The harmonica is a masterpiece of compact design and engineering. Looking at it for the first time, who would guess that it’s capable of producing such a range of expressive sounds.
In fact, the structure of the instrument is relatively simple. But the way all those parts work together adds up to a musical miracle. So let’s take a look inside ….
All harmonicas basically are made of five parts – comb, reed plates, cover plates, windsavers, and mouthpiece.
Comb
Housing the air chambers and supporting the reed plates, the comb is considered the main component of the harmonica. It can be made of wood, plastic or metal, the material slightly affecting the sound of harmonica, although the major influence of the material is on the durability.
Comb and two Reed Plates
Reed Plates
A reed is a thin strip of cane or metal (usually made of brass) which vibrates when triggered by air pressure and thus produces sounds, as in a harmonica where several reeds are set parallel in line on a reed plate. Blowing activates the reeds fixed on the inside of the plate (facing the comb air chamber) and suction activates the reed outside.
Although reeds are traditionally made of metal, Finn Magnus made an exceptional design where both reed and reed plate were molded as one piece from plastic material. This design combined all reeds, reed plate and comb, all made of plastic.
It is important to protect reed plates from bending or twisting so as to maintain airtightness.
Cover Plates
Cover plates literally serve as the outer cover for the reed plate and are often made of metal (brass, plated with gold, chrome or silver), hardwood and, in some cases, plastic. Cover plates come in two types: the open design of stamped metal or plastic which simply serves as cover; and the enclosed design which gives a louder quality to the tone.
Windsavers
Windsavers are found in chromatic harmonicas and are considered the most potentially troublesome components. An instrument with damaged and sticky windsavers may not respond properly because they become inactive and unable to move or vibrate. Direct contact with the user’s breath makes them wet and sticky. This causes them to stick to the reed plate and produce a buzz. A player using a chromatic harmonica should know how to clean and learn how to replace windsavers – or suffer the unpleasant consequences!
To prevent sticky windsavers from further damage, you can warm the chromatic harmonica just a little. When buying a replacement, Hohner windsavers work well for all brands on the market.
Mouthpiece
The mouthpiece may be made of metal or plastic. The important thing with metal, is that it should be well polished, without sharp sides, to protect the mouth and the lips, and to avoid allergic reactions. Plastic mouthpieces are normally confined to the chromatic harmonica. Sometimes the mouthpiece is part of a single unit formed with the covers. This makes the harmonica more airtight.
JP Allen highly recommends the Hohner Special 20 Harmonica which will play perfect notes and withstand abuse. You can also check out JP’s harmonica lessons for more comprehensive instructions.
