[Harp-L] crystal repairs

[bbharpy@xxxxxxx]

Hi,
when a crystal is dead, it is dead. This is about 70%Âby the older elements. 
So lets try together, ok?,
Take a very small screwdriver or a knife and go inside the small holes of the black grill ( outside )
Do never force the work,Âopen the grill very softly . Do not stay at the same place during you do this. Go around the Grill and open a little here , a little there.
When the black Grill is open, youÂll see the membran and in the center you see the centerpin fixed with glue. Around the membran you see a fixing ring 
also black . Take a knife and take the ring away like you did with the grill.
Perhaps you dont need to do this. Press with your fingers just a littleÂbit around theÂcenterpin. If you see nothing the glue is ok . If the centerpin is moving,
take away the old glue and put on a new one. I take doubleglue ( Fixer and glue ) If you have a Ohmeter ( Multimeter ), put it on mV (ac)Âand now if you touch the membran you will see some mv on the multymeter. This shows if the crystal is ok. If you see nothing, you have to take away the Membran. Put the Membran in a small plate with Aceton ( not to mutch )Âand wait some hours. After this you can take away the membran and have a look inside the Element. Is the centerpin fixed on the crystal???
By older elements you will see direktly if the crystal is broken. If the centerpin is not fixed on theÂcrystal , do it with a little glue

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xccccccccccccccc
xccccccccccccccc
xcccccccccccccpp

x is the crystal holder C is the crystal and P is where you fix the centerpin.
If the pin is fixed try again to touch carefuly the pin and look to the mulitymeter (or try it with your amp to have a noise). You see some mV,or you hear a noise coming out of the ampÂthen put on the membran and fix the membran with glue like youÂve seen when you open it. The fixingring is not needed. Put on carefully the Black grill thats it. A crystal is ageing , but we will not feel it, because it needs Time , alot of time. If the element is loosing the power, the fixing is bad because the glue ist old :-)
www.Harponline.de 

Here you can read a reportÂI did years ago, so 90% of sound is coming by the Harpplayer. If you have the right technik you take a Mikrophone highimpedance and an Amp close your hand around the Mikrophon and harp (cupping) andÂplay, you will have the sound with the right technik. The Mikrophone or amp is secundaer at all. 
Do not spent hours by ebay for bying elementsÂwith absolut crasy prices just because you dont know it better. If the element sounds bad, do some work like I just wrote. For CR elements it`s also easy to get it working great. IÂam alwasy wondering about the crasy stuff people write in Chats or posting lists, the most reason is the best in your pocket, ...your money!!!!
There are some adresses you always by good elements like dave scott or Toms miks , Fritz Hasenputch.. if you are afraid to do the work yourselfe. Also with amps, there are tonedifferences of course but less is more. The biggest sounds in the musikworld 
always was coming from small Amps in Musicstudios. A big Amp can sound greate to, but take care with your neighbours :-)

Ok take care .
Best regards Ralf BBH 


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