528hemi
78 posts
Apr 02, 2010
8:33 AM
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Hi,
I revcently pulled my chomonica 270 out of the closet after sitting over 20 years in the box. It was my first harp and I never really learned to play it.
Can this harp be adjusted to play easier like the diatonics? I can gap my diatonics and they sound great but not sure if these Chamatics are adjusted the same way.
My Chromatic requires alot more air and soudns leaky?
Thanks
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barbequebob
662 posts
Apr 02, 2010
11:45 AM
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If you want them to bend like a diatonic, two words: FORGET IT!!! The most you can bend on them is 1/4 step MAX and no further.
All harmonicas leak largely thru the slot tolerances (the distance between the walls of the slot it vibrates in and the edge of the reed itself) more than anything else, but with chromatics, they also leak thru the slide assembly as well.
There are chromatic customizers and they've been around a helluva lot longer than diatonic customizers have been, guys like John Infande, Steve Pruitt, and Dick Gardner.
One thing you NEED to remember when playing any chromatic is that they do NOT respond well at all to being played hard at all.
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Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
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harpwrench
211 posts
Apr 02, 2010
5:14 PM
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Here's a brief pictorial from my facebook showing how to tighten the slide clearance on a 270. If you aren't handy with this type of stuff I can do it for a minimum bench fee, it's not a time consuming mod.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=11663&id=1692631803&l=f5ead59a6c
If you decide to try this, adjust the gaps while the mouthpiece is off. Set them for minimum comfortable leakage during oscillation (not too tight, not too loose), while not stalling out on a moderately aggressive attack.
FWIW Bob, I can bend the notes on my custom 270's and 280's several semitones. They respond well to both aggressive and extremely light playing, for a wide range of dynamics. It's a very time-consuming job to make one play like that though!
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barbequebob
666 posts
Apr 02, 2010
5:29 PM
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Joe, I can just imagine the amount of work necessary to do that. The only stock chromatics I`ve ever played that came close to being able to be bent close to a 1/2 step are anything made by Hering and I had to EASE my way into it and play more on the soft side to make that happen.
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Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
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Ray
179 posts
Apr 02, 2010
6:24 PM
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harpwrench, What exactly is being scrapped in the last (6th) photo? And thanks for providing those photos.
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harpwrench
212 posts
Apr 02, 2010
6:42 PM
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On modern 280's, the slide package is different than the old-style wood-comb 280's and all 270's. Instead of having the separate "cage" part, the mouthpiece itself entirely contains the slide. In that photo, I'm scraping the ledges in mouthpiece that contact the backplate when assembled. The slide rides below that ledge. Lowering the ledges tightens the space between the back plate and the slide. You're welcome Ray, good luck!
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Ray
180 posts
Apr 03, 2010
4:24 AM
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bump. got spam here. :-(
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