Re: Subject: [Harp-L] someone spilled beer in my harmonicas!!!!!

[EGS1217@xxxxxxx]

Right. I use rust and corrosion interchangeably when I  shouldn't. In my 
haste to respond to Randy I didn't differentiate between  the rust I've seen 
and removed from the undersides of  covers and betweem mouthpiece layers with 
the ugly  green corrosion on reed plates (often piled with huge  amounts of 
gunk and debris) without differentiating between them. I abbreviated.  Mea 
molto culpa.<G>
 
I'd personally never play a remotely dirty/grungy harmonica,  especially 
when it's a relatively simple process to keep them clean. The  key word (to 
me) in Randy's post was his description of his GMs as 'pristine' so  I posted 
a video from another well-known player of his acquaintance who  also 
believes in spotless harps demonstrating just how to get them  back to that 
pristine state. Randy thanked me offlist.
 
Guinness isn't a regular or light beer for those not aware nor is  it a 
good Russian vodka (which can easily be substituted for the Isopropyl  alcohol 
though seems a waste and surely costs a bit more?) Guinness dries  to a 
thick, impenetrable 'molasses' as evidenced by his already having to  use a 
razor blade to free up 3 reeds. Soaking might work, but would still  take far 
too much time. My impression was that he was in a bit of a hurry.  There'd be 
no reason not to scrub them 'fast and lightly' as  shown in the video. I 
wondered if Dawn dish detergent might help remove that  type of stickiness but 
thought the suds would take an extremely long time  to rinse off afterwards?
 
The main argument against soaking harps in water today for any length of  
time...or not to ensure that they are thoroughly dried off before storing  
despite the reminiscences of those who've 'always soaked theirs', is  purely 
because they cost far more now than the more disposable ones of  yesteryear. 
I don't know anyone today who wants to toss a custom GM, MB or MK.  Even 
some of the current crop of ootb harps can be in the $80 - $100 range. Well  
worth cleaning properly. Plastic combs have definitely improved their  
'clean-ability', but a lot of customs still have sealed wood combs and as far as  
I'm concerned (as are some customizers I've spoken with) -  corrosion can 
affect reed play.
 
 Changing this a bit: -People still buy what they think of as vintage  or 
'antique' harmonicas and seem to find it perfectly okay to  immediately play 
them without any thought of where they'd been (there's a  current thread on 
another site to that effect). Not my idea of a good  time, but YMMV. At that 
point to my mind ANY cleaning system would be  preferable, but - to each 
his own.
 
Elizabeth
 
"Message: 7
Date: Fri, 30 Sep 2011 07:37:18 -0400
From: "Splash!"  <celtiac@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: Subject: [Harp-L] someone spilled beer  in my
harmonicas!!!!! 
To:  <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>

Brass can not rust. Only Iron can oxidize  producing iron oxide (rust)

When life asks you to jump  in...
Splash!
----- Original Message ----- 
From:  <ssss>
Subject: Subject: [Harp-L] someone spilled beer in my  harmonicas!!!!!


Hi Randy:

The main issue
with  dunking  a whole harp in water is the brass of the reedplates and 
reeds
which  can  become discoloured and even begin to rust if not dried off"