Since people that start out playing always wonder what harmonicas people play I thought it might be nice to show people exactly what harmonicas I play and what I have done to them to get them to play properly.
The first harmonica I played was a Hohner MS Marineband, a leaky and badly setup harp with a comb that could take the skin of your lips if you didn't pay attention. I lost it a couple of months after I bought it when I went sailing on the Westeinderplas, I had it in the breastpocket of my shirt and it fell overboard when I reached for a foresheet.
Since I had become very serious about the harmonica in the short time that I had played it, I decided that my next harp would be a better one and since the name sounded right I bought myself a Hohner MS Meisterklasse harp . It turned out to be a leaky and badly setup harp with shiny covers.
The shiny covers however are very very good and I have them on my harmonicas since the day I bought my first meisterklasse harp and I have bought new ones regularly. I have changed everything else on the harp.
Since I was learning to overblow I rapidly destroyed the reedplates on the harp, but since it was an MS harp I had no problem getting the very cheap replacement reedplates. However the replacement reedplates differ from the original plates in that they are not coated with nickel but just plain brass. This is no problem because I didn't think and still don't, that the coated plates played better than the plain ones. Besides that the non-coated plates are easier to emboss.
At some point I discovered that there were people that were making what I had wanted for a long time: stainless steel combs for the MS series. I first bought two that I wasn't too satisfied with, but when I bought one from Anthony Dannecker I knew that that was the comb I was going to use for a long time. When mr. Dannecker changed the design of the comb I bought 6 more of his old combs and that is more then I will ever need. I only ever carry 2 harmonicas both in the key of C and the rest lie around the house waiting to be repaired mostly.
So that is what I play: an old Dannecker comb with MS replacement reedplates and Meisterklasse covers.
i bought her like that
i think that somebody droped it
try not to work too much.
> Could you give some stuff that I should definitely do
> to be able to study in a conservatory.
The Conservatoire that I study at has a list of requirements that you have to be able to play before you can be admitted you can find it here :
requirements
hey I think it pretty cool studying harp in a real conservatory
I've been playing for some years now and the blues scales on your site are still very challenging (thanks for putting them up)
I'm actually interested in the same thing you do.
But how did you do it.
Could you give some stuff that I should definitely do
to be able to study in a conservatory.
When did you begin playing the harp?
You are doing great things here with the harmonica.
I myself am in a Bigband and they don't give the harmonica the respect it deserves.
Maybe I can get to Delft someday.I live in Dresden.
One last question: How do you combine studying harmonica with work?
keep on harpin
what harmonica would you get there?
what's the best one for overblowing?
thanks in advance
The wax I use is pure beeswax, there is less wax on the blowreeds because that side is in between the comb so there is less room there.
The wax is not meant to create better airtightness between the comb and the plate but between the reed and the plate, its purpose is to stop the reeds from squeeking when chocked. Dosage: just enough. Application: warm the wax between the fingers, place on the rivet and press down firmly. the remove any wax that is in the way of the comb so the harp will fit together again.
I've been following your exploits since discouvering your work via harp-l.
I have 2 (or 3) questions.
Looking at the photo's it appears that your"tip-scooping" is only done on the blow plate. Is this correct?
My second multipule question relates to root or rivet-end waxing.
What kind of wax?
Candle?
Ear!!
Pure bees wax?
Dosage & application?
There seems to be less wax on the blow than on the draw.
Is there another reason other than airtightness between the comb & the plate?
Here's hopeing that I'm not taking up too much of your time or breaking any 'profesional-code' by demanding so much.
Keep us all informed of your second years schooling & halo to Ludo
Mox
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