Subject: RE: [Harp-L] Half-Valving a Chromatic

[EGS1217@xxxxxxx]

Hi Steve:
 
The issue of what (or what not) to use on a slide is a constant hot topic  on 
Slidemeister (since that site is devoted to chromatics).  The more  advanced 
"engineers" there talk about polishing the slide assemblies with very  fine 
steel wool to make it as smooth and frictionless as possible, among other  
"tricks of the trade", even using other lubricants, including your  suggestion of 
upside down in water...to leaving off the back of the assembly  altogether.  I 
have only disassembled a chromatic mouthpiece to clean and  polish, but have 
never left any solution behind .. always buffing and  drying thoroughly before 
reassembly...but then I'm no Pro..don't have the  issue of airtightness to 
worry about through a mic or on a recording.
 
  Most people assume anything tacky would attract and collect dust and  
dirt....I suspect Brendan's talking about the merest whisper of vaseline...and  
then rubbed out with a cloth...can't speak for him, but like you, I  also can't 
imagine using vaseline on the slide, ;)
 
There seem to be as many "solutions" as there are chromatic players,  though. 
 I do wipe the mouthpiece down with either rubbing alcohol, a  packaged 
alcohol wipe or a clean wet cloth after playing...don't even  go as far as you do 
with the running water, since I still worry  about moisture remaining in the 
slide assembly, though some claim even THAT  helps with the airtightness.  Go 
figure. 
 
Regards,
Elizabeth
 
"Message: 5
Date: Thu, 14 Jun 2007 14:39:47 +0100
From: "Steve Shaw"  <moorcot@xxxxxxx>
Subject: RE: [Harp-L] Half-Valving a Chromatic
To:  harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Message-ID:  <BAY104-F3974AFA069B4EE3A4C5C6BA21F0@xxxxxxx>
Content-Type: text/plain;  format=flowed

Brendan wrote:

>The stock CX12 is pretty good in  this
>respect, but you can improve airtightness by putting a very thin  film of
>Vaseline on the slider. There are other mods also, but that is a  simple
>and quick way to get a significant improvement.

Whoa,  vaseline?  I'm not much of a chromatic man but I always thought that  
doing anything to the slide, other than cleaning it with a warm water  
upside-down bath, was anathema.   You learn something new every  day!

Steve

http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/trad_irish_harmonica
HEAR  my CD clips:  http://www.gjk2.com/steveshaw/cd.htm";





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