates fit on a Solist Pro, so I imagine that Solist Pro covers will fit on a Session? Mustache grabbing is not an issue for me, but perhaps the crack could be filled with bondo or something? Some sort of food-safe two-part epoxy?
@MeauxJeaux: Interesting idea. I wonder if covers could be molded somehow, instead of milled or punched? I'm pretty sure that the Suzuki Overdrive covers are molded from some sort of resin (and perhaps also the Hammond covers?). They are nice and slick, and have no folds or cracks. Very nice feel, although I don't love them because they are full-length (and I don't like full-length covers). Providing more options for cover shape might be possible in a molded resin material too. One would CNC mill the molds, and then could make many actual covers with those molds.
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Harmlessonica
88 posts
Mar 12, 2015
4:42 PM
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One thing I like about my Thunderbird is its asymmetric shape means I know which way round it should be held without having to even look at it properly. But one wouldn't have to go that far; even a simple notch or raised lip on one side could be tactile enough to serve the same purpose.
Another thing I've often wished is that harmonicas were a little wider on the short edge; by that I mean we're always encouraged to play the thing deep in our mouth, but then there's not much left for your finger to grip on to. This may necessitate a single piece cover plate which the standard depth comb would slot into perhaps... hope that makes sense!
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florida-trader
660 posts
Mar 12, 2015
5:04 PM
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Thanks for all the great ideas and discussion. Please keep it coming. Maybe I'll get a 3D design/image made and perhaps we can work off that. I had a lot of help with the Special 20 and Session Steel combs. They turned out great. With your help this cover plate project can be a winner too.
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Tom Halchak
www.BlueMoonHarmonicas.com
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nacoran
8329 posts
Mar 12, 2015
5:41 PM
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Isaac, I've wondered about cover shape along the same lines! As for molded covers, Turbolids are injection molded I think.
What I've noticed about covers- of course, I like my magnetic clasp, but the problem with that is that they pull off if you have more than one in the bag! (A mechanism to get the covers off easy might be worth considering though).
I've noticed that back ridge seems to help keep your fingers from sliding off the back when you are sweating (some harps just have a gentle dip in the middle). It's useful, but it makes it's harder to use two harps together (I noticed a lot of tremolos have flat tops that would stack together better).
I've also noticed the way they stamp tin sandwich style covers and fold them you seem to get nasty gaps that can snack mustaches.
Third, I actually like the deep stamping like on a Lee Oskar better than the shallow stamping on Hohners. The deep stamping seems to be more like running your lips across a golf ball, while the shallow stamping is more like running it on sandpaper. (Okay, that was a weird analogy.) I've wondered how much people have experimented with that. One way to reduce friction is to make something totally smooth to glide, but you can also reduce the contact points (as long as the remaining contact points aren't jagged). One customizer, I don't remember who, had a limited edition harp with a teflon strip along the front.
Fourth, since the cover is such a visible surface lettering in a different color can look great. Piedmonts look snazzy, right up until the paint wears off a day later. Something inset might work.
I've also wondered about a one piece cover. It would be easier with a stamped cover, but if you wrapped the cover around the front of the comb and punched holes so they were smooth on front but a little funnel shaped on the inside (to make a better seal). It could be the ultimate recessed reed plate- no gap along the front edge of the harp at all.
There are a lot of little variations- open back vs. closed back, vented vs. not vented, the shape of any support braces, any fold or thickening along the back edge to strengthen it, etc. I was just trying to fit Silvertone cover onto a Sp20. It's just a hair too long. It's a pretty comfortable cover. For guys like me with a hodge podge harp collection a cover that was designed so it could fit on a couple different types of harps might be a good investment, although I don't know how feasible that would be. You seem to have done a pretty good job with your combs by adding a couple extra holes.
