Using this handle the Jew’s Harp resonates without any contact with the teeth! The hand with which you hold the Jew’s Harp won’t tire. Two sizes available - will work with most Jew’s Harps.
1. Fitted to the handle, the Jaw Harp must no longer be pressed to the teeth for playing:
So, if you were previously afraid of any harmful effect of Jaw Harp playing on your teeth or if you simply disliked the sensation of playing the instrument against the teeth - this is the solution for you. Using the Jaw Harp Handle, any bow-shaped Jaw Harp can be played by gently touching it to your lips. Goodbye teeth contact!
2. The handle spells an end to tired or cramped supporting hands:
Every Jaw Harp player knows that playing small Jaw Harps in particular is often limited by the condition of the supporting hand (the hand that holds the instrument). When this hand tires or even cramps up, the player must rest it, and this often happens after only a few minutes of intensive playing. With the Jaw Harp Handle, holding the instrument becomes virtually fatigue- and stress-free as the hand no longer needs to exert pressure on the instrument.
3. New effects become possible:
You may take a Jaw Harp fitted to the Jaw Harp Handle away from your mouth and then put it back to your mouth without interrupting the vibration of the reed! This affords you with new possibilities for vibrato and offbeat effects and allows you to blend in sounds. Moreover, use of the Jaw Harp Handle frees the jaw so that you may change the shape of the resonating oral cavity more freely.
How does it work?
Any bow-shaped Jaw Harp (such as most European models) requires a counterweight to allow for the vibration of the reed. Usually, this counterweight is provided by the teeth and, by extension, the skull. As the instrument is affixed to the Jaw Harp Handle, the Handle itself becomes that counterweight. All you now need for amplifying the vibration of the reed and modulating the sound is a resonating cavity. So all it takes is touching the Jaw Harp gently to your slightly opened lips. Mounting a Jaw Harp to the Handle is very easy and quick. The design is inspired by Robert Vandré: www.rvandre.de
Which size fits?
Depending on the width of the Jaw Harps bottom (the broad part where you usually hold the Jaw Harp) you will need the small (up to a width of 3.5 cm or 1.4") or large version (up to a width of 6.5 cm or 2.6") of the Jaw Harp handle.