MP
1445 posts
Feb 24, 2011
8:37 PM
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you need the 5 draw (a D reed) for your hohner diatonic in the key of A. (non MS of course).
you don't have an A donor harp. where do you look?
well, the 5 blow on a Bb is a D and will work fine. also the 3 draw from an Eb is also perfect.
but lets say you are fresh out of donor Bb and Eb plates.
how about the C# that is the 3 draw on a D? it'll fit.
while the reed is still on the plate, sharpen up one half step to D. you can check your progess by plinking the reed with your tuner on. it WILL hear the pitch of the reed-actually, any plinked reed. when you hit D and are about 25 cents sharp you're in business.(tuners hear plinked notes a little sharp).
pop 'er out and go. one 5 draw commin' up!
hope this helps.
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MP
doctor of semiotics and reed replacement.
"making the world a better place, one harmonica at a time"
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7LimitJI
399 posts
Feb 25, 2011
3:31 AM
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Click on this link for a list of all keys and the name of each reed for interchangeability.
LINK
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The Pentatonics Myspace
Youtube
"Why don't you leave some holes when you play, and maybe some music will fall out".
"It's music,not just complicated noise".
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MrVerylongusername
1569 posts
Feb 25, 2011
6:36 AM
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@7LimitJI
Sounds like a useful resource, but bizarrely MSWord won't let me open MSWorks docs. Any chance you could repost in word .doc format or PDF?
*edit* nevermind - found a PC at work with Works on and did it myself.
Great little chart! thanks for posting
Last Edited by on Feb 25, 2011 6:43 AM
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MP
1446 posts
Feb 25, 2011
9:59 AM
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howzit mvlun and 7limit!
i can't open the file cuz i'm not that smart. even so, i'm sure it exists.
i have a chart from richard sleigh. he put a lot of work into it and it was a gift so i'd never post it.
my suggestion is that you can use same slot size reeds a half step off for replacements in a pinch if you're short on cadavers.
of course the correct reed is the best reed.
cheers.
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MP
doctor of semiotics and reed replacement.
"making the world a better place, one harmonica at a time"
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arzajac
477 posts
Feb 25, 2011
10:08 AM
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You can get that chart from Richard Sleigh by signing up to his mailing list. It is a free download. It's part of the "Marine Band Field-hunter's Guide."
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isaacullah
1403 posts
Feb 25, 2011
10:54 AM
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Thanks for the tips MP!
Also, you can use longer reeds and trim them to fit in a shorter slot. Here's a recent thread where I documented how I do this: http://www.modernbluesharmonica.com/board/board_topic/5560960/961665.htm
@7limit: I'd really like to see that file, but I can't open it either. Would you let some one convert it and repost it? I'm think MrVeryLong could do this?
Cheers,
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== I S A A C ==
View my videos on YouTube!
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harpwrench
447 posts
Feb 25, 2011
10:57 AM
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MP when you're short on donors you can use longer reeds of the same width, clip/file to fit. For the 4-hole abusers on D harps, where the above trick seemingly wouldn't work because of the jump from wide to narrow slots.....sometimes I'll use an auto ignition points file (sorry kids, that was before you were born for most of you) to widen the slot to accept a shortened lower hole reed. They'll often last longer.
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MrVerylongusername
1570 posts
Feb 25, 2011
3:03 PM
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Here you go, 7LimitJI's chart in Adobe pdf format:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3807663/Harp%20Reeds.pdf
Last Edited by on Feb 25, 2011 3:04 PM
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MP
1448 posts
Feb 25, 2011
10:23 PM
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yes arzajac! that's where i got mine. he sent it in a pdf file.
thanks isaac and wrench.
i like the idea of lower wide slot reeds clipped and put into into narrow higher reed slots. those first 3 reeds are pretty indestructible for the most part. i just changed a 3 draw on an Eb yesterday- but as a rule, those guys are tough.
seems i change more 5 draws on D harps than anything else. 4 draw is second place but holy hell, that G reed is tops by far.
maybe if i use the ignition points file method, i can make a super reed that will stand up to the butterfield strangle!
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MP
doctor of semiotics and reed replacement.
"making the world a better place, one harmonica at a time"
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isaacullah
1408 posts
Feb 26, 2011
9:52 AM
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Thanks for reposting that file MrVeryLong! And thanks to 7limit for sharing it in t he first place! It'll be very useful and will save my poor brain from having to count through all the notes and trying to reason which octave they are in! :)
Harpwrench, that's a great idea to widen the slot! Not only does it open up more reed donor possibilities, but as MP says, it ought to have some effect on the longevity of the replaced reed too!
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== I S A A C ==
View my videos on YouTube!
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MP
1451 posts
Feb 26, 2011
12:20 PM
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here's one.
you forgot to label your donor plate and and don't remember what key it is.
get your tuner out and plink. if it's a blow plate plink 1,4,7,or 10(obviously) and see what the tuner says.
on a draw plate, the 1 and 4 are one whole step higher than the harps key. or, you can think second pos. and plink 2 draw. E is an A harp. A is a D harp etc..
best to give 'em a few plinks and test a few different reeds. once in a while, a reed will give you a fifth of its actual pitch.
now where'd i put that magic marker?......
MP
doctor of semiotics and reed replacement.
"making the world a better place, one harmonica at a time"
Last Edited by on Feb 26, 2011 12:22 PM
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isaacullah
1412 posts
Feb 26, 2011
12:51 PM
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MP: Rather than plink to check the tuning of a reed when the harp is fully disassembled, I just put the plate up to my lips with the reed side outwards, form an embouchure around the back of a reedslot (kind of like I'm going to kiss the back of the reedslot), and draw in with steady breath pressure. I get a clean, steady note that is only about 5 cents sharp from when the harp is fully assembled. It really makes checking the tuning easy. Chris Michalek taught me this trick. You can also bend the note this way. It works like a valved bend.
Cheers,
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== I S A A C ==
View my videos on YouTube!
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MP
1452 posts
Feb 26, 2011
2:29 PM
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isaac,
i knew someone was gonna mention that!:) it's a good method.
see yah,
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MP
doctor of semiotics and reed replacement.
"making the world a better place, one harmonica at a time"
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