Killa_Hertz
242 posts
Jan 15, 2016
7:16 AM
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Super Bee had brought this up. I want to tune down my LeeOskar G harp to Low F. I got the blue tack yesterday. Imma get to it after work. Just was looking for some more tips.
How much tack to use?
How to tell when its enough/too much?
Then i assume once you get to the right point you take metal away from the rivet end to tune it. But what am i looking for as the starting point. Just add enough to get into the low F? Then start tweakin? I imagine it doesnt take much to get down two notes.
Also what if i tune down too low? Just take some tack off? I guess the yrick is to tune carefully here so that doesn't happen.
Any info to help me minimize the learning curve would be appreciated.
Thanks All.
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......." Where Does He Get Those Wonderful Toys?" .......
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SuperBee
3234 posts
Jan 15, 2016
1:44 PM
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Start with one reed. It's gonna be a painstaking job to get it all tuned.
Here is what Isaacullah had to say about it way back in 2011, when (currently suspended member) Frank was insisting solder was the best way to go:
"My one main reason for using Blutak is that it is instantly reversible, and also instantly redoable. What I mean is that once you've tuned a reed down with the proper size blob of blutak, you simply can pluck the blob off and the reed is back to its original tuning. If you keep the blob (e.g., set it on the reedplate nearby the reed from whence it came), then you can easily re-adhere it to the reed to bring it back to it's altered state. Since the hardest part of blutak tuning is determining the correct size of the blob, once you have the blob, this retuning literally takes a few seconds. Thus, you can pretty much have one harp that you can change the tuning of in an instant.
Secondly, with blutak, you only need a very few rudimentary tools, and you never have to file (which I hate doing). Here's a tip for doing blutak: use an x-acto knife. What I do is to put a small amount in a little clump on the desk, and use the x-acto knife to slice off a small amount out of it. Poke the small bit with the tip of the knife so it's loosely adhered. Then, support the reed with a shim under it and gently smear the blutak onto the tip of the reed. I usually then LIGHTLY push down on it with a finger, with a slight rocking motion. This gets it better stuck to the tip of the reed. Then, I go in with the x-acto again to shape it. I like it to be square, and set back from the edges of the reed by a small margin (so it doesn't make the reed stick in the slot). I usually taper the edges at an angle, so it looks like a little "prism". Almost always, I've put too much on, and the reed is detuned too much. I use the x-acto to cut a little bit off, from the BACK (side facing the rivet end of the reed) of the small prism of blutak. You have to do this in a deft, precise motion in order to avoid forming a stretched out "string" when pulling the material away. Anyway, once you get the hang of it, it's not too hard at all. I find I can do the whole procedure in about 30 seconds or so per reed!"
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SuperBee
3235 posts
Jan 15, 2016
1:48 PM
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Here is the thread blutac thread
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MindTheGap
993 posts
Jan 15, 2016
2:32 PM
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It's becoming clear to me that I'm a complete lightweight around here. I have considered doing one reed to try something out, but retuning a whole 20 reeds using blutak? Impressive stuff.
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mtg - Blaring like a mad farm goose.
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Killa_Hertz
249 posts
Jan 15, 2016
7:27 PM
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Thanks Bee imma try this tomorrow. I should have bought the low f manji. Lol.
I have nothing to play on these nice new
harps. There still fun to play with. But i wish i had more songs to learn.
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......." Where Does He Get Those Wonderful Toys?" .......
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SuperBee
3236 posts
Jan 15, 2016
10:34 PM
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has to be easier than filing. filing solder with clog files quickly too.
that said, i'm probably going to make a Low F# from a G Sp20. i think i'll file it down, or polish it if i can be bothered with a rotary tool...may have to sell a few harps...
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Killa_Hertz
268 posts
Jan 16, 2016
4:37 PM
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What harps are you selling?
Or was that a joke that went over my head?
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......." Where Does He Get Those Wonderful Toys?" .......
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SuperBee
3249 posts
Jan 17, 2016
1:08 AM
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well no twarnt a joke, just i got a bunch of harps...theres 8 in the post to me that i know...good harps...i have 50 personal diatonics plus the scapyard...and a guy sent me 20 the other day in return for working on half a dozen for him...so i have close on 80 harps and that seems ridiculous...so i think i should sell some harps before i buy more tools
ive been selling amps...happy today because i just unloaded 1 more and the bass player took his bass rig home..its been camping in my room for 2 months...it was a bridge too far in my crowded space...just made it unworkable...i am in this 3 metre x 4 metre room, with computer, piano, guitar rack, 12 amps, and a desk...this is supposed to be my space and i have to take all my projects out to the kitchen table because of the clutter in here...that bass rifg was the last straw...so glad its gone...
so harps..yeah no definite plans but i'm gonna do up some customs and some restorations. customs will be marine band/sp20. restos will be Lee Oskars and MS Pro harps/blues harps...dunno keys yet...
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