Re: [Harp-L] Steve Baker Special 365 - work with nailed-on reedplates

[Winslow Yerxa <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx>]

Being able to easily disassemble and reassemble a harp is a big help if
you want to emboss, tune, or optimize gapping - all things that can
make a big difference in how well a harmonica plays.

I convert my 364 and 365 harps to screwed-together construction, and seal the combs while I'm at it with spray acrylic. But it helps to own a drill press, have the right screws, know the drill bit bit sizes, and have the right threading taps.

The alternative is to pry the reedplates off the comb and re-nail it later. To do this I use an inexpensive kitchen knife with a blade about two inches wide and about nine inches long. This gives it enough length to pry up the entire long edge of a reedplate at once, and enough heft to do the job. Insert along the back edge of the reedplate until the blade touches as many of the screws as possible, then gently prey up. You can also assist the process by prying up along the right and left sides.

Remove the nails by hand or with an instrument. Place them on some sticky tape in the same configuration as they came out of the harp so that you can put the same nail back in the same hole - each nail can have subtle variations in the angle between shaft and head and its head will fit most flush with the reedplate if it is returned to its original hole.

Do whatever you want to the comb (sanding flat, breaking sharp edges, painting, sealing) and to the reedplates (breaking sharp edges, embossing, gapping, tuning). While you work, test tuning and response by clamping the harp together in a sandwich with comb, both reedplates, and both covers. This does not give a perfect representation of a fully assembled harp, but it's close enough in my experience.

Re-assembling with nails is the part that I've never gotten very good at, and maybe someone else can jump in and give good advice. The reedplate can be placed on the comb and aligned, and the nails inserted. Then you need to get the nails in tight. You can use pliers, or a nail punch. I would imagine that the advice to tighten starting at the center and working outward to the right and left edges may be good with nails as with screws.

Winslow

Winslow Yerxa

Author, Harmonica For Dummies ISBN 978-0-470-33729-5

--- On Wed, 11/18/09, David Fertig <drfertig@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

From: David Fertig <drfertig@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] Steve Baker Special 365
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Date: Wednesday, November 18, 2009, 8:54 AM

Last night I finally sat down with my Steve Baker Special 365 Marine Band (14-holer) - basically a 10-hole C with an extra octave at the bottom, which I've owned for a year or three but never really explored due to being unable to easily work on the reeds.

I love the layout!  It really works for a quasi-constant-chorder such as myself.  The low notes and chords available at the bottom are a treat!

My only reservations about it, and the reason I've not explored it before, are the (riveted? not screwed) reedplates.  I'd like to work on some of the mid-lower reeds.  They're in very good shape overall, but a few need adjustment.  Yet without removing the reed plate my options are limited.  

Steve, any chance they'll change the reed-fastening to bolted or screwed?  Are there simple ways to remove and replace the reed plates on these?  Or should I just poke at 'em?

-Dave "scaredy-cat" Fertig
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