Re: [Harp-L] Look Before You Peep (was storage, and rust)

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

Rust? You mean rusty rivets? The brass reeds might get a little verdigris on them (though very little in my experience) but I have never known a reed to disengage itself from the plate for either reason. The only time this might happen is through metal fatigue, and I think this might have happened only once in my nearly-forty years of playing; even then, the reed stayed in place and did not end up in my mouth. Now valves, on XBs and chroms., that's a different matter.
RD


>>> David Fertig <drfertig@xxxxxxxxx> 4/12/2008 10:38 >>>
Wherever my harps have been - except in my secure gig case - I look in them before blowing, and I blow before I draw.  Because I've neglected to be careful in the past . . . (no more gross stories, thank you!)

And that goes for rust, too.  If any rust appears I immediately disassemble and either correct the problem (clean, scrape, oil, etc.) or toss the rusty parts, saving good parts for repairs.

I'm only guessing that oxidation in the wrong places could lead to a frightfully freed flying free-reed.   In my 38 years of trying to play blues harp I've never inhaled a reed, and I plan to keep it that way.  

On that note, I suggest any of you newer players regularly open up your harps and inspect them for problems.  I go through my rig at least bi-monthly (more if I'm gigging), cleaning, repairing and adjusting as indicated. 

Find the problem before it finds you!  

-Dave Fertig


I typically keep my harps in either their plastic cases or in 7-harp zip
cases.  Last night, after dinner, I grabbed a loose harp off the top of an amp
and began to play a bit.  I noticed for a brief moment that the 1-hole blow and
draw would not sound, then did.  Then I realized that something from dinner
must have just dropped from my teeth somewhere onto my tongue.  I reached into
my mouth and pulled out the earwig that had been hanging out in the
1-hole!!!!!!!  
Well, I'll have to say that I ALMOST never use Listerene. 
If I had just inhaled the sucker, it probably would have gone by unnoticed! 
I think there is a possible lesson here (open up that mouth chamber and inhale
more strongly?).
--jk

***
***
hello .

Is it dangerous to play the harp?  i mean, what if it is rusty and you dont
know? 

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