Or another ferromagnetic material.
Most Harmonicas use Brass reeds, I think Seydel is the only exception, who make the "session steel", a stainless steel reeded harmonica. Seydel don't make melodicas apart from one toy one though.
Does anyone know if anyone makes steel (or other ferromagnetic alloy) reeded melodicas?
The Borel Clavietta used stainless steel reeds, as did the Guerrini Pianetta; however, I cannot find information on their ferromagnetic properties.
A discussion on Melodicaworld, titled La Clavietta Stainless Steel Reed discusses the Clavietta and Pianetta, their reeds, and how to effect a repair.
Today the Middle B note of my beautiful Clavietta stopped working. I opened it up and a tiny metal reed fell out.... [David Elizabeth, January 19, 2017 at 7:18 pm]
Other Italian melodicas (ca. 1970) ... have similar individual reed plates and reeds. [Alan Brinton, January 20, 2017 at 2:53 am]
At least some of the small Italians do not have smaller reeds than the Clavietta.... In terms of size and material, they don’t appear to be different. [Alan Brinton, January 20, 2017 at 6:56 pm]
I have a Pianetta ... with a failed reed.... A reed from a Clavietta is the best bet.... [Alan Brinton, January 21, 2017 at 12:22 am]
The reed itself should be stainless, but the reed plate is aluminum, that has been anodized. [Melodica-Me, January 30, 2017 at 6:39 am]
Here is a listing for a Borel Clavietta for sale. It specifically mentions the "Swedish stainless steel" reed type.
Reed type: Single reed plates, Stainless Swedish Steel
That listing also makes reference to the "Accordina", which is a button-controlled version of the same instrument.
Accordinas are still being made and use stainless steel reeds. For example, from the site https://www.accordina.com/:
Special Stainless Steel Reeds: Specially studied and made to measure in Italy, unalterable stainless steel reeds are mounted directly on the reed block....
