[Harp-L] re: Death rattle from a chromatic

[martin oldsberg <martinoldsberg@xxxxxxxxx>]

Many thanks to Winslow Yerxa and David Payne for input on how to clean an CX-12. Interestingly, some diverging views on the use of water.
  Being a lazy as well as impractical SOB I followed the first recommendation: rinse w/ light soapy water, while also observing that Gothenburg, Sweden probably not now -- probably never -- reach the humidity levels of W Virginia.
  This took care of all but one valve. Had to take the dreaded step of disassembling the instrument. Rather easy -, it turned out -- with a Youtube video at hand. Now things have shaped up, at least for the time being. 
  But I must confess to a strong urge to rip off those valves when I had them, or at least some of them, exposed.
 
Question: Would this have a considerably negative impact on the chromatic? As in "much to leaky to play w/ satisfaction"?
  I know some players use them without the valves, but perhaps they do other adjustments as well?
 
Cheers,
Martin
-------------
>A rinse in warm (not hot) water with a small amount of dish soap and a thorough rinse could help.

>Before doing that, you might remove the slide and pop the reedblock out of the shell. Check the outside valves and >see if any of them are curled up, sticking to the reedplate, or have their upper and lower layers sticking together. >Those are the ones that could use some individual cleaning, by sliding moist, sturdy paper (like form a brown paper >bag) under each layer and then pulling it out while exerting mild finger pressure from above.

>You won't even need tape.

>Winslow
-------------------------------------------------

>My advice on cleaning your valves with warm water would be the following:
>1) Take the covers off your harmonica.
>2) Get a shallow bowl of warm water.
>3) Take the warm water and don't let it touch the harmonica in any way whatsoever. 

>Now I hear people say to do various things with warm water all the time. Even the late, great Bill "Desert Fox" >Romel (who I think didn't really like being called Desert Fox, but his name was Romel, he lived in the desert and >was awesome), would tell me that he would clean valves by setting them in a very shallow pan of mild soapy water. 
>I bet this worked awesomely out in Vegas, where the humidity like 5 below zero percent. When I try this in humid >West by God Virginia, the results are terrible. The valves don't dry out fast enough and they wind up taking up a> >curl. 

>Here's what you can do... (continuation of the steps mentioned above):
>4) Get a bar of soap. 
>5) Take a small strip of paper and dip it quickly in the warm water.
>6) drag strip lightly across the soap.
>7) drag the slightly soapy paper strip between the two layers of the troublesome windsaver valve. 

>This will probably take care of it. Let me know if it doesn't.
>David Payne