[Harp-L] Re: Blu-Tack: I Deserve All the Credit

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

Brendan,
                Perhaps you could turn this into a market opportunity: I can foresee kits of pre-weighed blobs of Blu-Tak; 'The C Richter to Paddy Richter Kit'; the 'G Richter to Melody Maker Kit' and so forth.
                 Perhaps a Blu-Tak syringe that could deliver metered blobs; perhaps the Bostik (I believe they are the manufacturers) might be interested  in doing a deal with you.
                 Anyway, when your boat comes in, just remember that it was suggested to you by your pal across the Tasman,
Your's Sincerely,
RD

PS I may have been overdoing the Irony Supplement pills lately....

>>> "Brendan Power" <bren@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> 24/03/2009 20:21 >>>

 I'm going to come out boldly and claim that I was the FIRST to adopt
Blu-Tak for retuning harmonica reeds. If I'm remembered for nothing else, I
wish to be known as "The Man who Brought Harmonicas and Blu-Tak Together"!
Forget numerous CDs, half-valving and innovative special tunings (even being
invited to play at The Old Neptune pub in Whitstable!) - I consider the
BLU-TAK TRICK to be the true summit of my modest contribution to the
harmonica community - and I won't have anyone else steal my thunder ;)

Rick Epping has showed me many of his nifty tools and tricks for harmonica
tweaking - he's great like that :) But I showed HIM the Blu-Tak Trick, as
I'm sure he would attest. I've been doing it since the mid-80s (to tune the
custom 11 hole harps I used at the time). I've imparted this precious
knowledge to many others over the years, without even asking for a cent!

It allows you to have one harp that can be quickly and reversibly changed to
alternate tunings.

For example, the 5 draw can be tuned up to the major 7th in 2nd Position (F#
on a C harp), then lowered with the right amount of Blu-Tak to the F. When
you want the F#, simply remove the Blu-Tak and stick it on the rivet pad.
Then reapply when you want the F again. Since it is the right amount, the
tuning will be dead-on every time. It's a bit like a Scruggs tuning peg for
the harmonica!

It takes less than a minute, and most of that time is in removing/rescrewing
the coverplates (with a Turbolid the job would be done in 20 seconds or
less). Good for trying out new tunings quickly and reversibly too. The stuff
sticks like you wouldn't believe and stays there for decades of violent reed
vibration. Just make sure the reed is clean and free of dust and grease
before applying.

A real money saver in these tough economic times... No need to buy lots of
harps in different tunings, just "Blob on Some Blu-Tak"! (but if Lee Oskar
goes bust, I never told you, right! ;)

---------------

For Americans, with their unfortunate irony deficiency, I feel boringly
obliged to point out there is a certain tongue-in-cheek element to this
post. (If I didn't, they'd probably take me at my word and I WOULD only be
remembered for Blu-Tak :)

Cheers,

Brendan Power
WEBSITE: http://www.brendan-power.com 
YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/BrendanPowerMusic 


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