RE: [Harp-L] Beginner with harmonica quality problems!

[Steve Shaw <moorcot@xxxxxxx>]

> Hello,
> I am pretty much a beginner. I messed around a little years ago, so I know how to bend draw notes and that's about it. Anyhow, I've decided that I would really like to give it a real go this time. I went out and purchased myself a few Special 20' s in different keys to start out on. It seems that all 3 harps I purchased have some "issues" right out of the box. I tried my hand at gapping one of them (following videos on YouTube), and now It's even worse! I know I am just a beginner, but I also know when something doesn't feel right with the harp. Do you think I should buy a DVD and learn how to set up a harp? Buy a custom harp (or maybe a Marine Band Deluxe)? Or just deal with what I get out of the box until I have progressed? On a side note... every harp player I dig, plays Marine Bands. I got myself Special 20's to learn on, but know that I'll probably end up switching to the MB down the road. In knowing this, should I just start out playing the MB?
>
> Does anyone play "out of the box" harps anymore?
>
> Thanks,
> -Ryan

I'm just wondering what made you think that the harps needed gapping surgery.  SP20s out of the box are usually set up reasonably well in a compromise sort of way and rarely need you to go to town on tuning or gapping unless you're a maniac like me who simply must have equal temperament tuning and Paddy Richter. ;-)  I play quite hard and occasionally find that one or two of the lower blow reeds need opening up a tad, but that's usually all with regard to gapping.  I retuned a new SP20 low D the other day and adjusted two gaps very slightly and the harp is now perfect for me - 45 minutes' work with a Lee Oskar kit and a cheap tuner.  If you start changing gaps in a big way you have to take into account that you are also affecting the response of the other reed in that hole, so if you overdo it on just two or three reeds you can mess up the response of the whole harp.   Just go easy on the gapping and use your eyes:  with the covers off look up and down the plates, hold it up to the light, etc., and see whether the gaps are nicely graded from slightly bigger on the low notes to slightly smaller on the high notes.  If a reed looks out of place in the scheme of things, play it first before you decide it needs altering.  My style of playing would not suit anyone who's wanting to use overblows, but to check reed response for my style I play every reed with sharp, tonguing attack.  T-T-T. This quickly reveals any reed with a tendency to choke (they hesitate to sound if the gap is too small - I can't recall ever finding a too-wide gap on a decent quality out-of-the-box harp), and therefore which ones may need a little gapping treatment.  

I don't think you'll be any happier just by switching to different models.  Marine Bands are little different in the way they are set up out of the box in my experience, and a MB Deluxe was likewise.  I have the same minor issues with new Lee Oskars and Suzuki Bluesmasters (my current favourites). The factory has to come to some sort of compromise which will suit most players most of the time when they're banging out £20 harps.  Most of the makers seem to think more or less alike!

Steve
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