Re: [Harp-L] Soaking harps

["Rick Dempster" <rick.dempster@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Any kind of harp becomes louder the moment it is immersed in water.
Removing 'gunk' takes longer than this. 
I repeat, it is because the water temporarily fills up any gaps,
especially the clearances between the reeds and slots.
It's more likely that cleaning out the 'gunk' would make the harp
leakier and therefore quieter. 
I never really bother cleaning diatonics unless I happen to have the
thing apart and I can see layers of muck flaking away and threatening to
end up in my mouth or get caught in a reed. 
If a wooden harp is played frequently the comb should remain moist
enough not to shrink and require dampening. The 'gunk', likewise,
usually only starts to flake off if the harp is left to dry out for long
enough.
Cleaning diatonics? Nice for people with that much time to spare......
RD

>>> "Steve Shaw" <moorcot@xxxxxxx> 18/07/2007 3:55:37 >>>
>>Why does a harp play more responsively for a few minutes after you
run it
>>under the tap?
>>I mainly use non-wood combs, so I'm really only interested in what
effect
>>soaking has on the reeds.

>>Ken

>Because you've washed the gunk (AKA dried saliva) out of it.

>Dave Payne Sr.

Dave is correct.  For many years I've washed my plastic-bodied
non-valved 
harps under a lively stream of tepid water thoroughly after every
session 
and shaken/tapped out the excess.  I then leave them out to dry all
night 
before putting them away.  They sound brighter and are more responsive
as a 
result.  No gunk accumulates in the holes (and I drink copious beer
whilst 
playing - it's free).  I can't think of any way in which this treatment

would reduce the longevity of harps.  You hear a lot of advice warning
that 
you shouldn't do this but I feel that this falls into the category of 
handed-down received wisdom.   Even wood-combed Hohner MS harps don't
seem 
to suffer from a quick wash-out.  My harps never give me cold sores or
sore 
throats either.

Steve


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