NewZealand18
30 posts
Jun 11, 2010
3:52 AM
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Is anyone keen to give away secrets on how you can tune a standard harmonica, changing it into a lower tuned harmonica in the same key?
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jim
148 posts
Jun 11, 2010
4:38 AM
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Yes. Help yourself:
I've once made a low A sp20 (retuned from G 10 semitones down to Low A). This takes tremendous precision and patience.
You'll need: soldering iron, solder, flux, lots of time and patience, chromatic tuner, file.
1)scratch the tip of the reed with a file
2) immediately put a small amount of flux there (not too much and careful - the flux should NOT REACH THE BORDER. If it does, wash it off, dry and repeat.
3) add solder to the tip (it will instantly stick to the place where you had the flux. Take extreme care not to spill the solder over the reed edge. Support the reed from the back side using your finger. This should be a very fast operation - otherwise you'll overheat the reed (and burn your finger as well. If you spill the solder over the edge, you'll solder the reed to the reedplate. It's very hard to fix this, so be careful.
Also - careful with your eyes when the flux is in contact with solder. Its smoke can be dangerous a sfar as I know.
4) repeat step 3) until you reach the desired tuning. After each soldering, wash the reed with spirit (not to breathe/lick any flux). Keep in mind that with each layer of solder added, it gets harder and harder not to spill it over. Also control the solder bulb height. If it's too high, you'll have draw reeds buzzing.
5) do that to all 20 reeds. Tune the reeds sharper than needed using solder, then fine-tune by filing the tip. Wash off with spirit after filing (solder isn't the best stuff to swallow either).
6) I recommend half-valving superlow harps. Due to overheat, you'll notice a decrease in volume and response. Valves will help balance that.
7) Serve shaken not stirred and enjoy;)
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www.truechromatic.com
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NewZealand18
31 posts
Jun 11, 2010
5:08 AM
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Cheers Jim, you seem to always answer my questions, cheers.
Sounds like a bit of work, might atleast wait until exams are over until i try it. how much are chromatic tuners generally? or is it cheaper to get the harmonica customised (bearing in mind shipping from New Zealand)
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jim
149 posts
Jun 11, 2010
6:20 AM
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I use iStrobosoft on iPhone. Cost me $10, and it's a professional-grade tuner.
I was young and cocky when I did those superlow sp20's with solder.
My position on that for today is - just get a superlow "Blues Session" or "Favorite". It will be cheaper than a custom-made one, and will perform better as well. Sp20's are available as low as lowD by the way - they are hard to find now, but those dinosaurs still exist :)
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Joch230
175 posts
Jun 11, 2010
7:51 AM
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I got one too (Low D) a couple of months ago from Rockin Ron.
-John
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Todd Parrott
95 posts
Jun 11, 2010
8:04 AM
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I have a bunch of low Eb Golden Melodies which I hope to convert some to low D's and some to low E's. That shouldn't be too difficult I don't think.
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sorin
177 posts
Jun 11, 2010
8:37 AM
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Local stores , don't have anything , and even what they have is more expensive: Samash ( local store) $36 , Rockinron $32
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NewZealand18
32 posts
Jun 11, 2010
2:58 PM
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Yeh shipping is also a hassle when living in New Zealand. I want eventually a low Bb Ab and Eb for playing along with horns. And is anyone able to just make a vid of them lowering a harmonica? even if its a bit rough i wouldn't be fased.
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jim
153 posts
Jun 11, 2010
3:08 PM
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Ab - buy a Session Ab. My advice...
Eb can be bought as sp20, or done yourself, it's not so difficult.
Bb - when I've made that lowA, there were two or three moments when I almost killed it. If you want a Bb, you should start with a very low key (the lower the better - lowD -> low Bb is best.)
I know, Rockshop NZ has no good harps unfortunately. I've been to NZ 2 years ago...
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www.truechromatic.com
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