Subject: [Harp-L] Help with Chromatic repair

[EGS1217@xxxxxxx]

In all honesty, Brad--harp-l is probably 90% heavy with diatonic players  
although there are quite a few chromatic players who post and read this list 
who  also post on Slidemeister. However that list is the opposite: 90% 
chromatic  players who devote ALL of their time in discussion about the 
attributes,  maintenance and repair of just the instruments you describe. If there 
isn't a  current discussion going on, one will be easily found in their never 
closed  topics. Check here: _www.slidemeister.com/forums/_ 
(http://www.slidemeister.com/forums/)  - 
 
 in fact I just looked and here's one particular page from someone  with a 
similar problem to yours (since you can't do a more direct search without  
signing up):
 
http://www.slidemeister.com/forums/index.php?topic=9549.0
 
there's lots more.
If you DO decide to sign up to Slidemeister, tell AJ (Fedor) that I  
suggested you join.
 
Elizabeth
 
PS: Winslow gave you most of the same suggestions I planned to--not to  
totally dismantle the chromatic without using carpenter's glue to fix the 
crack,  then reattaching the one removed plate before taking off the  other to 
complete the repair. If BOTH plates are removed  initially, the wood expands 
preventing the nails or screws from lining up in the  wood comb again. There 
are several YouTube videos demonstrating how to go about  this kind of 
repair as well.
 
 
PPS: MY simpler solution would be to purchase a relatively inexpensive  
entire chromatic off EBay (first ensuring the comb was intact)and  breaking it 
down for parts. You might be surprised by just how inexpensive  they can be 
gotten for.The Seller is required to answer your question honestly.  So ask 
if the wood back has any lines or cracks. If so, it runs through the body  
as Winslow described.
 
 
PPPS: Betty Romel is still selling (afaik) her late husband Bill's  
self-stick windsavers. Danny G of New Harmonica also sells some. Discussion of  
where to get the tubing too for bumpers has been talked about on  Slidemeister.
 
 
"Message: 11
Date: Thu, 16 Jan 2014 16:21:46 -0500
From: harp  <harp@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] Help with Chromatic repair
To:  "harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx" <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>

Dear Harp-L,

I have  always played the diatonic harp, but have been curious about the 
chromatic. I  recently purchased a couple of older Hohner Chromonicas â one is 
a 10-hole, and  the other is a âsuperâ 12 hole. Both have wood combs, and 
both are in need of  maintenance. I regularly work on my diatonics, but I 
have never had a chromatic  before, so I am jumping right into the deep end of 
the swimming pool and am  going to do some work on these to see if I can 
make them fully functional. But I  need some help/parts.

I have already cleaned them up some, and I have  opened up the gap on some 
reeds that were choking and have âironed outâ a reed  that had been bent. 
100% better already, but I still have a long way to go. Here  are the issues 
where I could use some advice:

- Both harps have broken  combs. The Super has a vertical crack on the 
10-hole that is between 1/16â and  1/8â wide. This means that both the upper 
and lower reeds of hole 10 play  regardless of where the slide is positioned. 
The 10-hole Chromonica also has a  vertical crack in the comb, but it is not 
at all as bad, and it does not seem to  leak enough air between the upper 
and lower chambers to affect how it plays.  Does anyone have any 
recommendations on repairing the comb? I can think of  several ways to go about it, but 
I thought I would ask the group first.
- Of  course, the windsavers are shot. Should I just buy the windsavers 
from Hohner  (currently out of stock â anyone have some they would like to 
sell?)
- Any  suggestions on how to punch rivet holes in the windsavers short of 
buying the  $350 Hohner tool kit?
- Does anyone have some of the slide buffers (the  little pieces of plastic 
tubing that cover the mouthpiece screws)?

Thank  you very much,
Brad


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