RE: [Harp-L] Stuck 5 Blow and Draw Stuck On Brand New Golden Melody

["Steve Shaw" <moorcot@xxxxxxx>]

> Hello
>
>   I got great advice from you folks a month ago and purchased the Jerry 
> Portnoy course thank you all you mailed me.
>
>   However I have another problem I need advice on. I also bought a Hohner 
> Golden Melody in the Key of A for the course . Was in the box for a couple 
> of weeks and have been playing it for about a week.
>
>   The five blow and draw are already sticking awful and I was so careful 
> to take care of it. I was checking Amazon and the vendors return policy and 
> don't think
>
>   I will get any satisfaction on a harmonica.I had lost my apartment and 
> close to everything. I borrowed money and got an advance on my April 12 
> birthday gift to get the course and the harp..
>
>   I am assuming I am going to have to buy a new one and do not want to 
> take this one apart until I have to . After I know they will not let me 
> return it.
>
>   I am so upset and terrified I will screw it up since i do not know what 
> I am doing. It seems like something might just be stuck in there.
>
>   Can any of you folks help me?Well it was worth a try, it sure seems like 
> you  all know what the hell you are talking about so it was worth a shot.
>
>   Mark Seagrave


You've probably got something stuck in there as you say, unless it's a 
gapping problem (you'd get a slight delay known as choking before the note 
sounds when you play hard).  Best thing is to just take off the covers and 
have a look.  It's only a couple of screws, but use the right screwdriver 
and don't overtighten when you replace them.  The problem may be staring you 
in the face (usually a beard-hair in my case) or you still may not see 
what's up.  Now the experts hereabouts may shoot me down for suggesting 
this, but when I get this hassle with a plastic-bodied harp and I haven't 
time to dismantle everything I rinse the harp thoroughly under a gentle 
stream of tepid water (You can even do it with the covers on, but the water 
gets at things better with 'em off).  Wrist-flick most of the water out then 
tap the harp sharply on your leg. Gets the muck out 95% of times.  Failing 
that you may need to do a little very tentative poking down the holes with a 
fine-pointed implement of some kind.   Do what doctors do - the least 
invasive measures first, the trickier procedures failing that.  Good luck.

Steve


http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/trad_irish_harmonica
HEAR my CD clips: http://www.gjk2.com/steveshaw/cd.htm
READ review of my CD: http://www.irishmusicreview.com/sshaw.htm