[Harp-L] Breathy harp?

[Sean Murphy <taser8@xxxxxxxxx>]

I followed Jason Ricci's "Mongoose Free" cleaning method on an old
inherited Special 20 last week, and had a couple of questions...

First, I note that despite working it for a while (lightly! quickly!)
I've still got some pretty significant discolorations on the plates -
I am chalking those up to residue from the previous owner, am I
correct?

Of more concern, however, is that the harp seems really...I don't know
how else to say it...breathy now. That is to say, it plays fine on the
lower notes but as I move higher and higher it seems like it takes
more and more wind to sound a note - I can hear a very clear
windy/breathy sound before the notes blows, and even when it's
sounding I can hear my breath hissing through the harp.

Any ideas what might be causing this? I note that JR refers to making
the harp "airtight" - could that be it? What does that entail? I
tightened it up pretty solidly when I reassembled the harp, so I don't
think it's air leaking between anything but I could well be wrong...

Thanks!
Sean