Finnegan
4 posts
Feb 23, 2015
12:42 AM
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Hi
As a relative beginner to harmonica (4 months in) I'm curious as to whether 1847 Silver reed plates and combs benefit from flattening.
OOTB it plays fine, no gapping required and I can get bends on 1-6 fine.
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Happiness is taking things as they are.
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the_happy_honker
209 posts
Feb 23, 2015
3:14 AM
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Do you have reason to think the harp is leaky? Do you see light leaks at the back, as you look into the channels? Are the reed plates so out of true that they cannot sit flat on the comb, even with finger pressure? Does the comb not sit flat on a flat surface?
If the answer to these questions is no, then my advice is to leave it alone until your playing reaches a level (advanced intermediate, say) where a small bit of leakiness makes a difference.
Seydel harps are pretty good OOTB and your chances of ruining an expensive instrument are pretty good as well, so I would advise against doing anything radical.
The comb is a plastic material (ABS?) that doesn't look like it would take well to being sanded. The reed plates are very thick and bending them is not for the inexperienced or faint-hearted. They are also chrome plated and sanding them may expose metal that corrodes.
Simply disassembling and reassembling the harp can make a noticeable difference in removing some sources of leakiness.
Take the cover plates off and loosen the reed plate screws. Re-tighten the screws, taking care not to tighten them too much. Doing so will cause the reed plates to bow out from the comb and cause the leaks you are trying to eliminate.
Put the cover plates back on and make sure the front edge of the cover plate sits well down into the channel and tighten it, not too tight.
Hope this helps.
Last Edited by the_happy_honker on Feb 23, 2015 3:23 AM
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arzajac
1602 posts
Feb 23, 2015
4:53 AM
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Hi Finnegan.
"I'm curious as to whether 1847 Silver reed plates and combs benefit from flattening."
Yes, any mass-produced harp will benefit from making both reed plates flatter as well as the comb.
The blow reed plate is less straightforward to flatten, so let's forget about it at the moment.
The draw plate can be flat sanded. There is no concern about sanding away any plating. The reed plates are stainless. Even a model that is plated can be safely sanded (Manji, Promaster, Meisterklasse). The metal underneath is safe to expose to the comb or your saliva. Only cheap harmonicas are a cause for concern - but I'm not aware of any cheap harps on the market today that are plated.
And flat sanding the draw reed plate is usually very beneficial.
The 1947 Silver comb is probably the easiest to flatten because it does't need to be sealed once you are done. If you flat-sand any wood comb, you must seal it before you use it or you will significantly shorten the lifespan of the instrument.
The 1847 Silver comb is not usually flat and benefits greatly from being flattened.
"OOTB it plays fine, no gapping required and I can get bends on 1-6 fine"
Great! But is that a measurement of whether a harp can or needs to be improved? There are many other things to consider:
- How responsive is the harp?
- How much dynamic range can you get from it?
- How loud is it?
- How satisfying is the tone?
- How much fun is it to play?
etc...
All of those things can be made better and better, even though a harp can play "fine".
I hope this helps.
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Custom overblow harps. Harmonica service and repair.
Last Edited by arzajac on Feb 23, 2015 4:54 AM
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HarpNinja
4043 posts
Feb 23, 2015
5:12 AM
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The polymer comb is the easiest to flat sand of the 1847 combs. It will benefit the harp if done correctly in conjunction with flattening and sanding the draw plate.
The blow plate is trickier, so you might look at an warping vs trying to flat sand.
While this is beneficialy, making sure the reeds are gapped and shaped to your style is more important. Checking that the screws aren't over torqued is also a good idea and simple enough.
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Mike
My Website
My Harmonica Effects Blog
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GMaj7
624 posts
Feb 23, 2015
6:10 AM
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There is no need for flat sanding or any other modifications of a new Seydel 1847.
Some of the best players in the world play the 1847 Silver and make no such modification.
The draw plates are flat and even to the very minor extent they may not be, this would only be an issue if air leaked between the slots or out the back.
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Greg Jones
Seydel Factory Technician
greg.jones@Seydel1847.com
greg@1623customharmonicas.com
1623customharmonicas.com
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Barley Nectar
676 posts
Feb 23, 2015
8:39 AM
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As a beginner, don't worry about harp mods or tweeking. You read this stuff on the web and get to thinking it is important for yourself. AS stated, you have a good harp. Play it till it starts wearing out then open it up and mess around. I'v been playing 40+ years and rarely find the need to tweek a harp. Play it and enjoy!...BN
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shakeylee
129 posts
Feb 23, 2015
9:00 AM
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on the other hand,as a beginner you might still need some keys?
if so,you could build a harp from parts that started with a flat comb and plates.
the cost to build a seydel from parts is comparable to the price of a complete one.
this is something you don't need to do,but,might have fun with!
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Finnegan
5 posts
Feb 23, 2015
9:57 AM
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Thanks for the help.
I'll digest what you've said and get back, no time for an in depth post right now.
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Happiness is taking things as they are.
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HarpNinja
4044 posts
Feb 23, 2015
10:42 AM
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Yeah, as a beginner, I wouldn't sweat it. The stock steel Seydels are really great OOTB. Down the roard - way down the road, I'd worry about gapping first.
If it ain't broke, don't fix it!
I overbend, but actually try to pick positions to play that don't rely on those notes all the time. I play a lot of 2nd position major and 3rd position minor, and not as much blues as most players.
With that in mind, a stock 1847 with gapping would cover most my needs, even as an advanced player.
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Mike
My Website
My Harmonica Effects Blog
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