Fwd: XB-40 and Valve Feedback

["Winslow Yerxa" <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx>]

- --- In harp-l-archives@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "Eric" <blork@xxxx> wrote:
Well just got my brand new XB-40 in the key of G today.  Initially i 
was extremely delighted with this insturment, but as i continued to 
play i noticed that on the lower holes(specifically 1-4) changing 
from blowing to draw notes creates quite an audible valve popping 
noise, and occasionally causes the note to stutter.  I assume this 
is a function of the unique valve design.  Will this problem go away 
with age?  Is it merely an unpreventable side effect of valveing a G 
harp?  Hopefully I can get used to this, but right now it is really 
annoying.
- --- End forwarded message ---

I have two G and two A harps that I play frequently (and low F and C 
that I play less often). I ocasionally experience valve pop and 
buzz, but no more than I might on chromatic.

Playing with anything in your mouth that might cause valves to 
stick - residue from food or drink, mostly - could potentially cause 
this. It's possible but seems unlikely that the instrument could 
ahve come with sticky valves.

Do you have other valved instruments, such as hald-valved diatonics 
or valved chromatics? If your experience with them is similar, then 
you might want to look to your mouth and throat as a possible 
culprit. If not, there may be something unique to this individual XB-
40.

I don't think the XB-40 design makes valve problems any more likely 
than on other valved instruments.

Winslow