Comb Material
I'm sneaking up on LOA 5 where David introduces a chromatic song so thought I'd ask Santa for a 12 hole chromatic harp for Christmas. Like most new to the chromatic I've been searching for which one would be appropriate. That's a query that's likely repeated ad nauseum so I didn't want to just come to this forum and ask for a recommendation but I still have some uncertainty.
It's apparent the Hohner 270 Deluxe generally gets the nod. It's deeper voice is preferred but at my level that's not a concern as I just want to get used to playing chromatic not play it in front of an audience. But I'm a bit hesitant as I'm not a big fan of wood combs when it comes to diatonics though I do have a Crossover and a Thunderbird. But they're well sealed bamboo not unsealed pearwood. So I'm considering the Suzuki SCX-48 and the Seydel Deluxe with their plastic combs. The Seydel Saxony with an aluminum comb is a a bit too pricey at my introductory level.
So my question is am I being overly concerned with comb material? Will cleaning be an issue with unsealed pearwood that would be less of a concern with a plastic comb?
One last question. How long do most regular chromatic players go before disassembling and cleaning? Note that with my Special 20 diatonics I rinse them with water after every use and I'm not concerned as I tap dry them thoroughly and then blow them out with compressed air to be sure. No issues noticed after several years so my method seems to work for me. My understanding is that with the windsavers in a chromatic my system won't work for a chromatic.
Thanks for any advice you can offer!
Thanks Winslow! The CX-12 might turn out to be the one for me. As the CX-12 is available in both standard C and tenor C is there any advantage to having one over the other in order to work on the blues material that David presents?
David writes his material (hope I'm right, but I think I am) with the standard 12-hole in C in mind, simply because it's the most widely available, and, like me, he's found that 12 holes are a lot more manageable than 16 when you first tackle the chromatic.
That said, much of the classic stuff from Little Walter forward is played on the 16-hole, with the bottom octave used to provide slaps, splits, and other tongue-generated embellishments using that dark, growly low octave.
The 12-hole in keys lower than C certainly finds its place in the playing of George Smith, Bill Clarke, Paul deLay, Dennis Gruenling, and many others, as the 16-hole in keys other than C is something that's very rarely seen; it's the unobtainium of chromatic harmonicas.
Round holes on chromatic seem to be the preferred norm. Is there a reason for this? Thanks!
Easier on the lips. Some players claim you can get more air through a square mouthpiece hole, but others find no differnces and prefer the comfort of a hole without sharp corners and edges.
Makes good sense though I wonder why manufacturers don't extend the concept to diatonic harmonicas?
A chromatic harmonica has a mouthpiece as a separate part from the comb. Most diatonic harmonicas do not. Whatever is cut into the comb is the shape of the hole. Round holes are a bit of a problem on combs as opposed to mouthpieces. They're much harder to cut or mill. Even for a molded part, they pose problems. Also, they give less room for the location of the reed inside the hole, requiring greater precision. Just like diatonic combs, the combs in chromatisc have vertical sides to their chambers, whatever the shape of the hole in the mouthpiece might be.
You can get a few high-end diatonics with attached round-hole mouthpieces, such as some of the $400-plus X-reed harmonicas, and years ago Joe Filisko used to make round-hole brass-combed diatonics.
The debate will never end about whether comb materials affect the sound of a harmonica. But it's true that wood swells with moisture and even humidity. The 270 Deluxe, Seydel Deluxe, and SCX-48 are all fine harps. Don't forget the CX-12, though.
It's true that plastic combs won't be affected by moisture - or even by duniking the harp in water, which can be a plus.
Dissassembling and cleaning is something I do when I need to, and not on a regular schedule. Slides get sticky and need cleaning, and the plastic windsaver valves can start sticking to the reedplate, while two-layer valves can start sticking to themselves (one layer to the other).
The easiest slide to clean is the CX-12; the slide pops out in 1 second with a pinching motion, while the shell can likewise be remove with finger pressure and sliding on the backing brace, which is a large pressure spring. However, removing the reedplates to get at inside valves or reeds requires loosening about a dozen screws (true for most chromatics).
Cleaning reedplates can be counterproductive. Chromatics have a large are of contact between the surface of the reedplate and the matching parts of the comb, with plenty of potential for leakage due to uneven surfaces and warpage. As a result, blowing gunk into the harp can help seal microscopic leaks. I've tried polishing chromatic reedplates to a gleaming shine, but I'm not sure that it's a good idea.