atty1chgo
276 posts
Mar 20, 2012
4:13 PM
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This subject probably has been covered before, but I don't know the answer, so.....
What is the proper way to store harmonicas between playing? I have heard that they should be out of their original cases, to "breathe better". With new synthetic combs, does it make a difference? I have seen many players store their harps in small suitcase type cases where they lay side by side and out of their cases in slots. Other than a convenient place for blues stars to autograph the case on the outside, and the occasional sticker to attach, I don't see the real value.
I have a camera case that fits nine (9) harps in their cases, and that case fits into a larger converted camera case, with room for two zippered pencil cases (with two separate chambers side by side, with thick heavy duty dark grey soft foam rubber within) which take two microphones each, two stick mics, 2 bullet mics.. Seems to work for me, but I am wondering about the question in the first paragraph, and a switch to a small suitcase type harp case with slots, but only if it makes a difference? I appreciate your comments.
Last Edited by on Mar 20, 2012 4:16 PM
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nacoran
5414 posts
Mar 20, 2012
4:36 PM
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I don't have much science to go on, but I'd guess letting them breath would be to let all the spit dry, for wood combs or for sanitary reasons I'm not sure.
I've noticed when I have a harp in my pocket closed back harps get less lint in them than open backed harps!
Cases will protect their finish from scratches better than just throwing them in a box to bang around, but that's largely cosmetic. Hard cover cases protect better against crushing, but I've only ever had two harps that died because of cover issues. One was an amazingly cheap cover. It was the thinnest cover I have ever seen, unstamped, only a little better than tinfoil. The other I left in my pocket on laundry day. It came off in the dryer cycle and one (and actually only one!) reed died in the accident. Still, that would be one vote against pant pockets, at least if you are absentminded.
When I remember, I try to give my harmonicas a good shake and a quick wipe before I put them away. It's easier to get gunk off the covers if you get to it before it hardens.
Still, the only hard and fast rule I try to stick too is the one about low tuned harmonicas and how you lay them down. The weights on the lower reeds are heavy enough so that it's seems to be best to store them with their backs down (holes up). This prevents the weight from ruining your gapping (if you store it laying down) or your reed alignment (stored on it's end). I've got a low low F, and even with the lowest regularly produced harmonica made only has ever been a problem for me with the bottom most reed (if I leave the case in my backpack the wrong way sometimes it gets a little out of alignment.)
The last tip would be long term storage. Don't leave them in your mom's attic. I don't think most mom's would throw out harps, but I had enough friends who lost their baseball card collections to be wary. Also, if you have them in paid storage, make sure you have insurance. Again, I don't have any direct harp experience in that area, but I did have a storage unit robbed once. A quick assessment of just my carry harps gets into hundreds of dollars, even with most of my harps being relatively cheap (Lee Oskars and Sp20s.) It's also probably good to have some theft insurance for objects in your car. I know that's more than you asked, but I figured it was all related. :)
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Nate
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atty1chgo
278 posts
Mar 20, 2012
4:46 PM
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Thanks, that's very good advice. I store the cases vertically, so it make sense to put the most weight on the bottom. And it helps when the sticker with the key is staring at you (on the hard case)when you need to go for a harp in a rush.
I usually do not keep my harps in the interior of the car unless I am going somewhere to use them, always in the trunk unless it is oppressively hot or cold. With 4 mics in the case with mostly Manji harps, the contents of the case tops out at about $800 if stolen. I've been lucky so far.
The cheapest covers I have come across are probably Lee Oskar, I haven't bought any real cheap-os to challenge its title as most flimsiness and fastest to go down harp that I have owned.
Last Edited by on Mar 20, 2012 4:47 PM
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Joe_L
1816 posts
Mar 21, 2012
8:27 AM
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I don't like to store my harmonicas vertically. I'm concerned that the gravitational pull of the Earth will pull the reeds out of alignment with the slots AND that the tines on wooden combs are also bent by gravity.
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HarpNinja
2276 posts
Mar 21, 2012
8:37 AM
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I leave my case open like in this pic at home. I have a small computer desk and this case fits in the pull-out shelf for the keyboard (I have a laptop and wouldn't otherwise use it.
In that way, if I leave them for a few days, I don't have to worry about dust, etc.
