Every sound needs a reflection for its emphasize and color. Whether it’s the room where the instrument is played or the cover plates of the harmonica.

While metal cover plates reflect high notes well it gives no support to lower tones. This, coupled with the size of the harmonica, makes the harmonica sound naturally high, plus the metal surface gives the harmonica kind of grunge sound characteristic.

However if you are aiming for a rounded deeper tone, you can help your self by mastering the mouth embouchure or else cup the harmonica in your hands, or you can alternate the resonant qualities of the instrument.
All these techniques will help you change the tone and color.

One way to stand out is actually to get wooden cover plates that can bring a unique sound. How?

Wooden covers bring different kinds of resonance. Unlike metal, wood resonates sympathetically, metal plates naturally inhibit the sound and let it dissipate sooner. Wood on the other hand harmonically resonates and deliver longer sustain.
While metal cover plates resonate high frequencies, wooden ones reflect mid frequencies that are closer to the human voice. While the metal cover plates diffuse the sound, the wooden body accentuates the tones and their harmonic components, therefore a wooden instrument delivers a purer musical experience.

Extended cover plates also have the ability to accentuate the tone that is played mainly lower range. Higher harmonics you normally hear on a harmonica no longer dominate and the tone body is pushed down to its root. The tones have stronger body and the sound is indeed better grounded.

The wood is more important in another way. And that is moisture condensation. Because wood doesn’t dissipate temperature as quickly as metal plates do, decreased condensation lets you play sooner with confidence and longer without choked reeds.

Harmonica kind of stopped in evolution. Some people play with different tuning, different kind of reeds which is important step forward. However none of them focuses on the sound really. The tradition as in many other instruments is so strong that people are afraid to break the common rules as they will not reach wide market.

I’m not afraid of braking rules, I not afraid to work for handful of musicians. Each piece is treated with care in order to make harmonica better. My aim is to bring harmonica to a next level and help it to grow to a fully capable instrument with unheard and versatile articulation, even if it means it will not look like before.
Only sound and function matters.

Although I find Seydel harmonicas little brighter to my taste – which might be one of the reasons I start to build wooden alternatives. Seydel produces reliable harmonicas which pleased me every time I had a chance to try one. Minimum air leakage, all the tones nicely pronounced no problem with treble reeds and no reeds that under-perform.

What I also like is their custom harp builder which I found really useful for custom builds is great tool if you want to get you harmonica tuned in any crazy way. Like I my self definitely prefer the Diminished tuning the most. Seydel plates and their reeds are simply trustworthy and has long life span.

From a technical point of view wood is still one of the most ubiquitous construction material with the best resonance response out there. The tactile feeling of the wood is one of the most natural material man can touch. The enormous beauty that the wood contains in every inch is simply mind blowing. The use of wood in harmonica building supports one another in every way.
To me a slab used for a table top is a waste of potential within. If you look on the harmonica with as little material as there is and how much goods it utilize from the tiniest piece of wood the harmonica is made of.
Now image how much beauty and goods can we get out of one wood slab. In other words it is also about the most efficient use of the resources we have on this planet. You should not also forget about the smell. Harmonica made out of Cherry wood for example has really sweet very delicate smell. Plus some people like my self do not like the metal taste of some harmonicas in that case wood is perfect choice, this aspect also plays significant role in the selection of your instrument.

Yes wooden instrument needs more care, as all high-end instruments do.