saltyd
2 posts
Jun 26, 2011
6:22 PM
|
My A harp is a pretty old Marine Band, I don't know how old but my grandpa gave it to me. Most of the time it plays fine, but every once and a while a reed will stick, and no sound will come out. It's not any particular reed, it can happen to any note at any time. Most of the the time I just solve this by inhaling and exhaling really hard through the note until I almost pass out, and eventually it pops back into place. But this doesn't seem like the most rational way to solve this. Is there a way to fix it without having to get all new reeds?
|
Seven.Oh.Three.
93 posts
Jun 26, 2011
6:31 PM
|
I'd try cleaning the s*#t outta the harp. Sounds like it might be clogged with dried spit and lip gunk. While the cover plates are off I'd inspect the reeds and slot clearances and make sure the rivet is still holding tight.
This is all speculation
7.o.3.
|
KingoBad
779 posts
Jun 26, 2011
7:34 PM
|
7o3 is right. Learn how to open it up and clean the thing. It sounds like you may be clogged with grandpa gunk too.
If you notice that the holes a have become too small to play through- its time to clean your harp.
If your harp smells like chips and salsa and you can't remember the last time you had chips and salsa- it's time to clean your harp.
If you see stalactites or stalagmites in you harp - it's time to clean your harp.
If the flies have stopped buzzing around your harp like they used to, or form a circle of dead flies around your harp, its time to clean it.
----------
Danny
|
nacoran
4251 posts
Jun 27, 2011
10:16 AM
|
There are a few different ways to go about cleaning it, and if you are mechanically inclined it might also be a good time to upgrade the nails to screws, do some reed alignment and gapping (which might also be the issue) or even get a new comb on it. For cleaning, some people use ultrasonic cleaners (Turboharp.com has some you can order) but so far I mostly just take them apart and clean them by hand. You can take the comb and clean that a little more roughly than the reedplates, just don't soak it. A little water is fine, but you don't want it to swell. For the reedplates I use craft picks. They are like toothpicks put a little sturdier. I scrape gunk off with them. Some people use an old toothbrush, but you have to be very careful with a toothbrush because the bristles have a knack for getting caught between the reed and the plate and they can pull things out of alignment.
Adam has a very good video on how to open up and gap a Marine Band and getting it put together again. Jason Ricci has good video on cleaning. I don't for the life of me know where I put the links to them though. If someone else doesn't have the link I'll look around for it later. :)
----------
Nate
Facebook
Thread Organizer (A list of all sorts of useful threads)
|
Andy Ley
128 posts
Jun 28, 2011
5:26 AM
|
I had exactly the same problem for a while when I started playing. I eventually realised that it was caused by my saliva running into the harmonica if I looked down to read music from a book or computer screen. If you do this try playing with your head up, and move any reference material up to head height.
Even if this is whats happening; cleaining the harmonica out, as suggested above, won't hurt either.
Last Edited by on Jun 28, 2011 5:27 AM
|
saltyd
3 posts
Jun 28, 2011
12:36 PM
|
Do you have a link to Adam's cleaning video? I searched but can't seem to find it..
|
joeleebush
265 posts
Jun 28, 2011
6:00 PM
|
LOL LOL LOL...I can't resist. I just can't.
"best way to fix a stiff reed"????
Answer: find a female reed, they'll work it out.
LOL
LOL
(man, I am soooooooo rotten and corrupt............but I stay happy)
Regards,
Me
----------
"The degree of someone's "open mindedness" will be in direct proportion to how much they agree or disagree with the issue being discussed"...William F. Buckley
|
