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Post by whitefang on Dec 11, 2019 10:52:51 GMT -5
So I sent 2 harps out about 3 weeks ago for repair. Each needed a new reed. They are done and the cost is less than the price of one new harp. There are both high end stock harps, one of which retails at about $75 and one at about $90. So $50 to get them back in good shape is def worthwhile! Glad to hear it. But even more glad you didn't use "phat". Whitefang
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Post by jbone on Dec 11, 2019 12:21:56 GMT -5
ok. initely.
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Post by whitefang on Dec 12, 2019 10:41:01 GMT -5
Whitefang
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Post by whitefang on Dec 13, 2019 10:58:20 GMT -5
So, tell me..... Without tearing it apart(if possible) what's a good way to clean an old harmonica? I fear if I take it apart my two left hands of all thumbs will wind up making it useless. Whitefang
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Post by jbone on Dec 13, 2019 13:51:17 GMT -5
Well that's understandable. If it's an old Marine Band or others, they have tiny nails holding the reed plates on. The newer ones are screwed all together and it's not hard at all to lose one in the process. Then try and find a replacement if you have a gig coming up!
So a couple of easy cleanups: 1) GENTLE warm water rinse through the air holes. Let water flow through but very gently. Then shake the water out- not too hard! The n gently blow and draw all holes to get the moisture coming out and wrap the harp in a paper towel for a while.
2) Kind of the same thing but start with 91% alcohol in the air holes. Then do the above.
When a harp is carried in a pocket without being in a box, lint is a definite. One tiny piece of lint, or hair, that gets between a reed and the plate or slot will deaden it and you will think it's no good. For that reason my harps are always in a case or their original box or pouch. Even so, saliva and maybe bits of food will end up on the comb, plate, and reeds. Dried saliva on the end of a reed will alter the pitch down and you will think you have a dead reed. A cleanup sometimes restores the reed to good pitch.
The advantage to taking a hap apart is, you will see what and where the crud is. It cakes on the tines of the comb at the front and is like a gray buildup. And on the front of the plates and the reeds as well.
When I take a harp apart I do it over a tray or plate and use the right screwdriver. I keep the screws and so forth away from falling on the floor where they may be lost forever. When I use alcohol I pour some in a small plate and soak the reed plates and comb for a few minutes. I use a very thin piece of metal- used to get them out of those anti theft strips that they put on different products- to clear between the reeds and slot sides. Those strips are like .003" thick and very flexible so they won't change anything on the reeds. An old toothbrush comes in handy. Lint free cloth to wipe everything down before reassembly. The reed plates to comb are easy with screws, they are precision drilled. The covers you have to get the screws/nuts started and snug and then make sure the front edge of the covers are lined up right with the front of the reed plates. Easy once you've done a couple.
Probably more than you ever wanted to know about keeping a harp clean and working well!
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Post by whitefang on Dec 14, 2019 10:43:36 GMT -5
Hmmm...... Well, it is an old(45 at best memory) Marine Band, and a lot of wood too. I'd worry about how water might affect that. And yes, it has the tiny nails. And as mentioned before, my first harp was a Hohner "Echo" which I got because I thought it looked cool. Have NO idea whatever became of it. I liked it's sound too. That was back in '65 though. Whitefang
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Post by jbone on Dec 14, 2019 11:06:23 GMT -5
The Echo is a tremolo harp. I used one for a time early on. Pretty cool sound.
Try the alcohol rinse if you're worried about the wood comb swelling with water.
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Post by whitefang on Dec 15, 2019 10:54:27 GMT -5
Thanks. I'll give it a try....
But I don't recall any "tremolo" concerning my Echo. Just a "dual" sound, like one would get on a 12-string guitar.
Whitefang
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Post by jbone on Dec 17, 2019 8:00:06 GMT -5
The Echo is a trem style harp. I've had one. Cool sound, kind of hard to do cross harp on. Bending is iffy. These harps have double reeds in every hole and they are smaller and more fragile so it's easy to kill a reed with hard bends.
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Post by whitefang on Dec 17, 2019 10:56:51 GMT -5
Yep. Bending was a bit difficult. Could be why I quit using it and got a Marine Band. But like said, more than 50 years ago and memory playing tricks and all ..... Whitefang
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Post by jbone on Dec 29, 2019 10:02:36 GMT -5
I got my freshly repaired haps back the other day. They work like a champ. Or two.
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Post by whitefang on Dec 29, 2019 11:06:08 GMT -5
GOOD on ya! Whitefang
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Post by jbone on Jan 22, 2020 7:52:05 GMT -5
Odd phenomenon I've discovered on one harp I own. It was given to me by a friend who thought I might like it, and I do for the most part. There is one funny thing about it though. The reed plates on this harp are not made of the usual brass, but instead the maker used stainless steel. A fancy feature I guess, to make it more attractive.
It's a nice playing harp and I had sent it off to get a reed replaced recently, and the guy went over it and made it pretty much brand new. The odd part is, my tongue gets a tingle off this harp when I tongue holes to make octaves or chords. It's a kind of reaction between the reed plates and my saliva or tongue or both. Microvoltage. This happens when I'm playing acoustic or amped, no difference.
I asked the pros out there and got a few opinions but I'm pretty settled on the reaction between the reed plate and my saliva. I have yet to hear a solution that would keep the harp intact, like swapping reed plates for brass ones, but I think that would maybe change the sound of the harp, which is what I like. So the trick on this one is to not use tongue block play and instead do lip purse. It's do-able if I will just remember!
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Post by whitefang on Jan 22, 2020 11:15:50 GMT -5
Oh, yeah---- I've used that "tongue block" a lot, but never got a "tingle" sensation from it. That is interesting. And old habits are hard to break, so you might be better off practicing that "lip purse" a lot before hitting the gigs with it. Whitefang
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Post by jbone on Jan 22, 2020 22:18:24 GMT -5
I use both techniques all the time. Trick is to remember that one harp and to just do the one technique.
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