Re: [Harp-L] Draw 2 problems

[Winslow Yerxa <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx>]

As Michael Rubin notes, altering how you breathe can help with this problem that is very often experienced by new players.


However, it could also be the harp. The MS harps can often benefit from a few simple tweaks:

-- Draw 2 reed could be set too high, causing it to require more air, and might be lowered.

-- The screws fastening the covers and the reedplates could be loose, causing air leaks.

To check for these problems, you need a screwdriver that can work the screws on this harp. The correct type for MS Harps is a Pozidriv No. 1, but those are pretty rare un the US. Go to Radio Shack and buy a set of small screwdrivers that have both straight slot (straight edge) and Philips (crossed) heads in various sizes. Find the largest Philips size that fits snugly in the coverplate screw head and use that.

To unscrew the cover bolts, hold the harmonica in the palm of your non-dominant hand (left if you are right handed) with your index finger on the nut on the bottom cover.

Do this over a table, not over a sewer grating or deep pile rug.:)

Use you dominant hand to unscrew the bolt. Once you have the nut and bolt unfastened, put them in a jar lid or similar container so they don't roll away and get lost.

Now remove the other cover bolt, and set that and the coverplates aside.

Now, look at the reeds mounted on the outside. These are the draw reeds. The lowest hole numbers correspond to the longest reeds.

Look at the second--largest outside reed (Draw 2). Examine the gap between the reedplate surface and the tip of the reed. Now compare this gap to the gaps of the neighboring reeds.

Reed gaps are set higher for longer reeds and lower for shorter reeds, and will graduate more or less smoothly from high to low as your eye travels from longest to shortest reeds.

If Draw 2 has a gap that seems too high in comparison with the other reeds, this could cause it to require more air to play. You can gently lower the gap slightly by pressing the reed into and through its slot and letting it spring back.

to do this, press on the reed from the middle of its length until the tip pokes through the slot. Then place something, such as the tip of a screwdriver, between the reed and the reedplate and tug VERY gently a few times. Then release the reed and let it spring back.

Maybe this helps and maybe it doesn't. As long as you have the covers off, let's do the rest of the diagnostic.

The Blues Harp has only 2 reedplate screws. Unscrew these (again, over a table) and set them in your screw holding container.

Now you can examine the blow reeds as well as the draw reeds. The blow reeds are on the inside of the harmonica, so to really examine them you need to remove the blow reedplate.

How can you tell the blow reedplate and the draw reedplate apart? On this type of harmonica the front of the reedplate will have a groove along its length to hold the front edge of the cover. 

-- On the blow reedplate, the groove is on the surface opposite the reeds. (Groove on the outside, reeds on the inside)

-- On the draw reedplate, the grove is on the same side as the reeds (groove and reeds both on the outside)

Examine the gaps on the blow reeds. Again, if Blow 2 is set inordinately high, it could cause leakage. You can lower it sllightly using the same procedure as with Draw 2.

Once you've examined the reeds and either modified the gaps or left them alone, it's time to reassembly the harmonica.

Getting the screws just tight enough is important. Too much tightening will defeat the purpose, as it will cause the reedplates to buckle and pull away from the comb, causing leaks. Not enough, and again the harp will leak.

The right amount of tightening is referred to as "finger tight." Use your fingertips to turn the screwdriver. When the screw resist firm pressure from your fingertips, the screw is finger tight.

Often on new harps the screw pressure is not optimal. even without doing anything to the reeds, you can sometimes improve the performance of a harmonica simply by loosening and then re-tightening the screws.

but before you can tighten screws you need to line up the reedplates with the comb.

Place the comb so that the long channels are at the left. take note of the locations of the screw holes.

Now, find the draw reedplate and align it with the comb so that the long reeds are also at the left and outside the holes.

Now, line up the blow reedplate with the comb, long reeds on the left and reeds inside the holes. 

Take the whole sandwich and press it together, and drop the reedplate screws into their holes. (Remember, the reedplates have scre holes that don't exist in the comb.)

Take a screwdriver and turn one of the screws until it grabs the thread in the lower reedplate. but don't tighten it yet.

Now get the other screw threaded with the lower reedplate.

Get both screws snug but not tight.

Now examine the alignment of the front edges of the reedplates with the comb. These should be flush. if they're not, place the front of the harmoica face down on the table and press them gently down against the table to get them in alignment.

Now it's time to tighten the reedplate screws. Remember, finger tight. But there's a little wrinkle:

The screws on the MS series cut their own thread in the lower reedplate (they're self-tapping). Sometimes they don't finish the job all the way, so take a moment to fiddle with this. You may find that pressing a little farther will finish the cutting job. If you find this to be the case, finish the cutting, thenback the screw off and re-tighten to finger-tight.

To re-mount the covers, first get them on right side up. The cover with the harp name goes over the blow reedplate (the one with the reeds on the inside), while the bottom cover goes over the draw reeds (the ones on the outside).

Align the front edges of the covers in the grooves in the reedplates. Then hold the assembly in the palm of your non-dominant hand, and insert the nut in its hole, holding it in place with your index finger. drop the bolt into the hole and tighten to snugness. Do the same with the other nut and bold. Do a final alignment check and make any needed adjustments, then do final tightening.


Hope this helps.
 
Winslow Yerxa
Author, Harmonica For Dummies ISBN 978-0-470-33729-5
Harmonica instructor, The Jazzschool for Music Study and Performance
Resident expert, bluesharmonica.com
Columnist, harmonicasessions.com


________________________________
 From: Sam Lyons <sjlyons93@xxxxxxxxx>
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx 
Sent: Wednesday, January 11, 2012 5:22 AM
Subject: [Harp-L] Draw 2 problems
 
I'm having problems with the Draw 2 on my Hohner Blues Harp MS diatonic in
C-it takes too much air to play (at least more than the others), and
doesn't sound exactly the same as Blow 3. However when I was reading a post
from someone affiliated with Lee Oskar harps, I found that they often
receive complaints of problems with, amongst others, Draw 2, and the
problem isn't a faulty harp, but an inexperienced player. So now I'm
wondering what am I probably doing wrong?-I've been playing for perhaps two
or three weeks (started playing Christmas Day) so I'm still working on my
embouchures (and I'm self-teaching).

Thanks a lot,
Sam Lyons.