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Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! > Gapping for the Bend
Gapping for the Bend
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jnorem
546 posts
Aug 26, 2014
5:04 PM
The 2 draw bend on my G harp seems to have suddenly become difficult to bend, to bend to the flat7 in cross harp.

It's never occurred to me to gap a reed to make a draw bend easier to play, this is a first. Any ideas on how one might go about it?


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Call me J

Last Edited by jnorem on Aug 26, 2014 5:04 PM
Slimharp
394 posts
Aug 26, 2014
5:45 PM
GENTLY open the gap very little, if that does not help go back the other way. It is a process. Do it in small steps. How old is the harp? Sometimes the tinsel strength is gone, been flexed too many times. Pling the reed and see if it is dead or way flat. You may have a bad reed. I cheat. I copy the reed profile of my Joe Spiers G for a guide.
jnorem
547 posts
Aug 26, 2014
5:50 PM
Thanks Slim.

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Call me J
GMaj7
512 posts
Aug 26, 2014
6:51 PM
The blow reed is sometimes opened up too wide.
Check that.. The draw bend on #2 is a dual reed bend and the gap on the blow side has to be as close as possible without preventing unintended choking..
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Greg Jones
16:23 Custom Harmonicas
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jnorem
548 posts
Aug 26, 2014
7:45 PM
I'll check it out, Greg, thanks.

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Call me J
harpwrench
900 posts
Aug 27, 2014
5:57 AM
Gaps don't usually change themselves spontaneously. If its been working fine and this is a sudden issue as stated in the OP, then it might just need cleaned. If you have pets then look real close for a hair. Have you dropped it? Check for an off center reed after you clean it.
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Diggsblues
1511 posts
Aug 27, 2014
7:05 AM
I use the Joe Spiers video as my source for gaping.

Thanks

Joe
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HarpNinja
3914 posts
Aug 27, 2014
7:48 AM
I am inclined to believe there is an obstruction too. Sometimes the back side of the reed plate can get dirty and the reed doesn't stick/catch until it is bent.

This happens with overbends too.

Make sure the reed can swing all the way through the slot without any issue...clean with a shim or something if you can.

Other than that, lower the blow reed gap.
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Mike
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nacoran
7962 posts
Aug 27, 2014
10:59 AM
I hate it when the tinsel strength is gone. It makes 'O, Tannenbaum' nearly unplayable. :)

(But yeah, sometimes the reed is just too worried. One minute it seems fine, and the next minute it snaps.) Come to think of it, that happens to people sometimes too!

Everyone else already gave the useful advice, so I'm just going to be silly. :) (Or try, at least).

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Nate
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First Post- May 8, 2009

Last Edited by nacoran on Aug 27, 2014 11:03 AM


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