Subject: Re: [Harp-L] How many of you really fix your harps?

[EGS1217@xxxxxxx]

Peter Graber writes:
 
"I only clean my chromatic harmonica with rubbing alcohol, clean/gap reeds,  
and separate wind saver valves usually with those thin pieces of metal inside  
the security strips they put on packages at the stores. I also take the slide 
 assembly apart and clean/file it. If a reed goes out of tune, I've tried  
re-tuning without much success, so I send them back to Hohner (USA) to be looked 
 at...
Pete Graber
http://harmonicapete.port5.com
See you at The Garden  State Harmonica Festival starting tomorrow!"
 
......Hey Peter:   It was great meeting you at SPAH (you'd  just come from 
the Bonfiglio Seminar) and we "jammed" with Barbara Butler in the  Hotel Lobby 
with other Chrom players after a late lunch Saturday.  Your  music clips bring 
back nice memories of SPAH 2005. 
 
 I wanted to suggest an alternative to what you're using to separate  the 
wind savers and reeds on your chromatics:  A feeler gage,  made for automotive 
use (spark plugs).  I appropriated an old, unused set  from my father-in-law's 
work bench :-)      The only  issue with the newer ones (my husband bought one 
thinking I'd switch)  - hardened, tempered steel 26 leaf set ranging from 
.0015" to .0025", making  them wafer thin and perfect for sliding under and 
supporting a reed during  adjustment -  is to make sure to remove all traces of the 
oil they  come pretreated with before using on your harps. 
 
Froggy coveted my original set during his stay here.  I had to  keep hiding 
them! <G>
 
Elizabeth