[Harp-L] BlueTak tuning and the root of the reed.

["Aongus Mac Cana" <amaccana@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Ken,
The reason why adding weight at the root of the reed will not raise pitch is
because what you need to do at this end of the reed is is add stiffness -
not weight. In fact adding weight even near the root will only lower pitch
(even if imperceptibly)
When Rick Epping introduced us to the BlueTak method of lowering pitch at
the Willie Clancy Summer School, he mentioned in passing a "bodger's" method
of restoring life to a reed 'gone bad' - i.e. cracked at the root and
consequently gone disastrously flat. This temporary repair method comprised
putting a tiny lick of gel type Super Glue on the cracked reed root. Maybe a
healthy reed can also be 'sharpened' by reducing its effective length with a
strong adhesive.
I have two much loved Seydel harps with G6 reeds gone flat and presumably
cracked. 
I am trying to pluck up the courage to attack them with "extreme prejudice"
and Super Glue.
Beannachtai
Aongus Mac Cana