boris_plotnikov
352 posts
Dec 19, 2010
10:54 AM
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Keith Evans send me a photo and Buddha's coments on his kit
The kit includes:
Embossing Tool
Gapping Tool
Plinker
File
Reed Scraper
.001 shim
All of the tools are hand made by me except the file and shim."
"the brass tool is for planking and gapping. The brass tool with the
handle is for embossing, just put the shim underneath the reed and run
the tool over the each side of the slot. The tool with the barb is a
reed scraper for tuning."
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Excuse my bad English. Click on my photo or my username for my music.
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boris_plotnikov
353 posts
Dec 19, 2010
10:57 AM
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Anyway I didn't understand how to emboss the beginning of the slot properly. I dislike Jim's method as I ruined reed once, I rotate reeds to emboss beginning of the slot but it's uncontrollable process.
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Excuse my bad English. Click on my photo or my username for my music.
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Todd Parrott
244 posts
Dec 19, 2010
11:27 AM
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I have those exact same tools, same color and everything, even the purple cloth. He was nice enough to just give them to me. I didn't even ask; I just went to the mailbox one day and there was a package from Chris with the tools in it. He was a good guy.
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groyster1
591 posts
Dec 19, 2010
1:15 PM
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@Todd
so glad you had this positive experience with chris-obviously people in this forum surely did not know the man
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HarpNinja
887 posts
Dec 19, 2010
2:37 PM
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Boris,
I am wrestling with how information regarding Chris's techniques should be handled. I know he showed me a TON of things and always answered my questions. We had an agreement that I wouldn't do anything to compete with or hurt his business while he was in operation at risk of losing his customizing mentoring. Technically, all best are off, but I don't think I have any right to be in charge of giving up all his secrets.
Leading up to SPAH, he really coached me up on the finer details that I had yet to really experiment with. Anyways, my point is I don't want to spill the beans for a number of reasons yet, nor do I want his techniques to be forgotten, so I'll try my best to be helpful and not too vague.
Regarding embossing, Dave Payne has an excellent YouTube regarding using something like an Exacto knife. As evident in the tools shown, Chris subscribed to embossing the whole slot. Using a sharp edge has been described by a number of customizers. I don't think stating that is really sharing anything sacred or out of line. In fact, Rick Epping has shared a similar technique as well as others.
I think what makes each person unique is how they actually measure their embossing. I am also confident that good customizers have different opinions on what the end product should look like. However, it has been mentioned by a few on the board that you can do the whole slot by turning the reed at the rivet.
Personally, I've had great luck without moving the reeds. I have done it the other way, but it takes so much time and patience. There is nothing wrong with that, but I think other factors are probably more important to getting the harp right. On a lot of Hohners, I've embossed the sides away from the rivet to where I want them. I've then used a penny to emboss closer to the rivet and try to match the rest of the reedplate. I would guess some do the rivet end first and work forward...probably more aggresively towards the tip.
It isn't as perfect, and it has been mentioned much less clearance can exist on that end (Rick Epping, Kenya Pollard), and I am sure it isn't as embossed as well as it could be, but I've had no ill effects on any key I've tried it on.
Another benefit is this process can help flatten the reed physically.
I think a lot of voodoo about working on harps has been demystified here and on Harp-l. The greats adapt these techniques and the tools they use. The biggest difference from pros to hobby customizers, IMO, is the dedication and patience around doing everything right all the time. Usually, when building for yourself, it is easier to settle on things if the harp does what you want.
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Mike
VHT Special 6 Amp for Harp Blog
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jim
582 posts
Dec 19, 2010
3:05 PM
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HarpNinja,
I would go for it... Or AT LEAST use it to offer custom harps!
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www.truechromatic.com
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HarpNinja
888 posts
Dec 19, 2010
3:47 PM
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I bugged Chris all the time for letting me be in his guild, lol. We were set to do some Manji lessons right after the holidays...I plan on doing at least some building for others, but am in no rush. I really do think some of his work needs to live on at least in effort, and I know there is solid demand.
That being said, my love is in the reedwork. I have no intentions of making combs, etc...just working on overblow harps. My study of customizing was based solely on producing gigging quality overblow harps. I know since around SPAH my abilites have really taken off, but again, it is in a narrow niche of Golden Melody OB harps, lol.
We'll see...
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Mike
VHT Special 6 Amp for Harp Blog
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RyanMortos
924 posts
Dec 19, 2010
4:03 PM
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Never had a customizing lesson from Chris but I did from a few other guys both informal and formal. I would recommend the Turbocharge your Harmonica book & tool set from Richard Sleigh. Some of the tools in his kit are similar or have similar use. I'm always up for learning more about customizing though :) . Much like HarpNinja I'm not interested in making combs. I also dabbled in customizing marine bands - the nails to screws & sealing combs thing. I think with more practice and proper tools I could get that down but I'd rather just put my time into the reed work. I also have used a digital chromatic tuner for tuning which I'm sure isn't spot on, ha.
