Funny taste with wood-comb harps
Tue, 06/23/2020 - 13:34
I have both ABS and wood-comb harmonicas. The wooden ones are the Hohner Marine Band Crossover Diatonic Harmonica (key of A) and a Blues Harp (key of C). The plastic-comb ones are from Hohner, Seydel, and Lee Oskar. Also have a Suzuki Promaster.
The two wood-comb harps leave a funny taste in my mouth. Hohner uses triple lacquer on their combs, which may be the cause of the taste. I've played the wood-comb harps only a few times because I prefer the plastic-comb harmonicas.
If you too have noticed that lacquer-y taste, does it go away in time?
It actually gives me a bit of a headache. No problems at all with the wooden ones.
I'm new to harmonica playing and would value your considered judgment.
Thank you!
The Blues Harp isn't triple-lacquered. The doussie wood used in those combs is swelling-resistant, so the only coating is on the outside surfaces.
Crossover combs are bamboo. I've never noticed the taste, not have I experienced any headaches or other side effects from playing them.
Could it be that you're tasting the brass from the exposed front edges of the reedplates of these sandwich-style harps? The Special 20, Lee oskar, and Session Steel all sink the reedplate edges inside the comb. The Promaster has chrome plated reedplates.