Bigtone
255 posts
Jun 24, 2013
11:49 AM
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I tend to blow out a harps like it's going out of style. I have about 4 or 5 harps i need fixed. A couple have notes that wont even come out and others are super out of tune. If I pay to fix them will they just as easily screw up again? Who should I send them too and is there a harp out there that just basically does not break
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Kingley
2789 posts
Jun 24, 2013
11:57 AM
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"If I pay to fix them will they just as easily screw up again?"
Only if you blow the ass off them. Learn to play with less breath pressure and your harps will last longer.
"Who should I send them too and is there a harp out there that just basically does not break"
The answer to those questions is:
Send the harps to either Mark Prados (MP) or Andrew Zajac (Arzajac). They will fix 'em, they do good work, have reasonable turnaround times and they charge very decent prices for their services.
No there isn't a harp out there that doesn't break.
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geordiebluesman
749 posts
Jun 24, 2013
1:33 PM
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Hey Kingley are those two guys based in the UK? , if so do you have links to their websites?
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Kingley
2791 posts
Jun 24, 2013
1:37 PM
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No Steve they're not in the UK. Mark is based in Hawaii and Andrew is based in Canada.
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Rick Davis
2013 posts
Jun 24, 2013
1:43 PM
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Forum member Scott Woerner is a fine harp mechanic. swoerner@msn.com. He is in Denver.
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The Blues Harp Amps Blog
The Mile High Blues Society
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arzajac
1088 posts
Jun 24, 2013
8:20 PM
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Will they blow out again?
It depends. I have customers who regularly blow out stainless steel reeds. They just play hard.
But some people tend to play every note as hard as the most stubborn note on a harp. If the harp is inconsistently set up out-of-the-box, they tend to blow out reeds more often than when they play a harp that playable with the same breath force top to bottom. But, if the bends are "right there", you don't need a lot of force to play them.
If you send a harp to me (or anyone else who goes over the whole harp before sending it back) you will get back a harp that is more airtight, reeds shaped and gapped properly from top to bottom.
Is there a harp out there that doesn't blow out?
No. I replace reeds on every brand. No matter the harp, there is always someone out there who will push it past the limit. But most harps on the market are in the same ballpark in that respect. Stainles reeds are tougher, but people still go through them.
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Custom overblow harps. Harmonica service and repair.
Last Edited by arzajac on Jun 25, 2013 2:51 AM
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MP
2794 posts
Jun 25, 2013
11:49 AM
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From Andrew,
"If you send a harp to me (or anyone else who goes over the whole harp before sending it back) you will get back a harp that is more airtight, reeds shaped and gapped properly from top to bottom."
Indeed,
as an aside. once in a while i'll receive a harp i've repaired before,( i write notes on the plates) and it is broken again. buuuut, it is rarely the reed i've replaced. The break tends to be the reed adjacent to it.
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MP
affordable reed replacement and repairs.
"making the world a better place, one harmonica at a time"
click user name [MP] for info-
repair videos on YouTube.
you can reach me via Facebook. Mark Prados
Last Edited by MP on Jun 25, 2013 11:52 AM
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groyster1
2282 posts
Jun 25, 2013
5:38 PM
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@bigtone
no problem getting your harps fixed....see you at your last hurrah Friday night.....
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Bigtone
258 posts
Jun 25, 2013
5:44 PM
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Awesome I will bring them
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Reed Triller
70 posts
Jun 25, 2013
9:09 PM
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Ok,,,,where's Bob?!
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Bend it like Ricci - Me
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harpletunnel
30 posts
Jun 25, 2013
10:54 PM
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Hi BigTone,
I do get the concept of blowing softly but in the heat of the moment, on stage, when everything is right some excitement brings on a bit more breath. I am learning though, to blow, draw softer. When you know your music and have tons of confidence it will happen. But.... in the mean time I am getting 5 plus years out of the heavily played Seydel classic ss harps. In that 5 years of owning them I have only blown out 2 reeds total. Tuned them only once. Not a bad investment. A lot of players say they cant afford them but I play every day like a lot of people here and well... simply put they pay for themselves. I was giving Charlie Musselwhite a ride back to his hotel one night and he said it was a good investment too. They just outlast any other harp out there hands down. (there may be better harps yes I know) and so we must compromise. Wow I can't believe I just rambled all that stuff without alcohol.
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groyster1
2336 posts
Aug 11, 2013
1:59 PM
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@Kingley
I have used both MP and arzajac for harp restoration.....the word has apparently gotten out...they are both swamped with orders...good for them and good for those who r patient
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bluemoose
911 posts
Aug 11, 2013
8:07 PM
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Just to put it out there again...I just got my late 1930's mouse ear MB back from Andrew. (Sorry admins) Fu*ki'n He$l!!!! What a monster! Cooks from bottom to top. This is rapidly turning into my favourite harp (and I got lots ;)
b.
MBH Webbrain - a GUI guide to Adam's Youtube vids
FerretCat Webbrain - Jason Ricci's vids (by hair colour!)
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nacoran
7023 posts
Aug 12, 2013
10:32 AM
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Lee Oskars seem to take more abuse than other harps. Equal Tuned. Not mustache friendly. Not particularly overblow friendly. Good price. Not impossible to blow out a reed, but tougher.
Instead of playing harder, make sure you have more of yourself in the monitor. If you hear yourself 'too loud' in the mix it can remind you to back off a bit.
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Nate
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fred_gomez
146 posts
Aug 12, 2013
11:29 AM
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cant disagree more had one lee oskar what a hunk of junk. couldnt chug chords single note is the only thing that sounded right. blew out the 4 draw in less than a week. replaced the plates it happened again blew out the 4 and 5. never again. never tried stainless steels who make them?
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Thievin' Heathen
238 posts
Aug 12, 2013
11:00 PM
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Bigtone,
Use those blown out harps for learning how to tune & customize your own harps.
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