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~Ryan
"I play the harmonica. The only way I can play is if I get my car going really fast, and stick it out the window." - Stephen Wright
Pennsylvania - H.A.R.P. (Harmonica Association 'Round Philly)
Contact:
My youtube account
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Zhin
564 posts
Dec 19, 2010
4:07 PM
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Mike, please contact me off-forum when you can to discuss Master Chris's methods. I think what we can at least do for now is make sure that those of us who were under his wing reinforce what we know and make "backup" copies of his wisdom within us for now.
Thanks.
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http://www.youtube.com/harmonicazhin
Last Edited by on Dec 20, 2010 11:31 PM
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tookatooka
1949 posts
Dec 19, 2010
4:29 PM
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Anyone else feeling uneasy about the way this thread is unfolding or is it just me?
Last Edited by on Dec 19, 2010 4:30 PM
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tookatooka
1950 posts
Dec 19, 2010
4:40 PM
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I can understand your concerns ReedSqueal, I'm sure there will be lots of loose ends that will need tidying.
I just don't think its appropriate to discuss Chris's methods and tricks of the trade so soon after his demise.
Last Edited by on Dec 19, 2010 4:40 PM
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ReedSqueal
36 posts
Dec 19, 2010
4:43 PM
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OK, well maybe we need a moderator to define what can be said and when, and what is deemed appropriate. Or not.
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Go ahead and play the blues if it'll make you happy.
-Dan Castellaneta
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Zhin
566 posts
Dec 19, 2010
5:03 PM
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ReedSqueal, chill. tookatooka makes a solid point here.
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http://www.youtube.com/harmonicazhin
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hermonica
17 posts
Dec 19, 2010
5:18 PM
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This is so wrong. People are trying to capitalize on michalek already? Harpninja you do not spare a moment without talkin about urself ur band ur CDs ur "abilities"
From what I see ur a subpar player who can ob?
Zhin Plz stop whoring the few days u spent with the guy it does no merit harp orders from u and I bet u would never publicly stated ur harps are louder than buddhas lol
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jonlaing
156 posts
Dec 19, 2010
5:26 PM
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I read nothing of capitalizing...
I think you need to chill dude. I'm pretty sure that everyone here is aware of the gravity and ethical questions of sharing Chris' secrets. No one mentioned anything about capitalizing.
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Zhin
571 posts
Dec 19, 2010
5:29 PM
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Wow, an attack on both Mike and Me? Herm, you have no idea what we meant to Chris and what he meant to us.
Seriously MODERATORS, redeem yourselves and BAN this shitbag.
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http://www.youtube.com/harmonicazhin
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Littoral
222 posts
Dec 19, 2010
5:47 PM
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hermonica, pretty violent stuff. Try and relax. I was with your general point but it's not worth the angst. Just my opinion.
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Littoral
223 posts
Dec 19, 2010
5:49 PM
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"...redeem yourselves?"
Wow. Yeah, you learned plenty.
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Zhin
573 posts
Dec 19, 2010
5:53 PM
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Just keep talking shit, expose your ugliness and negativity for all to see.
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http://www.youtube.com/harmonicazhin
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HarpNinja
892 posts
Dec 19, 2010
7:25 PM
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Zhin,I'll be in touch.
I am just catching up on this thread now. Regarding capitalizing on Chris's death, please see the thread on his techniques. I've had 6 emails from people in the last 24hrs about custom harmonicas and the state of unfinished orders. I can't help that as I don't recall asking anyone to contact me about them. I've tried to direct the inquiries to Harp-L and this forum as I don't know what should be done, nor do I have any special permissions or anything.
I have volunteered my specific knowledge of working on OB harps if that would be of assistance to others at this time. Other than occasionally building for friends, I don't want to do harps as a real business right now, although I might down the road.
In honor of my fallen friend, I did explicitly detail on my Facebook page that if a few harp friends wanted OB harps, I would work on them for nearly no cost in labor in salute to Chris and what he showed me to do, as I do think his work needs to carry on in some for or another. I am not sure the best mode, but after talking it over with my wife and lots of crying, it is a way in which I can hopefully grieve and help share the love that he did.
That is not an offer extended here out of respect for other customizers. However, I do very much want to help those left hanging by Chris's death and if my knowledge can be of service, I'd like it to be.
I am trying to contribute to the community because I love learning harmonica and many of the people I've met in my journey. I thank those of you trying to be productive in this ordeal, and I hope we can all be understanding in how differently we each may respond to Chris's death and his impact on the harmonica community.
I don't see the benefit of some of the posts and comments here and if someone has issue with anything I share on this forum, please feel free to contact me through Facebook, my website, me public email at mikefugazzi AT gmail DOT com, or phone (easily found on my website). All I ask in return is that you be honest in identifying yourself and not hide behind a screen name in order to attack others without consequence.
Thanks again to those trying to contribute to the instrument as opposed to trying to turn us against each other.
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Mike
VHT Special 6 Amp for Harp Blog
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Barry C.
88 posts
Dec 20, 2010
8:54 AM
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wow - even after a tragic death (and not to mention it's the holiday season) - there's a fight on every freaken thread - if you don't have something POSITIVE to contribute STFU, will ya's.
Some of us came here to learn about harmonica in a friendly & supportive environment as an extension of Adam's lessons, and a few are really spoiling it!
Can't get no peace in the barnyard~
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~Banned in Boston!
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