Subject: [Harp-L] Cleaning the chromatic

[EGS1217@xxxxxxx]

Gary Lehman writes:
"Hi all-
I just spoke with Hohner, they are sending back the CX-12 I  cleaned with
hydrogen peroxide--predictably, they advised against that.   Curiously, they
also advised against cleaning the harp with anything except  alcohol.
Rusting rivets were the reason--
I do seem to notice harps get  stuff on them--I can't always brush before
every note--can I get some  different ideas of what everybody (well, not
EVrybody) does to clean their  instrument? I will go ahead and use denture
cleaners if that's what it  takes--
Gary"
 
....Gary....we've covered this topic fairly extensively just recently...a  
search of the archives - subject: cleaning harps  should give you all the  posts 
about the issue and mine was one of them...so I won't bore the rest of the  
list by reiterating everything, but the main thing I use is alcohol. I used  to 
use  ethyl alcohol(70%) but switched to the 91% purer isopropyl  alcohol 
because Jason Ricci mentioned using it and it's a far better  product.  I use a 
clean "Reach" toothbrush reserved  just  for my harmonicas (chromatics as well 
as diatonics).  Hold them upside  down - have the alcohol in a small plastic 
cup into which I dip the  toothbrush and then scrub up into the mouthpiece and 
all around (of course you  have to do it while depressing the slide as 
well..hard to do with one  hand).  The bristles are just long enough to get rid of 
most foreign matter  without doing any damage to the reeds.  Anything the 
toothbrush  doesn't remove, I'll work at with an orange stick (less invasive than a  
screwdriver)....and besides I don't want to break my delicate screwdrivers by  
using them as a scraping tool.  I then tap off briskly onto a  clean cloth 
and wipe down thoroughly.  (This is only a rudimentary  cleaning, mind you).  If 
there are any stuck reeds then the harmonica  needs to be opened up....that's 
another post -- again, check the archives or  write to me offlist if you'd 
like. The foregoing of course is a  basic cleaning for harps for which I've been 
the sole player.  For the ones  I've bought used from EBay, my cleaning 
ritual is far more extensive.  Most  of my collection of older chromatics are wood 
bodied...so I won't use water  that would swell the wood.  I live in a humid 
environment...that is  problem enough.  For carrying a harp with me, I'll bring 
 along individual packaged alcohol swabs and give a wipe down when  needed.  
I also use Maas, a metal/glass/fiberglass polish on  every surface except 
wood(even the brass around the reeds) of my harmonicas  -- but it's time-consuming 
and intricate... however I don't mind and  have the time to put into it, 
following up with an alcohol  wipe-down.  Then I consider them "disinfected" and 
clean.  Lots  of people here don't do anything remotely this 
complicated...different strokes  for different folks  <G>   (I may be wrong but think most  
people who use the denture tab style of cleaning do so for diatonics,  not chroms).
 
Elizabeth