[Harp-L] XB40 nuts and bolts

["Steve Shaw" <moorcot@xxxxxxx>]

I now have two XB40s, one in G and one in low D.  When I get any new harp I 
want to get it into 12 tone equal temperament and "Paddy Richter" it, so I 
was in line for some dismantling anyway, but I have to say at the outset 
that neither harp came out of the box ready for playing.  Both had 
out-of-tune reeds, even in the compromise tuning system used by Hohner, and 
both, oddly, had three or four of the low end "zero offset" auxiliary reeds 
with substantial gaps which were causing breathiness at the low end.  I 
could hardly get a sound out of 1-blow on the low D.  I can't think that 
these reeds were supposed to be gapped like that, because when I shut them 
down in line with all the others the breathiness was instantly and 
completely removed.  There's no problem with those low notes bending after 
what I did either.

The plates are held on by ten screws of two different lengths.  You can't 
get at the blow reeds from the outside like you can with a regular 10-hole 
because of the internal construction, so you have two alternatives if you 
need access to them - either use a reed-lifting tool of the type suggested 
by Rick Epping here a few weeks ago, or take out all those screws!  I chose 
to do the latter as I saw it as less risky (I'm clumsy), though with ten 
screws you have to be very vigilant about not letting the screwdriver slip 
and damage the reeds.  You can do your retuning or whatever on the blow 
reeds and test out your work by just holding the plates back on (fiddly but 
possible).  I also tested the results with just a couple of screws in just 
to reassure myself, before putting the whole shebang back together again.  
You need to go progressively and not over-tighten those screws.  As the 
mouthpiece stays on throughout this procedure you don't so much have the 
issue of being forced to use an abnormal embouchure when you're testing.

I was slightly fearful of doing much work on these harps, partly because 
they ain't cheap (esp. in the UK!) and partly because they are more 
complicated inside than a regular harp, but now that I've done it once I 
don't see it as any harder to do, just a little more time-consuming.  There 
are valves in there, but they're in the comb chambers and not on the 
reedplates, so you just leave them alone and they're not in the way at all 
when you're working on the reeds.

These are amateur, low-tech ramblings and if anyone has any better ideas 
I'll be the first to take 'em on board.  Don't criticise my choice of tuning 
though - I'm 53 and I'll do what I like!

The one remaining problem I have is that the top end of the low D - hole 7 
up, both blow and draw - suddenly feels very "tight" compared to to the 
other holes - seem to need more effort to activate the reeds.  I can't see 
any obvious problem, e.g. wide gapping, that could be causing this.  Maybe 
time and playing will loosen things up...

Steve



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