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

[Pierre <plavio@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Here is a good link from G's site.

http://www.angelfire.com/music/harmonica/reedadjustment.html

Use old harps to practice on, no tools required if you just want to gap, I 
use a tooth pick, a set of small screw drivers and a feeler gauge (not the 
wire ones) to lift reeds. If you play Special 20s, I suggest you buy some 
turbo lids to ease the open close part of the work. For playing I use 
Turbolids on harps at or below C, but not above as they sound thin.

For my taste, I usually close the gap everywhere. It requires less air. You 
may need to adjust your playing a bit to avoid having reeds choke on you. 
Arcing is time consuming. for a starter, I would not bother, just close the 
gap some or open as needed. If any effort (or chance) is required to nail 
any note, chances are it needs gapping.

Pierre.



----- Original Message ----- 
From: <BiscuitBoy714@xxxxxxx>
To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, December 29, 2006 9:46 PM
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Re: A couple of questions


> 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).
>
>
>
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