[Harp-L] Phosphor bronze vs Brass reeds

[Dan Hazen]

The difference is indeed very small, and when you play one, then the other,
then back again... you will likely hear a difference. I do. Would it stand
up to a blind test? Probably not. But there is a perceptible difference
nonetheless.

I would equate it to the difference between guitar strings... flatwound,
pure nickel, nickelplated steel, roundwound... there is a difference, but
it is small. Or the difference between different woods used in guitars....
Rosewood, cedar, mahogany, ash, etc. They all have different
characteristics, but the difference is not huge. It's all very subtle, but
there IS a difference.

I doubt any audience could hear it or care, but when one is playing an
instrument for hours on end, he picks up the subtle things, and it matters
to him.

This is a topic that is endlessly debated... reed material, reedplate
material, comb material, combplate material. Some claim they can hear a
difference. Some claim there is none. When I play a Seydel Standard next to
a Bluesmaster, I can hear a slight difference.

[Mike Wilbur]

I always enjoy these conversations about Wood- Plastic-metal and the passion that eventually
Turns into a sword fight !
Lots of fun really.

Mike Wilbur

[Dan Hazen]

Yeah, it is interesting. But I think the differences are small and don't
make too big a deal out of them, but be realistic.

For classical guitar I like a cedar top with rosewood back and sides. For
acoustic, I like spruce on mahogany or rosewood (though my current acoustic
is cedar on rosewood). For electric guitar I don't really think the wood
matters that much, and I also can't tell much of a difference in the
strings. Strings on acoustic matter, as a regular bronze string or phosphor
bronze string has more overtones and an airy ring to it than some others,
but I've been using nickel flats on my acoustics for a couple of years now,
because they last forever, whereas bronze strings lose their zip after a
few weeks of play.

On harmonica... I don't think the differences are huge by any stretch of
the imagination, especially if you're playing amped with distortion, I
don't think there's a difference at all. And I can't tell a difference
between coverplates and combs. But I can hear, acoustic, a difference
between brass and phosphor bronze. I think Seydel's steel reeds sound a lot
like phosphor bronze, though they have a little stronger sound.

You can argue this stuff ad infinitum/nauseum... tube versus solid state,
analog versus digital, solid cabinet versus ply or mdf, 1/2" versus 5/8"
baffles, different kinds of mics, different kinds of pickups on guitar,
even one brand of cable over another, or the urethane versus lacquer
coating on a guitar, or the material that your guitar pick is made of. All
of this stuff is debated and I've read countless arguments on every side of
all of these. I suppose everything affects tone in some way, but I tend to
pay attention to the most immediate factors, at least as I judge them. But
I think I realize that the audience could care less and doesn't discern the
difference between a $125 Fender Squier and a $4000 Custom Shop job. Only a
musician who is really really in it all the time can hear and discern any
difference.

[Mike Wilbur]

I'm convinced that fine wood instruments have differences....
I'm not convinced that a Harmonica comb material has ( major ) detectable differences.
But they certainly do have romantic differences .....and that can be important to artist's

Musically... I'm a very artistic Fly Rodder !

Mike Wilbur

[Vern]

On Mar 20, 2014, at 8:15 AM, Dan Hazen <bluesm...@gmail.com> wrote:

> …..But I can hear, acoustic, a difference between brass and phosphor bronze. I think Seydel's steel reeds sound a lot like phosphor bronze, though they have a little stronger sound……

I have a harmonica with 47 brass reeds and one SS reed. So far, no one has been able to find it by listening or playing the harp.

Vern
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