CX-12 backspring mod

["Ken Hildebrand" <kenhildebrand@xxxxxxx>]

A short while ago, Sam Gravina posted a message
about looking to purchase a new chromatic harmonica
after having his CX-12's plastic cover housing getting busted
from being dropped several times.

Well accidents do happen, as I dropped my CX-12
twice in matter of days--once on a carpetted floor and the
last time on my basement concrete floor when I was carrying
it my shirt pocket and stupidly bent over.

Fortunately my CX-12 did not break, instead the
backspring just popped right off, and the CX-12 seemed
to explode in pieces--but nothing was actually broken.

What saved it from breaking ?

I think it was the modification that I made to the backspring
that I found on G's Harp-on website which can be found at:

http://www.angelfire.com/music/HarpOn/maintassemb.html#cx12work

It involves filing or grinding the tab edges on the steel backspring so that
they are more rounded--all the way back so that the inside of the plastic
cover housing will not hit the ledge of the backspring.   You want the
backspring to easily slide off when downward pressure is applied to
it and it is slid to the left or right.  I rounded mine even more than what
shows on G's website.

I'm not sure if my CX-12 will always survive a fall, but I know this
backspring mod makes disassembly easier and will help save your
plastic cover housing from breaking sooner than it may if not modifications
are made.  I do NOT put it in my front shirt pocket anymore, that's for
sure!

Save your CX-12 and do the backspring mod !

The nylon (cordura?) stun-gun case that I always carry my CX-12
in also helps to protect it when I'm not playing it!

Happy Harpin!

Ken Hildebrand