Todd Parrott
212 posts
Dec 11, 2010
11:19 PM
|
I needed a quick and temporary way to valve a couple of reeds on a harp, so I used a Pizza Hut receipt to cut out and make the valves. The waxy texture of the paper seems to work well. (I'm sure there are other things I could've used, but this was what was most handy at the time.)
This is the second time I've done this and it works great. I valved holes 5 and 7 in order to bend 5 blow and 7 draw. The valve on hole 5 was the first one I valved several months ago and it's lasted quite well. Earlier tonight I valved hole 7.
The harp is a low F# Huang Silvertone Deluxe, which has also been country tuned. I typically don't like or have a need for valves, nor did I want to do this type of work to a good harp. Of course I would NEVER record with this harp, but it sounds great live (especially to a non-harmonica-playing audience). I'm using this harp this weekend to play Christmas songs like, "O Little Town Of Bethlehem", "It Came Upon A Midnight Clear" and "Silver Bells". Though I can overblow, sometimes overblows just don't sound as pretty on songs like these; for me it's about how I like to express certain notes.
Again, I realize this is just a quick and temporary fix, not a permanent way to valve a harp, but it sure beats buying a valved harp for something I'll probably only use once a year. A Power Bender would have worked nicely on these songs as well, but again, my need didn't justify purchasing a separate harp or retuning an entire harp, etc.
Now how's that for sharing customizing secrets? :)
|
oldwailer
1436 posts
Dec 12, 2010
1:51 AM
|
I don't know--I know Papa John's costs a little more--but it's a lot better valve!
----------
|
eharp
999 posts
Dec 12, 2010
8:41 AM
|
has anybody tried the cheesy papar from a macdonalds egg mcmufin?
|
MP
1111 posts
Dec 12, 2010
10:34 AM
|
you can use cheese on the rivets instead of wax or nail polish.
----------
MP
hibachi cook for the yakuza
doctor of semiotics
superhero emeritus
|
Todd Parrott
214 posts
Dec 12, 2010
1:45 PM
|
@ oldwailer - LOL! I wonder if Papa John's receipts make good valves? :)
|
Kyzer Sosa
898 posts
Dec 12, 2010
4:57 PM
|
having worked at both establishments recently, Papa Johns and Pizza Hut, i can attest that they both use the same heat activated receipt paper. I have three sets of valves on standby from seydel (PT's material) that ill be ordering the first of the year.
----------
Kyzer's Travels
Kyzer's Artwork
|
JohnnieHarp
84 posts
Dec 12, 2010
9:10 PM
|
Todd, I've used thin plastic material from the packaging around Staples printer paper. Thin yet strong. Taped it in place with some Scotch tape. Still there.
Have also used the plastic material from bags containing hard candies and cough drops. Both worked well as relatively stiff yet light.
The printer paper wrapping was a bit lighter weight and perhaps a bit better. Will try and get a pic and post the link as these valves are a bit unusual in their design, due to their purpose.
Last Edited by on Dec 12, 2010 9:15 PM
|
Todd Parrott
223 posts
Dec 12, 2010
9:13 PM
|
Awesome! Would love to see it.
|
JohnnieHarp
85 posts
Dec 12, 2010
9:17 PM
|
At the beginning of the year during the Olympics, I customized a Piedmont to see how well I could get it to work. After embossing and gapping, I added a couple of "flap" valves to the upper reed plate to further help with the bendability of the draw reeds. Obviously, a flap valve can't be used on the inside surfaces due to the comb however for valving reeds on the blow plate, for my purposes, it worked fine.
The "Olympic Flap" valve on the left I further modified by partially separating the corresponding reed slot areas on the flap by cutting the material towards the rivet end, then trimmed each of them shorter until I got the desired draw airflow therefore feel and volume to the corresponding draw notes. As you can see, a lot of valve material can be removed yet the valve still has significant effect. This is why the millimeter or so PT removes when he valves isn't a problem.
This was a quick and dirty proof-of-concept project however it may give other's ideas in terms of trying short valves to improve/change performance of their harps. The player can incrementally adjust the valves hole by hole to yield the desired playability. The same could be done on the draw plate using individual draw reed valves.
Incidentally, the Piedmont ended up playing reasonably well. Not a substitute for a better harp, customized, but better than many good harps out-of-the-box.
Last Edited by on Dec 13, 2010 1:15 AM
|
Todd Parrott
225 posts
Dec 13, 2010
9:27 AM
|
Awesome!
|
chromaticblues
391 posts
Dec 13, 2010
12:28 PM
|
Todd I don't know if it will work or not, but maybe wax paper. If it does work it will probably last awhile.
|
JohnnieHarp
87 posts
Dec 13, 2010
12:47 PM
|
I tried wax paper. Works in a pinch. Longer term, was too floppy and can get soggy. Also can be tough to flatten. Considered aluminum foil too. That's why I went with the material I did as has some rigidity. Plastic from a clear food storage type bag would be too floppy also. For the lower notes with the longer slots, a thicker plastic acetate-type backing is needed to act as a support "spring" to keep the valve close to the slot.
My recollection re: ultrasuede from HarpL posts is that chromatic innovator, Vern Smith, has done a lot with ultrasuede valves over the years and "stiffens" the rivet end portion using heat and pressure. A search of the HarpL archives for "ultrasuede" will yield a lot of info for those interested.
Last Edited by on Dec 13, 2010 6:20 PM
|
