Hey folks, I made my own little guide on re-tuning using blu-tak. I'm sure this is very common knowledge here on this forum but I wanted to make a short, to-the-point style video to show beginners how to do it and perhaps get them interested in trying different tunings. If you have any suggestions or ideas for changes I could make to the instruction (or corrections!) I'd love to hear them. I had a lot of fun making this video and learning to become a better video editor! Enjoy.
Good job! I have never used poster putty, but you definitely demonstrated that it can be done. Also worth pointing out that the Minor tuned Manji isn’t tuned the same way you (and most blues players) prefer—draw holes 6 and 10 are a half step down—so you accomplish quite a public service here. You misspelled achieve, other than that, perfect!
It's similar to putty yes. It's generally used for things like sticking posters to walls :P Does it harden over time? Hmm, perhaps a bit, but I've yet to have any problems with it drying and falling off. I'm sure someone else can speak on this issue.
Brendan Power is the one who turned me on to re-tuning using tak. Maybe he can speak on this.
Last Edited by woodnacho on Apr 20, 2020 1:43 PM
I have used it on several diatonics I retuned to flat 7 draw tuning, or "Todd Parrott tuning". I have since scraped the Blu Tack off each reed to return them to regular "Richter".
I also used it on a key of G Hering chromatic when I replaced a reed that was the right size, but too high in pitch. It is still working great after several years and has never come loose from the reed.
I also heard of it in Brendan Power posts. ----------
Doug S.
Last Edited by dougharps on Apr 20, 2020 1:18 PM
Great work on the video Woodnacho! Very concise and easy to watch. Nothing against folks who don't edit but the time and effort is appreciated.
Like other here I first heard about this from BP. My first use of Fun Tack was to try out BP's Powerdraw tuning. I liked it enough to remove the putty and make the change permanent. I guess I should say more permanent.
I have used 3M US version of blu tak poster putty (its not blue) to retune many harps to powerbender and other tunings. The putty stayed soft and sticky and the tunings have held up for years even on harps left in hot cars. I have tuned reeds down as much as an octave and still sound good.
I tried this on rivet end, to re-raise pitch of 7 draw 1/2 step. I lower 7 draw on most harps. I need some 'nornal draw 7' for David Barret testing. I had a lee oscar [normal tuned], it finally died. I didn't have uch luck, but was rushing as normal. I will try again later.
thanks for post
Last Edited by snowman on Apr 28, 2020 6:10 PM
It's my understanding that there is no part of the reed that you can add material/weight to that would cause it to vibrate faster thereby raising pitch.
I never heard of adding material near the rivet to raise pitch. I would think that adding the poster putty there would deaden reed vibration, not raise pitch.
If I have a reed 1/2 to a whole step flatter than what I want, the only recourse I am aware of is to remove material from the tip to raise pitch. I have done this before successfully while making trial versions of Paddy Richter and Country tuned harps. (Later I just swapped LO MM and Major Diatonic top and bottom plates to get 5 of each in those tunings.)
If you like and use your flattened 7 draw harps for your regular playing, I would consider purchasing the minimal number of new harps (or maybe just reed plates?) in regular "Richter" tuning for your David Barrett testing.
Then you still have your harps tuned the way you like plus the new "Richter" harps or reed plates to use or modify if you wish at a later time, after the testing.
I still have one flattened 7 draw Todd Parrott tuned Lee Oskar in C on which I had removed metal by the rivet to lower the pitch.
The 5 SP20s I retuned with Blu Tack to flatten the 7 draw (which worked very well!) were easily returned to Richter at a later date by removing the putty when I decided I needed them for "Richter" tuned playing. You could do the same with new harps or reed plates obtained for the Barrett testing. ----------
I have been using Blu-tak and/or similar types of putty for several years now. I first used it on a powerdraw to convert it to a powerbender. Since then, it has been my pocket harp. I am amazed of how it holds up.
I have yet to hear of it falling off for anyone. The beauty of it really to me is that you are not cutting on the harp to tune down.
