replacing individual reeds

[J Patrick Hester -- NY <ph@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Barry writes...

>George Miklas is correct. If the reed starts to drop in pitch rapidly 

>it's cracked.  F&R Farrel company sells a tool outfit for removing and 

>replacing the reed in trouble.  What they don't sell are replacement 

>reeds.  These you'll have to salvage from other dead harmonicas.  The 

>problem with this of course is that the reeds that go bad are the ones 

>you play and bends the most so the same reeds in every D (or any key that 

>you play) harmonica will always be cracked or severly fatigued.  


But you could probably grab the appropriate reed from a dead harp in a
different key. Another reason to accumulate a harmonica boneyard rather
than throwing them away.

I've often wished for a way to replace individual reeds but this is 

the first I've heard of this tool kit. Gotta gemme won.