I've also thought that it might be worth creating a flat area on the top (either on only the top cover or on both top and bottom), sort of like the top facet on a cut gem. I got the idea when I saw one of my neighbors had a necklace her kids had got her with her picture engraved on it. The local mall has a place that does laser engraving, but if you don't have a flat surface you get distortion. There might be more restrictions too, but if you could either make/offer custom engravings or at least offer a comb that was ready to receive a custom engraving you might find a market. Actually, looking at it, my Silvertone's cover has got a fairly large flat area on top. It's a full length cover but it still has that flair on the back. As covers go it's as comfortable to play as any harp I've tried.
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Nate
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STME58
1229 posts
Mar 12, 2015
6:21 PM
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I'll give Todd and amen on the cover numbers. I have two harps in my kit that don't have them, a Seydel 1847 Nobel and a Suzuki Pure Harp. I don't find the numbers a problem when playing but I agree that they look unprofessional.
On the 1847, Seydel used a drawing process to get a nice round corner. I wish that had drawn it a little deeper and there trimmed is after drawing so that the leading edge was straight and did not curve up and come up out of the reed plate slot at the ends, creating a mustache grabber.
If I were going to build a custom comb and startup cost were not a problem, I would take my design to Pacific Fabrication in Rancho Cucamonga CA. I worked with them on prog die parts years ago before the company I work for took things oversees. One cool project I saw there about 20 years ago was a set of stamping to create a replica Star Trek communicator. It looked cool but I wonder if the tooling dollars were ever recovered from the project. I don't even know if they are still in business.
They are very good at deep drawing and this part would be shallow compared to the other things they do. I think they could tool it so it doesn't curve up at the ends. While I think this would give you the best part, I don't think it would be economically viable for runs of less than 1000 parts at a time and I don't think the harmonica world can support that.
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hvyj
2645 posts
Mar 12, 2015
6:25 PM
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I believe PAINTED (e.g., Hammond) covers tend to darken tone and shiny/polished covers(e.g. ProMaster, MS Meisterklasse) are brighter. But some people think this is ridiculous. Others (like Steve Baker) agree.
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STME58
1230 posts
Mar 12, 2015
6:50 PM
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I can tell by the way some covers vibrate on certain notes thet they are near resonance (actually at resonance when you can feel them vibrating). On a thin part like this a coating like paint can shift the natural frequency quite a bit, this in turn would change the overtones and create a different character of sound.
I think the Promaster/Hammond/Firebreath covers have the best build quality of any covers I have seen. I have not seen a Meisterklasse. It would not be too hard too make a comparison between Hammond and Promaster covers, they are the same except for the paint. The hard part, as always, is to eliminate the variables the player introduces.
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Philosofy
676 posts
Mar 12, 2015
7:33 PM
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Its too late for me to share my thoughts on cover shapes, but, if you're designing these for your recessed combs, why not mount a rare earth magnet in the combs, and have the covers held in place by magnets. The recessed nature of the comb would prevent it from sliding. That way, tuning the harp on the go, or getting rid of some gunk, would be a much easier task.
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SuperBee
2458 posts
Mar 12, 2015
8:13 PM
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The numbers don’t bother me, but I probably wouldn’t bother to include them in a design.
I think grabbiness is less to do with the folded corner than with the tabs on the Solist Pro. The harp is noticeably grabbier than a MB or Sp20, although these are both capable of a grab. With the Sp20 and MB it is usually a case of a misshapen cover which doesn’t quite sit flat/in the groove. The snag occurs between the cover and the reed plate. with these harps if they are in good shape they are pretty well-behaved around a moustache.
Not so the Solist Pro. They seem to have built-in pluckiness as part of the design. I’m sure it could be designed out.
regarding easy assembly, i'm all for it but i'm not keen on the idea of magnets for some reason.
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arron
6 posts
Mar 12, 2015
8:38 PM
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my kingdom for a special 20 with full length covers and no cuts at the folds on the end.thank you for asking.
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HarveyHarp
653 posts
Mar 12, 2015
9:47 PM
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Tom, I would like to see some sort of spring clip end cap that you could use to hold coverplates on, instead of screws. If you could make then that were rounded and closed on the ends then it could turn a short MB or Manji etc cover plate into a full cover. It would also hide the open seams that everyone wants to get rid of. Does that make any sense? It would make reed adjustment real easy on the fly. Just snap off the end caps and adjust. Snap back on the end caps and play.
