[Harp-L] Marine Band Deluxe

[pdxharpdog@xxxxxxxxxxx]

Hi list - I have a MB Deluxe in the key of D that I bought from a friend who didn't like the reed plate ridges.  I fell in love with it - very loud,  bright and with fast response - so I tuned it a bit yesterday and when I played it last night I cracked the same reed (draw 5) that I had just tuned. It cracked and broke smack dab in the middle of the reed length - no where near where I sanded off the tip. Is this just a coincidence that it was the same reed I tuned?  I slipped a shim under the reed and carefully sanded with a small sanding wand as per Rupert's video.  

How tough is it to replace a reed, and where would I find rivets to replace the drilled out one? Would any reed of the same width and length get me back in the game with my harp?  I'm not an expert under the hood guy, but want to learn.  Right now everytime I go under the hood I feel like I'm ruining my harps a bit less often than in earlier attempts.  I never mess with new harps - just the ones in the boneyard.  

Also - it seems as though I replace D keyed harps more than any other.  And it really doesn't matter what brand.  I am a SP20 stock guy most of the time, but loved the MB Deluxe until it died and have lost Delta Frosts in the key of  D as well.  I play other keys way more often - G's and A's seem to last forever as do C's.  B flats are problematic for me as well.  Anyone else have keys that crap out on them with more regularity than other keys?

I have an SP20 custom, key of A from Bob Meehan that is 2 years old and still in tune and working fine.  I also have a couple of Tim  Moyers Journeyman harps that are more than two years old and they work awesome as well. Seems I'm a bit cursed with the D harps. 

Thanks in advance for any direction you can give me.

PdxHarpdog
www.myspace.com/sassparillajugband