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Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! >
Trouble with squealing note
Trouble with squealing note
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kobilicious
3 posts
Mar 26, 2011
8:58 AM
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Hi guys,
My 8 hole draw is squealing, what should I do? close gap it? open it? the draw reed or the blow one?
I opened the harmonica and didn't quite know what to do so I decided to just let it be and ask instead of doing any extra damage.
P.S
When I opened the harp it was really messy inside, there was even a bit of rust here and there, What do you recommend about cleaning the harmonica? What to use to clean it and on what frequency?
Thanks in advance,
kobi
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nacoran
3922 posts
Mar 26, 2011
9:36 AM
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Squealing could be a couple different things. It's always helpful if you can to make a little clip of the sound and post it. The 8 reed is probably too high to be hitting the covers. It could be a bur on the side of the reed slot, or other crud that's built up. Try taking a toothpick and gently plucking the reed to see if it's hitting on anything. Compare the gap width to the other reeds. It's probably just some crud blocking the reed.
Always check your technique too. As for rust, there shouldn't be rust on a brass harp. There might have been oxidation (things turning green). That's okay. That green layer actually protects the rest of the metal underneath. If you polish it off an new layer will form and all you'll have done is remove some brass. If it's a steel harp, like an 1847, then you want to remove the rust, but I'm not sure the best way to do it.
Crud inside a harp, unless it actually is blocking the reed or you are inhaling junks, isn't that big a deal. I scrape the mouth area of my harp, staying away from the reeds, with craft picks. They are basically heavy duty toothpicks you can get at a craft store. They are harder than the gunk but softer than the metal so they won't scratch. Unless I've taken the covers off I make sure I hold the harp so that any gunk I loosen falls out of the harp instead of into it.
Hope that helps. You can check the forum archives/forum search. This topic comes up a lot and there is lots of good advice laying around. :)
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kobilicious
4 posts
Mar 26, 2011
11:04 AM
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thanks for the reply,
Ok so I uploaded it and you can listen to it for yourself, this is rather painful for the ears i feel like im killing the harp... Hope you would get something out of it.
About the rust, its not on the reedplates its on the cover plates.. I have a Manji btw.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZkgmP-4eGw
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ReedSqueal
106 posts
Mar 26, 2011
12:19 PM
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You are calling my name, brotha ;-)
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Go ahead and play the blues if it'll make you happy.
-Dan Castellaneta
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