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HarveyHarp
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shakeylee
158 posts
Mar 12, 2015
9:59 PM
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i think high and open on the back like a manji or noble,but vented in the slick way that the newer soul's voices are,where it is two holes that fit where the end screws on reedplates are.
also,at least the smoked chrome soul's voice covers are not very magnetic and i like them to be pretty magnetic for my rack.
forgive me if i'm not making sense,i just did a three hour set :)
OR,not vented bot with spots where the end screws on the reed plate would fit!
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www.shakeylee.com
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nacoran
8331 posts
Mar 12, 2015
10:08 PM
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Philosophy, I've already got a prototype that does that. I posted the video a while back. The problem is, if you have two harps sitting next to each other they try to pull each other's covers off. There are workarounds.
(I used little nubs sticking up through the holes to keep it from sliding side to side. The magnets did a good job of holding them on (until other magnets got involved.)
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Nate
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shakeylee
160 posts
Mar 13, 2015
5:15 PM
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Another thing I would like to see is slots instead of holes to attach the cover plate ,so you could slide it closer or further from the holes.for one thing, you could use the same cover plates easily whether the comb was recessed or sandwich style ,or,just for slight adjustments
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www.shakeylee.com
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indigo
71 posts
Mar 13, 2015
6:27 PM
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Afew years ago i did some experimenting using a bunch of old harps.
First ,using a very fine saw,I put a 1 mil deep groove into the comb wood directly under the top and bottom reedplates at both ends of the Harp.This meant a little of each plate was exposed thus forming a runner for the coverplates
Then i took the top and bottom cover plates and bent
2mil on the end of the tabs into an L shape so that they could slide onto the exposed plate.
Worked a treat,2 second access to the reeds.
Only reason i didn't make more is that i had to do it all with just basically a vice and some needle nosed pliers so it wasn't very pretty.
need to add that the coverplates were off another brand ie longer than the originals
Last Edited by indigo on Mar 13, 2015 8:07 PM
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hvyj
2647 posts
Mar 13, 2015
7:01 PM
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On my set of custom GMs, the covers are opened in back for all lower and middle key harps, but UNOPENED in back for key of Eb and above. IMHO this helps keep the high harps from sounding too brash
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Philosofy
678 posts
Mar 14, 2015
8:04 AM
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I like the idea of a one piece cover, with the holes milled out of the front. You would just need to make sure you have an airtight seal with the front of the comb. Since stamped covers limit the thickness of the material, it would be interesting to see the effect of a thicker cover plate. I've seen one with a cast metal cover plate that felt good playing. (I can't remember the name: the cover plate was white, and the reed plates were held in place with clips rather than screws.)
With your experience with combs you could make some wild stuff, Tom. I'd like to see a B-Radical that fits Marine Band reed plates.
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Greg Heumann
2967 posts
Mar 14, 2015
8:55 AM
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+1 for no side vents.
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mlefree
255 posts
Mar 14, 2015
10:27 AM
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OK, my 2 cents...
Air tightness is paramount. I dislike Turbolids for that reason, owing to my "deep" embouchure. You will have to be very clever to design a "clip-on" cover plate that is air tight.
Not really a cover plate, but how about a simple fixture that would marry two harps top-to-bottom, e.g., C and G. Don't know what the market would be like but I know of no similar product.
I know that you have CNC technology nailed down, and that might be great for prototyping, but other manufacturing methods have greater appeal.
Good Luck,
Michelle
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email: mlefree@silverwingleather.com
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Raven
20 posts
Mar 14, 2015
10:32 AM
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@Isaac:
Have you seen the covers that Joe Filisko designed for the Thunderbird? Reed rattle usually occurs on your first few draw reeds, so his bevel design accommodates the reed swing on the bottom cover.
@Dr.Hoy: LO cover plates do snap into place.
Who in the world came up with the idea of putting numbers over the holes, anyway? I don't know about anyone else, but I can't read what's under my lip and other than elementary students, who ever looks at the number of a hole anyway?