I would not suggest leaving them stored somewhere unprotected...dust, dirt, lint, bugs, whatever. You're putting the thing in your mouth!
Both with this case and my Hetrick case, I leave the lids unlocked if I decide to close the cover. That leaves a little ventilation. I have young kids, but they know not to mess with that stuff and it is usually too high for them to reach.
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Mike
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bikerpvc
7 posts
Mar 24, 2015
6:34 AM
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What about temp extremes?
I drive a lot and I always have five or six harps in my truck so I can play along with my CDs. I often wonder if I'm doing damage by leaving them in the truck when the temps get down close to zero during the winter months. Also the other end of the spectrum, it can get very hot during the summer.
Am I doing harm by leaving them in my truck??
Thanks
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2chops
368 posts
Mar 24, 2015
8:45 AM
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I let my gig bag open so the air can circulate. My low F I keep stored holes up also to keep the reeds from drooping out of gap.
@bikerpvc... I wouldn't worry too much about them. I have a few I keep in my Jeep glove box all year. I live in the northern part of PA. So the winters are frigid and the summers hot & humid. BUT...in the winter when I play one I hold it over the defroster for a minute to let it all warm up. Learned the hard way once by not doing this in January and my lip actually froze to the thing for a moment. Likewise when I'm done with it, I'll hold it over the defroster again to let it dry out so the reeds don't get frost bit. They're cheaper harps. But still in all, I don't purposely trash them. In the summer I take the precaution of letting them cool off before sticking my lips to them. Learned this one the hard way too. My wife thought it was hilarious though. There is the chance that summer heat may warp a plastic comb. But I've kept them in there for years and haven't had a real issue yet.
Good idea to have a written list of what's in your gig bag just in case. I added mine up a while ago at my wife's urging. Between harps, mics, cables, etc...I have a couple of grand in my gig bag. it would really suck to have it walk off. Which is why I NEVER let it sit unattended in the Jeep.
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Raven
22 posts
Mar 24, 2015
9:03 AM
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@bikerpvc:
I go through a daily ritual of packing and unpacking my harps for play-along in the car. I never leave them in extreme hot or cold. In the past I've actually had ABS combs crack, most likely from leaving them exposed to change in temp. I will leave my harp case in the car between 50 and 80 degrees, otherwise it gets repacked and sits in my office during the day. They also get treated to a heated seat in the winter. If you've ever tried playing a harp that's been sitting in the direct sunlight, you probably have the scars on your lips to prove it!
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Meaux Jeaux
59 posts
Mar 24, 2015
9:26 AM
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I keep a lint free towel and Mi-T-Mist in my "suitcase" style case. After a set I clean the harps I've used and allow them to air dry with the case open. Having an extra set of harps helps to go to if need be.
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nacoran
8360 posts
Mar 24, 2015
12:19 PM
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I doubt temperature extremes will do much to the reeds/reedplate, but like Raven says, it could beat up your combs over time. I could also imagine some problems if you grab a harp that's been sitting on the dash in the sun all day and try to play it before letting it cool off a couple degrees. That would be a weird trip to the ER. I suppose you could tell everyone you were just doing a Flaming Lips cover.
Lint free towels/microfiber cloths are really good for wiping down harps. A lot of the gunk that builds up on the cover comes off real easy when it's still moist.
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Nate
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jbone
1912 posts
Mar 24, 2015
7:49 PM
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Felt lined case about half a suitcase size. Holds about 20 diatonics and several chromatics. Mics I keep in another case.
I use the case to keep my harps in a particular order and I can put my hand on the right one even in the dark- which very seldom do I play in the dark anyway!
Case is closed when I'm not playing. N o ill effects I have seen in 6 or 8 years with this case.
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hvyj
2664 posts
Mar 24, 2015
11:06 PM
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I think the Seydel "hard case" is terrific and very intelligently designed. Holds my performing set of 13 harps and 7 spares in the most used keys, plus my 545 ultimate, a 25' XLR cable, rat tail IMT with room to spare. Very compact and easy to place and access on stage. Love it!
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SuperBee
2491 posts
Mar 25, 2015
1:08 AM
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these old threads....
reminds me of a Donovan song
what was the question?...temp extremes? don't know about those; very mild climate here. although i ignorantly left my chromatic near a sunny window and came back to find the plates had expanded and cracked the comb. so brass expands a lot more than wood and that can cause a problem. i'm surprised i havent seen a diatonic suffer similiarly, but i never have.
