Re: [Harp-L] Not Stuck, But Balky

[Joseph Leone <3n037@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Oct 3, 2011, at 12:13 AM, Elizabeth Hess wrote:

> 
> On Oct 2, 2011, at 11:52 PM, Joseph Leone wrote:
> 
>> ...if you have a dead bird dried to one of the rotor blades, it's very distracting.
> 
> Indeed.  Each of these harps (a 270 and a 280) was worked on extensively by Richard Sleigh about a year ago.  And I didn't really start playing the 280 until yesterday (due to awe).  So you see, they have this.... aura about them that has made me hesitant to go in there and mess with them.  That's why I've been asking whether these various things are normal maintenance items that I should  *try*  to do myself, or whether they are arcane symptoms that warrant attention from the Master.
> 
> Elizabeth (cautiously intrepid)
> 
In an ideal world, we would never want to remove the mouthpiece parts. Beings that there are several, it takes some deft to get them aligned properly when re-assembling. So what we would rather do is to place an amount of H2O in a tray or dish exactly the depth of the thickness of the mouthpiece and TWO of the 3 slide pieces (the slide & overbridger). Especiall on wooden combed models. With plastic models the water can be as deep as all 4 pieces..but no more. 

Placing the harmonica..holes down..and jiggling the slide 6-7 times will usually clean it sufficiently to last for several days into several weeks. A drop or two of automatic dishwasher liquid or some dissolved crystals (I use Efferdent), and you're good to go. Then you life the chromo out and still keeping it holes down, slap it into your hand that is holding a tea towel. Do this energetically until most of the water is out. 

I know that you have done all of this but I took this opportunity to print it for the people whom are, shall we say, newer to chromatics. This is the method used by the late great Eddie Gordon and no one could play like Eddie (GRHS). So it obviously works. Saliva is like a thin version of Elmer's glue, and can really make a slide balky. Just tonight, I had a sticky slide, wiped a few drops of my drink (vodka) across the mouthpiece with my finger and it cleared up everything.  Tomorrow I will clean that chromatic.   

In your case, I suspect either a slight high spot in the slide, a slight depression in the overbridger, or a slight bump in the over the comb gasket. A burr/burn in the slide is less common but does exist.  You have to do at least some of your own maint. on chromatics or it could cost you a small fortune to play them.  :)

smokey-joe