Mighty Slim
49 posts
Dec 16, 2015
9:28 AM
|
I am guessing someone out there knows the answer to this and can save me time in experimenting.
My key of F Special 20 went flat on the 2 draw, and in looking at my spare parts drawer, I see that I have a set of Hohner MS replacement reed plates in the key of F bought some time back. I assume they won't fit into the Special 20 shell, but I have some discarded Hohner Marine Band and Hohner Blues Harp shells in the keys of C and G, and I am wondering if I can put the F plates in one of those and end up with a working key of F harp. My concern is that the slots in the comb will somehow be the wrong shape to accommodate reeds in a different key than what the slots were designed for.
Does anyone know?
Thanks
|
Killa_Hertz
25 posts
Dec 16, 2015
9:39 AM
|
As far as i know, there are two differentsize combs. Long/Normal slot & Short Slot. I think D and lower are normal slot. So the F would normally go on a short slot. But will totally work on a long slot. SP20 plates on a sandwich comb take some work tho. Check Andrew Zajacs Site. http://harp.andrewzajac.ca/
Any questions are surely answered there.
----------
1.21 JigaWatts N' Punch It To 88
Last Edited by Killa_Hertz on Dec 16, 2015 9:43 AM
|
HarveyHarp
707 posts
Dec 16, 2015
10:06 AM
|
The MS plates will fit on the Blues Harp shell if it is a MS Blues Harp. If not, No.
----------
HarveyHarp
|
barbequebob
3074 posts
Dec 16, 2015
10:12 AM
|
The only way a Special 20 reed plate is gonna work on an MS comb is if it's one of those rare ones that was part of the MS series that were issued only in Europe (as was the MS Marine Band). Other than that, ANY MS comb would be totally wrong for a Special 20.
A 2 draw going flat is actually incredibly unusual and the only way they ever get badly flat is from playing with far too much breath force 24/7, especially during the note bending process, and that's flat out bad playing technique.
On all non-MS Hohner harps, keys Db to F# are always short slot and from C down is always long slot, whearas regardless of the reed slot length in the MS series, the combs being used are always the same no matter what.
----------
Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
|
Mighty Slim
50 posts
Dec 16, 2015
11:53 AM
|
Thanks to all for the info.
I will place the F MS replacement reed plates into an old Blues Harp MS shell that was once a C harp and that should give me a new F harp, although the cover will say C. Guess I will put a new decal on to cover that.
I agree that the 2 draw going flat is a rare event. I think this is the first time I have had that happen in 40 years of playing. Usually it is 3 or 4 draw or 9 or 10 blow that fail. And probably the failures are the result of too much breath force, an aspect of my technique that I need to improve.
Thanks again for all the information. This will save me a good deal of time experimenting.
|
snowman
114 posts
Dec 17, 2015
9:29 AM
|
I think if u call hohner or email them, they could help-- they use to sell individual reeds--sometimes in a 3 pac-- I personally feel its a great idea to learn how to replace an individual reed--i use leftover tiny screw and star nuts--from [harponline ,now defunc] if u do yr own tuning occasionally u bend one ---plus metal fatigues after years---start saving and marking all yr old reed plates--also there are charts online or from customizers that tell which reeds are interchangeable---sp 20 GM and standard marine reeds use to be interchangeable--im talking individual reed not reed plates good luck
|
Iggy K.
9 posts
Jun 12, 2016
2:25 PM
|
I heard that MS series has a long slot, medium slot and short slot plates...
Can anyone tell me a keys for that three different slots??
Thanks...
----------
http://harpexplosion.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/greenbulletholder
|
barbequebob
3236 posts
Jun 13, 2016
11:56 AM
|
@Iggy K -- I believe the long slots for the MS series starts from A and lower, medium Bb thru Db and D and higher for short slot reeds. However, The dimensions overall are much different than with the Special 20's (unless you have a very rare MS version which was only issued in a very short time in Europe).
----------
Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
|
Iggy K.
10 posts
Jun 20, 2016
4:01 AM
|
Thanks barbequebob,
After more research I found new info about my question...
Early MS models had a long and medium slots and new MS has a Long (long = medium) and short slots.
----------
http://harpexplosion.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/greenbulletholder
|
dougharps
1255 posts
Jun 20, 2016
8:10 AM
|
I don't see that anyone asked this question:
By "flat," do you mean beyond re-tuning, or just a little flat? Have you already checked it out for debris stuck to the reed? Is the reed metal-fatigued dead-sounding flat? Or could the reed be polished and tuned? A 2 draw IS unusual to fail.
If it is truly dead, the reed could be replaced, but if you don't have the tools and the right spare reed, I would suggest just getting another harp or replacement reed plates.
You could put the MS plates you have on one of the Blues Harp bodies (IF it is an MS Blues Harp and not an old MB style).
The only MS harp I find acceptably responsive to play is a key of F, so that might be your easiest answer. But it would not play quite like a Special 20.
----------
Doug S.
Last Edited by dougharps on Jun 20, 2016 8:11 AM
|
