Re: Subject: [Harp-L] chromonica

["steve@xxxxxxxxxxxx" <swebb@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Thanks Elizabeth and all who sent suggestions on cleaning the chromatic. I'll let you know how it plays when I'm all done with it.  It's in such good condition, that I doubt it will take much work.
Steve Webb in Minnesota

---- EGS1217@xxxxxxx wrote: 
> Oh! ..I was just about to fire off a 'PLEASE don't dip any wood-combed  
> chromatic into water'...when I read your post, Winslow :)
>  
> First, Steve..did you make sure there were no cracks in the comb?  If  not, 
> then you did get a great buy. It's a wonderful little chromatic.
>  
>  Again. Do not remove both reed  plates simultaneously...that's the MOST 
> important fact constantly  reiterated on both this list and Slidemeister to 
> new people to chromaticss in re  disassembly of the instruments...since it's 
> well-nigh impossible to re-align the  holes again once both plates are off an 
> older wood comb for even  a brief time. As Winslow says: VERY small nails. 
> So do one reed plate at a  time.  
>  
> I differ with Winslow's take on it in only 2 small ways: 1)running water  
> over the comb 'can' loosen some windsavers DePENDing on the age/previous  
> location of the harmonica, and how brittle those valves are...how dry the  glue 
> holding them on has become. But then, if they're that loose, they  might 
> very well come off anyway. You might want to clean and reglue or  replace 
> them...to my mind (and that of most chrom players)...the valves can  retain 
> other people's saliva/old germs...and just plain stickiness. They'll play  
> better if cleaned ...gently.  I wipe them down extremely carefully with a  very 
> soft brush ...there's tons of info as to what to use...but you must dry  them 
> after. You might need to replace a few: I know Dave Payne (ElkRiver) had a  
> video on YouTube showing his method of sliding a dampened piece of paper 
> between  the double layers of valves to clean them..repeating until clean and 
> dry.
>  
> However, I just read somewhere (probably on Slidemeister)...that Betty  
> Romel IS still selling Bill's packages of valves! How cool is that? They're  
> not expensive...self-stick (you clean off the old glue, put a dab of acetone  
> (nail polish remover) and then press the new valve into place and trim to 
> fit  with sharp scissors or exacto blade...very easily done. Ta-da!   
> Perfection.  I don't have the address on hand right now, but I'm sure  someone else 
> here will, or it'll be found in the archives.
>  
> 2) to look for those cobwebs he mentions (and yes, they're quite often  
> found in old harmonicas..a truly ughggy moment) ..use a good, very bright -  
> preferably halogen flashlight to examine the innards. You'd be amazed by  
> what'll show up compared to a regular light. 
>  
> As Winslow's said..alcohol to clean the holes of the mouthpiece works..but  
> I don't spritz deep inside since that can leave puddles..unless you're  
> being careful just to catch the comb at an angle...then use a brush or another  
> long implement to scour out the inside. So, instead, nowadays I dip a long, 
>  thin, spiral brush into the product (either alcohol or Anywhere spray) and 
> turn  it inside each opening...using a likewise wetted orange stick or tiny 
>  screwdriver to remove any 'stuff' from areas which might need  more 
> scraping.  These tiny brushes can be bought very inexpensively in  the baking area 
> of stores such as Michael's), but I also reuse (after  cleaning and soaking 
> them thoroughly in dish detergent and hot water), my old  mascara 
> brushes...which last a long while.  
>  
> SmoJoe's theory of making use of whatever one has at hand.;) 
>  
> This does the same job while not drenching the comb...and removes any  
> biological contaminants.  Anywhere  Spray has a tiny amount of bleach,  is made 
> for most hard surfaces...I routinely wipe down all the hard  surfaces of my 
> harmonicas (cellphone, home phone, etc) with it after polishing  the metal 
> and/or cleaning with alcohol. It's a sanitizing spray made for  children's 
> high chair eating surfaces...cutting boards, etc., is safe around  children 
> and pets...so I'm not concerned about using it for my last  wipe-down.
>  
> I'm also in complete agreement with Winslow about the 'smell' test. If it  
> doesn't pass that, I won't play a used instrument despite how much cleaning 
> I've  done.
>  
> Good luck with your new G chromatic. 
>  
> Elizabeth
> PS: a G chromonica was my main chromatic ...slide held in most often, when  
> I first joined Buckeye and Spah. I still really like the sound.
>  
> "Message: 10
> Date: Sun, 4 Apr 2010 01:48:32 -0700 (PDT)
> From: Winslow  Yerxa <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: Re: [Harp-L] chromonica
> To:  harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
> 
> The comb is wood, so running water through it could  cause the wood to 
> swell, warp, and crack. It wouldn't harm the  windsavers.
> 
> The 260 is held together with nails, so taking the reedplates  off the 
> clean it isn't practical unless you're very handy with removing and  
> reinstalling small (and I do meal small) nails.
> 
> You could unscrew the  mouthpiece and slide assembly and clean those. If 
> the holes don't smell bad and  you don't any cocoons in them, you may not want 
> to bother trying to get at them.  most harmful germs won't survive long on 
> mom-moist surfaces that offer nothing  to eat.
> 
> You could perhaps spritz some alcohol into the holes if you're in  doubt. 
> However, alcohol dries out surfaces and human tissues
> 
> Winslow  Yerxa
> 
> Author, Harmonica For Dummies ISBN  978-0-470-33729-5
> 
> Resident expert at bluesharmonica.com
> 
> Harmonica  instructor, jazzschool.com
> 
> Columnist, harmonicasessions.com
> 
> --- On  Sat, 4/3/10, steve@xxxxxxxxxxxx <swebb@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> 
> From:  steve@xxxxxxxxxxxx <swebb@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: [Harp-L]  chromonica
> To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
> Date: Saturday, April 3, 2010, 10:25  PM
> 
> 
> I bought a 10-hole chromatic off EBay last week. It says The  "Chromonica" 
> on the top cover plate.  It's in excellent condition, but I  wanted to get 
> some advice on how to clean and/or santize the inside before I  play it. I 
> don't know much about chromatic harps, but this one is in the key of  G and I 
> figured I can use it for some hymns and Christmas music,  etc.   I have an 
> old 12-hole Chromonica in the key of C that I  can play just a little, so 
> this should work out much the same, I hope.
> Do I dare just run it under the faucet like a diatonic? Or would this mess 
> up  windsavers?
> Any advice would be helpful.  On the surface it looks like I  got a decent 
> bargain at $15.
> Steve Webb in Minnesota
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ------------------------------