BLOWN REEDS--how to repair

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	If you are careful, with needle-nosed pliers you can pull out the
	soft metal plug that holds the reed to the plate.  You may have to
	start this by pushing the plug out from the underside of the plate.
	A jeweler's hammer and awl can be used for pushing.  The plug should
	come off with the reed attached.  Pull out your blown reed the same
	way.  You can transplant the assembly--plug and reed--to another
	plate by pressing the plug into the new plate.  Press the
	replacement reed into place by hand, then use the tip of the pliers
	to make sure that the reed is flush with the plate--do this without
	squeezing the plug.

	Once you have it in place, gently crush the plug from above and
	below the plate with the pliers. This causes it to expand and grip
	the plate.  Finally, make sure that the reed tip rests above but
	close enough to the plate for vibration to work.  I've repaired
	several harps this way, always replacing reeds with the same reed
	from a spare-parts harp by the same manufacturer.  Using a different
	reed and cutting or shaving it down to size will almost always fail.

	Downsides: This will typically last half as long as the original
	reed.  The replacement reed will have slightly different tonal
	qualities.  It's easy to mash the plug in wrong.  I didn't really
	get it right until my third repair.

	cheers,
	matt