[Harp-L] finding the holes :sacrilege

["hazcon" <hazcon@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Well i am going to shock some people here but for what's it worth i have 
always used hole 6 as my reference point to finding my way around the Harp
Reasons? It is the Tonic note in on the 1 chord ,Flat 7th on the 1V and the 
3rd on the V(amongst other things) in other words you'd be hard put to go 
wrong if you hit it anywhere in a blues.A 'safe' hole'.
                  It also is good hole to end on after a run up the first 
two octaves and a great place to start any noodling in the top one.
So here's the controversial part. I use a cigarette lighter to just slightly 
roughen up(melt) the plastic around the comb hole.About 1 second or so of 
flame leaves a nicely dimpled hole that is very noticeable to your 
lips/tongue but does not affect the air tightness at all.
                 When I first started out I used to do this only to all 
the(second position) Tonic holes and it really helped.
                 Of course if anyone wants to try this use an old harp 
first.
                Interestingly lee ocars take a fraction longer than Suzuki 
bluesmasters* to dimple up.Never owned an SP 20.
Rick
in NZ
*just bought two and first impressions are very favourable.