[Harp-L] clogged harp

[Steve]

I know that the very idea of holding your harp under a stream of water from a tap/faucet fills many with horror, rusting rivets and covers, etc., but if you do it when you get home and before you hit the sack the harp is already sort of damp from your playing anyway, and the residues therein will still be soft and easier to wash out. Even a quick swish in a bowl of warm soapy water before the rinsing doesn't seem to do any harm. Never let the sun set on a dirty harmonica. Harps with wooden combs and/or valves need different strategies. It so happens that most of my recent favourite harps are either plastic or metal, so I don't have to confront that particular issue. In my callow newbie days I once instantly destroyed a Hohner Echo by washing it through...

Steve

> On 9 Feb 2020, at 03:51, Ken Karpowicz <karpowicz at xxxxx> wrote:
> 
> Thanks for that advice. This week I received my first Lee Oskar Melody Maker. I like it a lot but I also find it clogs more quickly than my other harmonicas. Warm water wash does help.
> 
> Ken
> 
>> On Feb 8, 2020, at 6:02 PM, Steve <moorcot at xxxxx> wrote:
>> 
>> Dunno whether my input would help, but here goes. 20 years ago Oskars were my go-to harps, but I did find that they were, if anything, fairly tightly gapped, and generally I'd go over the harp and slightly open a gap or three, more to suit my style of playing to avoid choking. I imagine that close gapping could lead to clogging if you are a "wet" player.  Just a thought. Also, with plastic-bodied harps I've always found that giving them a pretty good wash under a stream of warm water, front and back, followed by a vigorous tapping-out and a night outside the box to dry out,  after every session, works wonders for keeping your harps playing nice - and maybe reducing the issue of clogging. Shoot! :-)
>> 
>> Steve Shaw  
>