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mlefree
275 posts
Mar 25, 2015
10:26 AM
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Nate (and others) I'm with Mike re: lint and pocket dust. They are not only unsanitary but great reed cloggers.
If you carry a harp or two in your pocket or purse, here's a potential solution: my "Softy Single" and Softy Double" cases protect your harps inside and out. I always stitch a protective tab of leather inside so your expensive "carry" harp isn't scratched by the snap that holds the case snugly shut.
Softy harmonica cases
Thanks for looking!
Michelle
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email: mlefree@silverwingleather.com
Last Edited by mlefree on Mar 25, 2015 10:30 AM
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2chops
369 posts
Mar 25, 2015
11:47 AM
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Those softy type cases are the way to go for pocket harps. I have a Hohner version with a belt loop that I keep a Bb in. It's on my key biner always. In my day bag I use those open ended softy singles for the ones i keep there. It's bad enough my dogs hair somehow finds its way into my harps on occasion. Pocket lint is at least avoidable.
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I'm workin on it. I'm workin on it.
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nacoran
8366 posts
Mar 25, 2015
11:53 AM
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Mlefree, nananana I can't hear you! :P
I've got OCD, and the only way I manage to keep it away from my harps is to not think of them as germ vectors. I clean them when they get cruddy, but I try to observe the 5 second rule for most situations and only focus on the crud when it affects the playability. If I give in I'd have to give them all a soap bath every time I touched them. (Besides, there are lots of studies suggesting that one of the underlying causes of asthma is an improperly calibrated immune response, partially caused by our insistence on keeping everything sterile.) That said, I do try to be more careful when I have harps with more open backs. I've had a penny get in the mechanisms before on a MB, and lint. I've never had a problem with my LOs or Sp20s though. Your cases do look nice though. I've got two single harp cases that my brother made for me for Christmas. They are chainmail. The newer one is on a leather backing and even has a lining so the screws don't catch on the links.
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Nate
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slaphappy
83 posts
Mar 25, 2015
1:05 PM
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is this really a concern with gravity pulling reeds out alignment with vertical storage over time? I haven't noticed any problems but I've had the case less than a year..
Should I turn my Hetrick case on it's side so the the harps are flat?
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4' 4+ 3' 2~~~
-Mike Ziemba
Harmonica is Life!
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SuperBee
2493 posts
Mar 25, 2015
1:23 PM
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i dont know about standard harps Mike, the issue is usually mentioned in relation to Low tunings with weighted reeds. i always store mine with holes up though. the set that lives in my case is 13 harps in a removable felt-lined tray. they sit in there with holes up. i dont like foam in a case because i think it stops air movement, and besides that it takes up space and renders the case less versatile than it can otherwise be...
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nacoran
8368 posts
Mar 25, 2015
1:57 PM
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Slaphappy, I've only ever had it be an issue on my Low Low F harp, which is the lowest commercially available harmonica, and only ever had a problem with the very bottom reed, but I can confirm that if I store it on it's end the reed will go out of alignment, or at least that reed will. I've had to adjust that reed several times, each time after it had been on it's end for a while (usually because my harp case had got turned on it's side in my backpack). But that's a double low harp. It has weights on the ends of the reeds. The amount of force on the rivet on them is a lot more. I don't remember where I read about it the first time. It might have actually been on the Seydel site. I wouldn't worry about it unless you had some really low pitched harps.
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slaphappy
84 posts
Mar 25, 2015
3:12 PM
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ok, thanks guys.
my lowest is a standard low C so sounds like I should be okay but now I"m aware so thanks to the community.
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4' 4+ 3' 2~~~
-Mike Ziemba
Harmonica is Life!
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Barley Nectar
717 posts
Mar 26, 2015
8:14 AM
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I also live in N.W. PA. My main gig case has been in the trunk of the car many a night, winter and summer. I also keep a 7 pack in the glove box, year round. Never found that this affects the harmonicas at all. A few minutes to acclimate to playing temp is the only precaution I take. Now frozen mics and tube amps moved into a hot sweaty club, that is a different story. Pop, buzzz, pop pop, poof!...BN
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