[Harp-L] Re: Breaking in harps

[Steve Baker <steve@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

For what it's worth:

my experience is that the harmonica reeds used on Hohner Classic  
harps have always needed a certain amount of playing before they  
respond optimally to my way of abusing them. Mainly I'm talking about  
how opening reeds respond on bends and especially OBs. I try to avoid  
playing a brand new harp full blast on stage without any prior use  
and always play it through a bit before hitting it really hard. I  
usually do this during the process of setting the harp up for my fine  
tuning and offset requirements.

I find that overblow response then subsequently improves through  
playing the harp for a while and assume this is not just because gunk  
accrues on reed, slot and comb, thus increasing airtightness, but  
also because the reeds become accustomed to functioning as opening  
reeds. If I later clean the reed plate and comb, the overblow  
response remains the same once it's gotten settled in as long as the  
reed doesn't start to wear out. In the old Hohner factory, the master  
craftsmen were insistent that that working a reed has an effect on  
the crystalline structure of the metal and will tend to release some  
of the tension it has accumulated while being rolled, milled, die  
stamped and riveted.

In the past I've certainly damaged reeds by playing them at full  
power straight out of the box and prefer to accustom them to their  
fate more gently. Whether this indicates that "breaking in" extends  
reed life per se is another matter in my opinion, but it certainly  
seems to reduce the risk of early breakage and could explain why  
harmonica manufacturers recommend taking it easy at first

Steve Baker
www.stevebaker.de
www.bluesculture.com