[Harp-L] Jason Ricci's Mongoose Free Harp Cleaning Method

[David Fertig <drfertig@xxxxxxxxx>]

A year ago at a jam including a local harp star (great guy, successful, clean, mostly sober, etc.) and looking at his harps I was appalled to see layers of "gunk" (such as Steve Webb describes below), apparently a few months' worth, it was disgusting.  It still gives me shivers.  Now, I ain't neurotic about cleanliness.  As my grandma said, "Boy, yer gonna eat a ton o' dirt before you die, jes make sure it's good clean virginny dirt!"

But this weren't no virginny dirt, is was gross gunk. I'd never tolerate it. Even while living on the street as a kid, I'd pick, brush and wipe such crud off the harp as I could get to (usually without disassembly.)  For years in the distant past I was terrified of disturbing the magical mysterious reeds, only pulling nails on the MBs when desparate (i.e., crushed!) and with sp20's I was still afraid to disturb the reeds - until HARP-L!  

It's why (I think) Jason made such a point about cleaning harps, because so many of us are afraid of opening and messin' with the seemingly delicate instruments, and thanks to Harp-L (and Jason, among others, who've given me personal demos of cleaning and tuning and maintenance etc.)  I am no longer afraid!   

So now I use various things, pins, knives, toothbrushes, sanding wands, feeler gauges, pennies, hammer, clamps, channel-locks, water, efferdent, peroxide, ouiska (mostly internally!), even kaboom on tough cases, e.g., resurrecting old harps.    

I clean a few at a time, sometimes, like preparing for a gig and going over my harps I might find some needing attention.  Once or so each year I pull all my harps out and go through each of them, adjusting them and cleaning as needed, then picking my best ones, second best, etc.  Amazingly, I haven't had to buy a harp in a long time, and now even my old junkers are either working or being parted out for other repairs.  Of course, with my poor ears, it's not such a demanding chore...

Thus Harp-L has both saved me countless dollars, and cost me countless hours - a fair trade for the education and support!

And, no more gunk!  Now if only I could get my tone as clean as my harps . . .

-Dave "Not So Fast-idious" Fertig


--- On Sat, 1/9/10, harp-l-request@xxxxxxxxxx <harp-l-request@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Re: [Harp-L] Jason Ricci's Mongoose Free Harp Cleaning Method
        	Friday, January 8, 2010 9:45 PM
        	
            
            
            From: 
            "steve@xxxxxxxxxxxx" <swebb@xxxxxxxxxxx>
            	
            	
            	
        	To: 
        	"Harp L Harp L" <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
                
I
have never cleaned any of my  harps.  I use plastic-combed harps,
mostly SP20s. I have, on occasion, run a couple under the faucet and
knocked out the water after... I do, though, take a toothpick or dental
pick or whatever, and hold the harp upside down and pick out the dead
skin that accumulates on the walls of the holes. It's gross sounding,
but  you'd be surprised  how fast that stuff builds up there.   I have
to do that about once a month if I am playing often.
steve webb in balmy Minnesota