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From: Mike Curtis
Date: Mon, 15 Jul 1996 02:29:24 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: How to valve a diatonic

> I want to try your "valve trick" on a diatonic, but I don't have windsavers.
> Is there an alternative material for it to make them myself?

A disclaimer - it's not something I originated - not by a long shot.
Windsavers go WAY back. I don't know who was the first to use them on
diatonics (maybe Winslow, or ???, can help on this one?), but Suzuki had a
valved harp out, and that's where I first learned of it. Grievin' Steven
Close at the (now defunct) Harmonica Store in Studio City, California USA
showed me the Suzuki ProMaster Valved, and I bought it. While it took me a
couple of months to get the technique refined enough for public consumption,
playing diatonic chromatically was something I wanted badly enough to make
ANY obstacle trivial by comparison. In the process, I have benefitted from
improved tone, better vibrato on the normally unbendable notes, etc.

Douglas Tate says that the plastic wrap used for CD's works well. I've not
tried this myself, but Douglas is an expert and his word is good enough for
me - even if it is tongue in cheek much of the time :-)

I've also used plastic transparency film for overhead projectors.

Basically, any fairly thin plastic will work. Hohner will send you enough
windsavers for a couple of harps if you ask.


-- IronMan Mike Curtis