timeistight
902 posts
Nov 19, 2012
8:30 PM
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Has anyone had any success repairing damaged covers? Any tips?
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nacoran
6210 posts
Nov 19, 2012
8:54 PM
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I've fixed a couple, including one that went through the dryer and snagged. It bent to 30 degrees or so. The first thing is to gently unbend them. Depending on exactly what the damage is a couple methods might work. I don't have a set of soft coated pliers, so I put a thin piece of polishing cloth between the pliers and the cover. Then I sort of used the pliers like a vice. (For a flat section a vice would sure work better!) The tough part is making sure the front lip is lined up okay. Again, I just used pliers carefully. I used them more like a vice than to twist or bend. It can take a while to get them looking good, but getting them 'good enough' shouldn't take long. I like to bend them up a little bits at the end. This pushes the middle down when you put it back together (and the screws hold down the ends).
Ideally, soft tipped jeweler's pliers make it easier. A small ball peen hammer and a hard flat surface can also work.
If it's been crushed once, it may be more likely to crush again though. If it was crushed from playing and adjusting your grip doesn't work you might want to get longer screws like you see on some customs to reinforce the covers.
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Joe_L
2156 posts
Nov 19, 2012
9:16 PM
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What kind of harp is it?
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timeistight
903 posts
Nov 19, 2012
9:29 PM
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I have two harps with crushed covers: a pre-war Marine Band and a pre-MS Meisterklasse.
I didn't crush them; I got them by reckless eBay bidding.
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Joe_L
2158 posts
Nov 19, 2012
10:58 PM
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Sorry, I can't help out with those.
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arzajac
893 posts
Nov 20, 2012
3:17 AM
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Are they crushed in the front or in the back?
If they are crushed in the front, that's a bigger problem since the harp won't be airtight. If they are crushed in the back, you can straighten them out by putting them upside down on a newspaper (remove them from the harp!) and gently massaging (okay, somewhat forceful) the kink out - stop at 90 per cent to avoid irrepairable damage by overshooting the mark.
If they are kinked at the front, find a good quality hand seamer and do your best. Aim for airtight. Don't aim for perfection. The enemy of "good" is "better".
You probably should practice on scrap harps first.
I hope that helps.
EDIT: I meant to say hand seamer. Something like this:
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Last Edited by on Nov 20, 2012 5:17 AM
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timeistight
904 posts
Nov 20, 2012
9:06 AM
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Looks like I might be better off replacing them. I think Special 20 covers might fit the Meisterklasse.
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barbequebob
2099 posts
Nov 20, 2012
10:47 AM
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Special 20 covers will not fit on the MS Meisterklasse models at all, but if you have a pre-MS series Meisterklasse, maybe.
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Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
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timeistight
905 posts
Nov 20, 2012
11:46 AM
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You know, I think it is and MS now that I look at it. It doesn't say "MS" on the cover, but it's not at all like my other Meisterklasse and it's the same back-to-front width as a Big River.
Damn, that's disappointing. Oh, well, maybe I can use the parts.
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barbequebob
2102 posts
Nov 21, 2012
7:48 AM
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The MS Meisterklasse reedplates are the same as the MS Cross Harp reed plates, which are what's usually sold here in the USA as the replacement for all of the MS series harps, and the CH/MK reed plates has a thicker reed plate than that of the Big River/Pro Harp/Blues Harp/MS Marine Band (issued only in Europe in the 90's), and the main difference between the CH and the Meisterklasse MS plates is that the Meisterklasse plates are nickel plated, which gives the harp a considerably brighter sound, which you may or may not care for.
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Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
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