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nacoran
8335 posts
Mar 14, 2015
3:27 PM
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mlefree, there are clips that will link them together. I think the guy who makes the Harp Lock has them available (don't quote me on that though).
Another solution, not perfect, is to get some longer screws. If you have a spare comb lying around, take the top cover off the harp you want on the bottom and the bottom cover you want on top, turn the spare comb around backwards and screw the monster together. (Cackling madly doesn't actually help the process, but it does seem appropriate.) It's not great for getting the harp deep in your mouth for tone though, but it works, and theoretically if you can find the right screws you can keep stacking away. I've thought it would be a pretty good novelty act trick to make a 12 key harp that way. (Now, if someone were to make a comb specifically for that, I think it should be about 2 combs thick and have a concave bevel on the front edge.)
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Nate
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boris_plotnikov
1042 posts
Mar 15, 2015
4:02 PM
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I wish Golden Melody style covers for Seydels - slightly wider and flat (no border and no grooves for fingers), but not full lenght, open back.
Completely agree on different height of upper and bottom coverplates, upper one have to be smaller. No side vents. Have to be extremely airtight, front edge have to be straight and it have to hold plates in front part (front edge have to be noticeably lower than other parts).
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Last Edited by boris_plotnikov on Mar 15, 2015 4:16 PM
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HarveyHarp
655 posts
Mar 15, 2015
6:20 PM
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Just make a rubber plug for the side vents.
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HarveyHarp
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florida-trader
662 posts
Mar 15, 2015
7:51 PM
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Thank you all for your great ideas and comments. I am compiling some notes and will attempt to distill this information. Some of your ideas have created some additional questions. For example, with regard to side vents. Would it make any sense to put vents on one end but not the other? If so, would you vent the low end by the 1 hole or the high end by the 10 hole? Why?
About the thickness of the covers. I do not beleive that would be an issue. The External Valve Plate that I make for the SUB-30 is much thinner in places than a cover plate. But the question I have is what if the covers were thicker than stamped metal? Would thicker covers affect the tone?
I do agree with those of you have suggested more room under the hood on the bottom to eliminate reed rattle. I have some ideas along those lines. Would a harp that was asymetrical - like the one Isaccullah drew - be a turn off? I'm trying to think of clever way to make the top and bottom symetrical but still accomplish creating more room under the bottom cover.
Michelle - sorry. At this time I have no plans to make a double harp.
Molding covers is an interesting idea but then you are limited to using material that can be molded. I don't think brass and aluminum could be molded.
I will probably stick with screws so no magnets or clips but the idea of a groove to create a near seamless junction between the comb and covers is what I have in mind. And rest assured that there will be nothing to snag facial hair and there will be no sharp corners.
I'm talking about creating something that is state of the art. Think Brodur. Think Danneker. Think B-Radical. Think Yonberg.
Nate - you have come the closest to describing what I have in mind. An integrated comb and mouthpiece that is essentially seamless and free of any sharp edges or corners.
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Tom Halchak
www.BlueMoonHarmonicas.com
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STME58
1236 posts
Mar 15, 2015
8:30 PM
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If someone handed me a cover plate and I had no idea what its function was, and asked me what the holes in the side were for, I would say that the were there to make the manufacturing easier. Without the slots you have to do a lot more drawing of metal which means higher press tonnage and/ or more stations in the prog die. I am not saying they don't effect the sound, just that they make for an easier to produce part. Any historians here that could speak to that? Was the original purpose of the slots for sound or manufacturing?
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Scotty16
8 posts
Mar 17, 2015
3:30 AM
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i play cover plates like the special 20 because the slight rise at the back is easy for your hand to stay in place and the curved before the holes so you nevver get it changing shape on you.
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mlefree
263 posts
Mar 17, 2015
10:53 AM
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Another thought. How about a one-piece, CX-12 style cover plate into which a comb with plates could be snapped?
And thanks for the double harp ideas, Nate.
Michelle
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SilverWingLeather.com
email: mlefree@silverwingleather.com
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