Ugly Bones Ryan
7 posts
Dec 02, 2013
5:15 PM
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I would buy a custom harp by Joe Spiers but I don't have that type of money just yet. In the meantime I'm going to get some regular Special 20s. All I'm wondering is how I can adjust the reeds for easier overblows and overdraws without the use of foreign substances like bee's wax.
Any advice?
Ugly Bones Ryan
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dougharps
484 posts
Dec 02, 2013
5:37 PM
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I will be very interested in the responses you get to your post. Hopefully I can improve my skills in adjustment by paying attention to some of the responses!
I will briefly tell you what I did to improve overblows on 4, 5, and 6 on standard, unembossed Special 20s. I suggest that you wait for more professional advice than my approach before spending much time trying this. I am a novice at this modification, but it worked for me, and I got better at it with practice. I do not overdraw at this time, mainly using 6 and sometimes the 5 hole overblow in performances.
Basically, I gently adjusted the gap on the blow and draw reeds in 4,,5,& 6 to be much tighter than out of the box. I did this gradually, trying to overblow the the hole I was adjusting at each step of the process. Too wide, and overblows would not sound, would squeal, or could not be sustained. Too narrow a gap and they choked too easily. I GENTLY adjusted the draw and blow on the hole until the overblow became consistently available to me.
It also appears that the pitch of the reed affects what the needed technique is, so that you will need to adjust your embouchure for playing overblows on high and low pitched harps, just like with bends.
I am looking forward to reading the responses of accomplished overblow players who adjust their own harps. Thanks for posting this useful question.
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Doug S.
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STME58
598 posts
Dec 02, 2013
5:38 PM
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I just followed some advice from a member of this site and carefully set the gaps on a Lee Oscar and a Special 20 to be a bit tighter than they were. These are now among the harps in my kit I can overblow.
I tried using dental wax once to stop a squeal in a reed when an overblow was attempted and ended up having to buy new reed plates. It was not the wax that ruined it but my clumsiness in trying to remove it from where it shouldn't be.
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Ugly Bones Ryan
10 posts
Dec 02, 2013
6:41 PM
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Adam, Todd Parrott, Joe Spiers, Jason Ricci or other pros any thoughts?
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GMaj7
313 posts
Dec 02, 2013
6:45 PM
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I suggest the advice by dougharps and STME58. Make small incremental adjustments in the reed gap and play. Practice runs and licks with OB/OD very slowly with a metronome and slowly build up speed. If the OB/OD doesn't sound, make additional micro-adjustments. None of this is wasted effort as it all goes towards progress and finding the sweet spot between the correct set-up on the harp and the muscle memory needed to play the notes correctly and accurately.
A marksman is always adjusting his sites.
A toothpick is a great tool for adjusting reeds as it is softer than the metal and won't scratch the reed.
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Greg Jones
16:23 Custom Harmonicas
greg@1623customharmonicas.com
1623customharmonicas.com
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arzajac
1216 posts
Dec 02, 2013
8:19 PM
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Here's a Lee Oskar on which I did advanced service. It played with normal breath force (normal gapping) and because the reed shape was proper and it was airtight, it played overblows as passing notes.
Lee Oskars are known to not be overblow-friendly. The result is even better on SP20s.
Any harp can play overblows if you close the gaps down far enough. But if the harp it not airtight and the reed shape is not good, you will probably have to compromise and end up with a harp that's not playable with regular breath force (too tight) or end up with on overblow that squeals a lot more than the note sounds.
Do a form search on reed shape. There is lots of detail around. Embossing will help too.
Don't try this on your favorite harp. It is a lot of work and it takes time/harps to learn.
Also, playing overbends and regular notes with normal breath force is in regards to overblows as passing notes. To get overbends to sustain and bend up, you often will need to make some compromises. Those are two different kinds of overblows in my book.
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Custom overblow harps. Harmonica service and repair.
Last Edited by arzajac on Dec 02, 2013 8:39 PM
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LIP RIPPER
715 posts
Dec 03, 2013
4:59 AM
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Wow on the Lee Oskar work there Andrew. They do not like to overblow.
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Grey Owl
401 posts
Dec 03, 2013
8:29 AM
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Here is a series of 3 videos by Joe Spiers that I found very helpful. Patience is the key here.
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Grey Owl YouTube
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Ugly Bones Ryan
11 posts
Dec 03, 2013
7:43 PM
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Thanks guys
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