Dog Face
106 posts
Mar 18, 2011
7:46 PM
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I only have one Lee Oskar and until lately, I've hated it. It took a long time for me to get used to it. Anyway, my preference is irrelevant to my question...
I've heard that Lee Oskars are known to squeal on overblows. Since I've forced myself to get used to that harp I have noticed it wines on over blows. I've wondered before but now I'm really curious- whats makes LO's more prone to squealing than other brands?
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Be safe, keep the faith, and don't let em tearrrrrr ya down.
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Silvertone
102 posts
Mar 18, 2011
8:27 PM
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Ive read its got something to do w/ the smaller width of the reed. They twist and become unstable during OBs. Others have used tiny squares of micropore to counteract.
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Jehosaphat
15 posts
Mar 18, 2011
8:34 PM
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I only o/b the 6 on my L/O's and certainly am no expert.But i find that if i gap it slightly less 'tight' than i would on say a hohner and don't emboss the slot i don't get the squeal.
I have no idea why and of course ymmv.
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Dog Face
107 posts
Mar 18, 2011
8:59 PM
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Hmm. I don't do a lot of tweaking because I do more harm than help. It makes sense though. I may touch the gaps up and see if that does anything.
@silvertone- That's interesting I never thought of a reed twisting. Would that happen because of unequal airflow around the reed?
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Be safe, keep the faith, and don't let em tearrrrrr ya down.
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harmonicanick
1128 posts
Mar 19, 2011
2:13 AM
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'They twist and become unstable during OBs.'
That statement is either, an urban myth, or a description of the player:)
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arzajac
485 posts
Mar 19, 2011
4:29 AM
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I don't think it's an urban myth. I think it is the same with all Tombo harps. The reeds tend to vibrate sideways as well as up and down when overblown. A common remedy to that is to put a touch of nail polish or wax on the rivet end. I reckon that the nail polish gets under the rivet pad and helps prevent it from wobbling.
There is a downside to doing that - the nail polish can eventually change the pitch of the reed (I forget it it makes it sharper or flatter) and the wax can move around and get messy if you don't keep your harp away from heat.
I think the best fix is to emboss the full length of the slot so that the reed is "encouraged" to move perfectly flat. Or so that's what I understand from some cryptic descriptions of some customisers' solutions to this problem.
In short, it's a great question. You are not the first to ask it, nor is it wrong to ask.
I wonder if people use the same strategies to make the 7 overdraw not squeal. Or do they treat it completely differently?
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Silvertone
103 posts
Mar 19, 2011
6:54 AM
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Edited by moderator to restore proper column width sanity! :)
Last Edited by on Mar 19, 2011 11:35 AM
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Silvertone
104 posts
Mar 19, 2011
6:58 AM
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Pat Missin
Heres a good explanation that Pat missin has on his site.
Last Edited by on Mar 19, 2011 11:35 AM
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Zadozica
32 posts
Mar 19, 2011
8:28 AM
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Man, my LO's squealed like a raped pig (as I imagine one would sound) when I was learning how to bend the 3 draw. It was my lack of breath control that caused it. Once I got that under control, the pig settled down and stopped squealing.
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nacoran
3911 posts
Mar 19, 2011
11:32 AM
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So they vibrate funny because they are narrow? What about narrow threads?
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chromaticblues
716 posts
Mar 19, 2011
2:38 PM
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No its not because the reeds are narrower. They are actually wider! They are shorter and wider then Hohners. Now as far as them being inferior. That is WWAAYY WrOnG! Arzajac was right about full slot embossing. These harps respond VERY well to customizing! Freakishly well! Unbeiliveably well.
OK pretty damb good! I don't like to state customers names ( but its killing me on this one) so a person I know has a D Lee Oskars that OB's and OD's quit easily without any squeeling at all! I retuned it to my blues tuning and put Hohner Blues harps coverplates on it. The blues harp cover plates sound MUCH better than the LO covers IMHO! It gives it a fuller sound.
Here's something I noticed when lerning to overblow and overdraw when I used LO harps 15 to 22 years ago. A Hohner C harp is easy to OB the 6 hole. A LO is easy to OB the 6 hole on a A harp. It must because the reeds are shorter that changes what harps do what easier.
@arzajac
If you don't get any of the nail polish on the reed it doesn't change the pitch. Only put it on the rivet and the reed pad that the rivet goes thru. I use nail polish because it dries hard and doesn't dampen the reed like wax will. Dampening shortens the sustain or decay of a note.
I geuss what I'm saying stock Lee Oskars are pretty shitty, but modified they are anything but! Lee Oskar also uses high quality brass!
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Zadozica
33 posts
Mar 20, 2011
7:23 AM
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Chrom, how much do you charge to retune an LO if I send it/them to you?
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chromaticblues
718 posts
Mar 20, 2011
2:00 PM
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@Zadozica Its $20 to retune it. Its $60 for the whole custom job with Blues Harp coverplates. $50 without the blues harp coverplates. I would suggest springing for the blues harp covers if you do want a LO that will overblow/overdraw. The Blues harp covers give it a nice full tone!
You can click on my user name for more info.
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ElkRiverHarmonicas
591 posts
Mar 21, 2011
7:52 AM
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Dampening is good. Just keep in mind when an overblow squeals, the blow reed, not the draw is usually the culprit. If you want to experiment with this, try overblowing a squealer with the coverplates off and stopping the blow reed with a fingernail.
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"There are only two things money can't buy - true love and homegrown tomatoes." - Lewis Grizzard
Last Edited by on Mar 21, 2011 7:57 AM
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Zadozica
34 posts
Mar 21, 2011
8:55 AM
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@Chrom, overblows and overdraws are way beyond my capabilities right now and probably for at least a year or two as learning them is not a priority for me - Timing, rhythm, tone and bends are what I continue to work on as well as refining the style of music I want to play - that journey has led me to move away from ET.
I have 2 C LO's. I will send you one of them shortly to change it over. I can then compare the two against each other. If I like it, then I have 7 other harps I might adjust. I will contact you seperately via your e-mail.
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KingBiscuit
29 posts
Mar 21, 2011
10:30 AM
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I just attended the Virginia Harmonica Festival, in Williamsburg VA, where I listened to Todd Parrott, an outstanding player who incorporates overblows into his playing. (He can actually bend overblows...which I found amazing)
Anyway, in a conversation about overblows, I hear him say that he puts chapstick on the reed rivets. I asked why he does this and he said "It keeps the reed from squealing on an overblow".
NOTE I SAID RIVET, NOT THE WHOLE REED
Seeing that I don't do overblows, I can't possibly tell you if this will work or not. You might try it to see if that helps the situation.
Dan
Last Edited by on Mar 21, 2011 10:33 AM
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ElkRiverHarmonicas
592 posts
Mar 21, 2011
4:27 PM
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I use orthodontist's wax. It's made to put on braces so they don't scrape the inside of your lip. I figured if it would hold up inside a mouth, it would work in a harmonica. I really like it.
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"There are only two things money can't buy - true love and homegrown tomatoes." - Lewis Grizzard
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