Andrew
1121 posts
Aug 18, 2010
2:19 AM
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Has anyone ever taken a 14-hole MB and sawn off the top 4 holes? I'm tempted because the thing is too big (obviously I wouldn't do it with an SBS). OK you'll still end up with a bigger harp than a MB because the holes are further apart, and you'd have to saw off the extra crap on the left hand side too. To do a nice job, you'd have to cut some material out of the cover plate and solder it back together again.
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Andrew,
gentleman of leisure,
noodler extraordinaire.
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Sandy88
84 posts
Aug 18, 2010
3:07 AM
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Just buy a seydel if you want bigger holes
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WORLD CLASS HARMONICA PLAYER
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LIP RIPPER
276 posts
Aug 18, 2010
3:28 AM
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I've said it before and I'll say it again. If I had a Seydel retrofitted with brass reeds I'd have a new favorite harp.
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jim
312 posts
Aug 18, 2010
3:46 AM
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Buy a Seydel.
long MBs were crap, and will be after the sawing.
I did it to my SBS because the long rail drove me nuts. So I made it a 9-holer, which is exactly the size of a big river. I even have a home-made translucent acrylic body left from it.
I can't say what exactly is wrong, but it is all 100% wrong.
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www.truechromatic.com
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Andrew
1122 posts
Aug 18, 2010
3:50 AM
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Sandy, I don't want bigger holes. My concessive 'OK' implies this.
I had a Seydel solist pro in Bb once. It was junk.
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Andrew,
gentleman of leisure,
noodler extraordinaire.
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Silvertone
39 posts
Aug 18, 2010
6:01 AM
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Ive been thinking about doing this for a while. Its doable, the coverplates are the issue. There is enough material to work with .I dont think soldering will need to be involved Hohner doesnt solder.you just need to be able to visualize the flattened state of the coverplates cut form and bend accordingly, peening the corner around is the crafty part. grinder will take care of the left side pretty quick. A slice from the right side of the comb could easily be glued into the 2 chamber holes youll have to fill.Drill a new hole for the cover plate in the comb, the hole will fall in a reed slot just remve the reed grind down the and Wail!!
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tookatooka
1667 posts
Aug 18, 2010
6:03 AM
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I remember Brendan fused Sp20 combs together to make either a 12 or 14 holer, But I don't think he truncated one. May be worth giving him an email though.
Maybe he liked the bigger harp but not the wooden combs?
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KingoBad
332 posts
Aug 18, 2010
6:39 AM
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I'd say get a different hobby, like PLAYING the harmonica....
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Joe_L
549 posts
Aug 18, 2010
8:40 AM
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My 365 plays great! Why mess with a good thing? Hand size is over rated.
Annie Raines has small hands. She has huge tone. RJ Mischo, Gary Smith and Sugar Blue aren't big guys with huge hands and they all have huge tone.
I say play em and get used to the instruments idiosyncracies.
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groyster1
355 posts
Aug 18, 2010
8:58 AM
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@JoeL
good philosophy-again take what you have and go for it!
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arzajac
313 posts
Aug 18, 2010
9:38 AM
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JoeL: Exactly! The 364 is a great instrument, but it's not the same as a 10 hole diatonic.
As for hand size, my 6-year-old was playing her harmonica and saw me practicing hand wah-wahs. She told me that her hands were too small to try it. I pulled out my 364 and showed her that it could be done even if your hands don't cover the whole harp.
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nacoran
2539 posts
Aug 18, 2010
9:45 AM
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See if you can trade it to someone who has a regular MB who doesn't mind a long comb. Or you could try tuning the other holes to something crazy to give yourself a truly weird unique sound. How about 4 holes all tuned to the same note as the 10 hole. You could play five C's at the same time.
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Nate
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Andrew
1124 posts
Aug 18, 2010
12:47 PM
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I was going to saw all my 10-hole diatonics in half too because the top 4 holes on those are basically useless, aren't they.
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Andrew,
gentleman of leisure,
noodler extraordinaire.
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barbequebob
1149 posts
Aug 18, 2010
12:51 PM
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No they are not!!!!! You have to take the necessary time to woodshed and become familiar with it and how to get the most out of it.
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Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
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groyster1
359 posts
Aug 18, 2010
2:25 PM
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hey andrew
try adams upper octave boogie-you will eventually change your mind about the top 4 holes
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nacoran
2541 posts
Aug 18, 2010
2:59 PM
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Andrew, you could always just get a Seydel Big Six! They already did the work for you. Personally, I'd rather head the other direction... if they made Puck's in more than 2 keys (how about a low-tuned Puck!) I'd make a super long harmonica.
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Nate
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Rubes
100 posts
Aug 18, 2010
4:58 PM
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Or Andrew, go some low harps which brings that higher octave down a bit!
I've just bought an SBS, intending to customize a bit. Within half an hour the original comb grew outwards a good couple of millimetres around the middle holes! Second one in a row actually, I sent the first one back.
This action caused me to go on the 'customizers crusade'.
Surely there are some more good reports from this harp configuration, imagine Rice Miller chucking in the odd overblow eh!? :~)
Last Edited by on Aug 18, 2010 5:05 PM
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jbone
376 posts
Aug 19, 2010
3:36 AM
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rice miller didn't NEED a "special harp". he was a weird and special guy who fit himself to the harps at hand. and he was a total master with a 364. that is something i try to fit my own playing to with a 364. in most instances the band is way to loud and fast for me to be effective- yet. miller didn't even really need a band, he did some solo stuff that is relevant and challenging even today.
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groyster1
365 posts
Aug 19, 2010
1:55 PM
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@jbone
you are right on about rice miller I have a dvd folk blues festival in germany he is playing bye bye bird solo no band he could light up a juke joint by himself
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