Pierre writes:
Currently I support the tip and push down with a toothpick to arc up, but that can create a dip into the slot towards the rivet which is bad, is there a better way?
While I'm at it, one of the worst problem is adjusting a reed, putting the harp back together only to find that nothing has changed. I often do this 5, 6 times in a row. Is it possible to get feeler gauges with very small gradiants to see the change? where can one buy such gauges? has anybody tried this? is this worth pursuing?
=============Winslow writes:
I find that stroking a reed along its length causes it to curl upwards (i.e. in the direction of the surface that is stroked). I support the reed with a brass shim (a piece of brass, thin like a feeler gauge tongue) and stroke it along its length with a brass tool that has a wide, flat edge (similar to a scewdriver but curved at the end - DON'T use a steel screwdriver as you'll scratch brass off the reed). You can strok the entire length if the unweighted portion of the reed or just one spot.
If you want to get a downward curve you can turn the reedplate over and place it flat on a firm surface - the reed pads and rivets will need to hang off the edge - and stroke it through the slot.
After any adjustment I always "plink" the reed - lift the reed tip and let it go so that it vibrates freely. Plinking and reverse plinking - puliing the reed tip down through the slot and letting it go - can also be used to make small adjustments in the reed profile if the reed is lifted far enough to flex it along its length.
I haven't really tried to use feeler gauges except to get an idea how close the reed is to the slot at the base of the reed. For the rest, I eyeball to see that the reed doesn't dip into the slot, stays fairly flat for much of its length, then curves slightly upward to the desired gap. The sound the reed makes when plinked is also telling, as you can hear how energetically it responds when plinked.
Winslow
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