Re: [Harp-L] Tuning Annoyances

[G <gigs@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

  Boy oh Boy I've really been there, it sucks!
  So...  
***  Harmonica customiser tuning trade secret #1  ***
  Keep the reeds and reedplates warmer than breath tempurature.
If condensation is forming on the reedplates, then dry off the worst of it
and reheat.  The condensation causes friction between the reed and reed
slot edges messing up its fine tuning - its variable and unpredictable.
  Dick Gardner wrote a hand book on caring for your harmonica, and he has a
golden rule "Never play a cold harmonica".
  I've tried a number of different methods for heating reedplates, and what
I've settled on is a small electric heating pad, two plastic heat/cold
sports gel packs sitting flat on top, and wrapped in a thick towel for
insulation.  
  I turn the heater on, warm up the gel packs, 2 minutes x2 each, placing
the other on the heat pad while waiting, keeping it all wrapped in the
towel to retain the heat.  Then place the reedplates on the top pad, with
the towel pulled over.  So when fine tuning I generally work on two or
three diatonics at the same time, or one chromatic swapping between the top
and bottom reedplates, reheating one set of reedplates whilst working on
the other.

  With that as a given, expect there to be some settling time over the next
week or two (possibly three if rereeding or extreme fine tuning), wait 5 or
so days after your initial tuning, then fine tune by smaller amounts and
gradually increasing regularity until its stable - on average its about 2
weeks - however at the end of the day, a reed isn't settled until it's
settled, so it may take longer, or it may not need anymore tweaking.  
  Reed adjustment in general is interelated with good fine tuning, so
checking gapping and attitude of the reed is just as important and should
be done when fine tuning.
  Valves definitely have an effect on fine tuning, covers not quite as
much, but enough to be important.  The changes are not really predictable,
not in a practical way.  So its best to hold the reedplates and covers on
using your fingers.  With small reeds, its sometimes worthwhile
reinstalling a few reedplate screws to ensure there's no leakage around the
chamber.
  Work on a highbench so you don't have to bend over to get in close.  Have
a bright white surface to work on, I secure white cotton fabric to the
bench, as it helps stop small components escaping.  Use good lighting, for
myself I have an office desk lamp with three joints and a moveable head so
I can use it in many different positions, very important for reed adjustment.
  And its best to do fine tuning in a quiet environment without risk of
being interrupted, and feeling well.
  There's a lot of good advice include in Altered States tun.txt and
replace.txt
http://www.patmissin.com/tunings/tunings.html
And more material here
  http://www.angelfire.com/music/harmonica/harptechtips.html

Cheers,
-- G.
http://harmonica.7p.com

Date: Mon, 24 Apr 2006 09:16:10 -0700 (PDT)
From: Paul Bowering <paul_bowering@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] Tuning Annoyances
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
>
>I've bought the files, feeler gauges and even a
>virtual strobe tuner (great product by the way);
>ruined a couple harps and am now pretty decent at
>tuning my own harps. 
>
>A problem remains. I stay up late and risk my wife's
>wrath for the satisfaction of those smooth chords and
>non-beating octaves. Until the next morning when all
>those reed have drifted and I have to retune all over
>again. I'm not working on failed reeds so what do you
>other tinkeres do about the following:
>
>1) Assembled reed plates - is it best to tune the harp
>with plates attached to comb. While I can tune the
>blow notes with attached plate it is more difficult.
>Do loose plates greatly affect the final result?
>
>2) Cover plates - do they alter the pitch? 
>
>3) Predictability - do the above two items behave in a
>consistent fashion? In other words if covers drop the
>pitch by 7 cents on one harp will it do the same on
>the next? If so I could tune with these offsets taken
>into account. (This doesn't have to be exact; I could
>live with a couple cents difference and it would still
>be better that not knowing at all).
>
>4) Valves - I've taken to half-valved diatonics. If I
>add them after tuning they could have significant
>impact. I haven't done enough of them to say for sure
>but there's the potential. If I add them before the
>tuning process then they get in the way and I pretty
>much need to tune with unattached reed plates; a
>tuning Catch-22.
>
>5) How long after tuning before a reed settles in?
>
>Any tips or suggestions appreciated,
>
>Paul