RE: [Harp-L] out of the box

["Steve Shaw" <moorcot@xxxxxxx>]

> From: "Blake Taylor" <taylorb@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: [Harp-L] out of the box
> Date: Thu, 05 May 2005 22:30:15 -0400
>
> I mentioned in a post a while back that I got a Golden Melody (my first
> in a number of years) that was, to a sp20 player, stiff and airy - in
> other words, bad / sluggish response.  I also mentioned that I know next
> to nothing about harp tech work (disasterous attempts at tuning...random
> success with gapping..generally timid about the whole process).
>
> Anyway, what are some basic things one can / should do when your out of
> the box harp is, like mine, stiff and airy?  Please speak in simple
> terms to me...I was raised by a pack of academics, and have few tool
> skills, but I do have a LO repair kit.
>
> No controversial topic here....just asking for advice.  Thanks!!

As one non-expert Lee Oskar kit-user to another:  response problems are 
mostly caused by incorrect gapping.  "Incorrect" can mean badly set up in 
the factory, or badly set up for your needs.  The diagrams with your LO kit 
show what is basically meant by gapping.  When I first started to follow 
these instructions to alter gaps I found I was going about it too gingerly 
and not actually doing anything at all.  You have got to see a difference 
when you hold the reed-plate up to the light!  Be bold but go easy.  The 
gapping should appear consistent along both plates, with a gentle gradation 
from slightly larger gaps for the lower-pitched longer reeds to slightly 
smaller ones for the shorter reeds.  The gaps of the two reeds in each hole 
need to balance each other for both reeds to respond properly.  If the 
response problem is a weak sound, and not much is coming out unless you blow 
hard, then the gap is probably too large.  On the other hand, if when you 
"attack" the reed (try saying "duh" as you blow or draw the note in 
question) there is a momentary hesitation before the sound comes out, the 
gap may be too small.  I've found that the latter problem is far commoner 
than the former for out-of-the-box Hohners and Lee Oskars, but then this 
possibly relates to my rather forceful way of playing.  Downright 
inconsistent gapping is, sadly, quite common - most reeds OK but a few 
needing adjusting.
None of this applies if you're hell-bent on doing overblows by the way, but 
I don't do 'em.  You can get other problems like reeds catching the side of 
the slot and buzzing, but with me this has nearly always been because I've 
upset the position of the reed or created burrs whilst tuning, and not an 
OOTB problem, at least not with decent quality harps. Also, if you get into 
replacing individual reeds, the new reed needs to be the correct length for 
its slot and not too short.

Steve



http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/trad_irish_harmonica
HEAR my CD clips: http://www.gjk2.com/steveshaw/cd.htm
READ review of my CD: http://www.irishmusicreview.com/sshaw.htm