Re: [Harp-L] Re: A couple of questions

[BiscuitBoy714@xxxxxxx]

In a message dated 12/29/2006 6:17:57 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
samblancato@xxxxxxxxxxx writes:  
 
         Thanx Sam for getting back  with me about this. I'm hip about the 
lower harps being easier and I knew that  there had to be a way of tweeking them 
too, I just never figured out how to do  it. The harp player for Big Dave and 
the Ultrasonics gave me a card for a guy  who tweeks them somewhere in PA, (I 
was living in Erie at the time playing with  Jakes Blues on  lot of his gigs 
and doing country too) he wanted like 100  bucks and a new harp to do it on. I 
just couldn't afford that. How do you make  these adjustments? Do you start 
with one of those kits made by the Lee Oscar  Co.? I play up high some, but 
it's so hard to get good tone on a stock harp  up there that I just do a few 
things to prove I know the notes and get  outta there. Thanx again so much dude 
you have answered some questions that have  plagued me for years. Now all I 
gotta do is figure out how to tweek 'em on my  own.
           Randy

I think  you need to lower your expectations on what you can get out of  the
box.  I know this kind of sucks but you just have to get used to  adjusting
your harps for your playing.  I have a Harring Vintage in  G.  I had to
gasket it and bend the whole draw plate and gap the whole  thing.  But it is
now the absolute best G harp I have ever  owned.  It's as tight as a B flat
and I can pressurize it like a B  flat.  It's a real joy to play.  All the
adjustments that I did  on all my harps were VERY SUBTLE.  The key is to just
take your  time.  You're going to have to disassemble and reassemble each
harp  three or four times before you get it where you want it.  That's  just
the cold, bitter truth (kidding here).