Rgsccr
377 posts
Nov 11, 2015
9:47 PM
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I play Hohner's, a combination of Crossovers and Marine Bands, either MBDs or 1896s with combs I've sealed. I have an ultrasonic cleaner which I haven't used yet. I know that I need to take the harps apart and only put the reed plates and covers in the cleaner, not the combs. Assuming that is right, is there a good way to clean the combs other than brushing gunk off with a toothbrush? Is it okay to put something like mouthwash on the combs? I did search the forum but didn't come up with an answer to this specific question. Thanks. Rich
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nacoran
8779 posts
Nov 11, 2015
10:41 PM
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I'm not sure (I use mostly plastic combs) but I think you'd probably be okay to put fully sealed (and only fully sealed) combs in the ultrasonic cleaner.
I have used mouthwash on my reed plates, covers and plastic combs with no ill effects. (I even used it on some ebay wooden combs. I figured I wanted them clean enough to test but I was planning on replacing the combs anyway so if they swelled a little it wouldn't be a big deal.)
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Nate
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First Post- May 8, 2009
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florida-trader
824 posts
Nov 12, 2015
7:39 AM
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Rgsccr - Ultrasonic cleaners are great but they are not a panacea. For example, you can't put a groty gunked up set of reed plates into an ultrasonic cleaner and expect them to come out sparking clean. Good old fashion elbow grease is the still the best way to go if you want to clean your harps. However, whatever cleaning agent you use will leave a residue on the plates. If you use any sort of an abrasive cleaner, for example, the very fine gritty particles will find their way into the slots and between the reed and slot. An ultrasonic cleaner is a very good final step to shake out that grit. I have also, just recently, purchased a water pik for that same purpose. Haven't tried it yet but I can't help but believe that it will be a useful addition to my shop.
With regard to putting your wood combs through an ultrasonic cycle. I'm not sure that is a good idea. I could be wrong about that. No disrespect to your sealing abilities, but even if you have sealed the wood I think you will risk ruining a good comb. If any moisture at all seeps into the wood, you are inviting trouble - warping, cracking - and you might end up with a comb that is less flat than it was before. Just my opinion. And given that scrubbing them with a toothbrush is easy and the most effective, I still think it is the way to go. Scrubbing them and then rinsing them off will minimize the exposure to being soaked in water.
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Tom Halchak
www.BlueMoonHarmonicas.com
Last Edited by florida-trader on Nov 12, 2015 7:41 AM
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Barley Nectar
945 posts
Nov 12, 2015
8:19 AM
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I just throw my wood harps in luke warm water for about 5-10 minuits then clean with tooth brush. I rarely disassemble them and use no type of soap or whatever, just plain tap water. I do not seal my combs. Non wood harps get the same treatment but stay in the water longer. Soak, brush, rinse, tap out, lay out to dry. Never had a problem...BN
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Rgsccr
378 posts
Nov 12, 2015
9:05 AM
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Thanks for the advice. I have no illusions about my sealing ability (although I have played those harps most every day for a while now and the combs haven't seemed to swell). I think what I will do is to take the harps apart and put the reed plates and covers in the ultrasonic using water, and deal with the combs with a bit of water and a toothbrush. Thanks again.
Last Edited by Rgsccr on Nov 12, 2015 9:05 AM
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nacoran
8780 posts
Nov 12, 2015
9:13 AM
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This might be worth someone doing some testing on. Anyone got any spare combs with various sealings they are willing to risk having ruined? No reason you can't scrub a comb (just be careful, they can crack by that back plate screw hole where the slot is nearly the whole depths). It would be interesting to find out if the new sealed combs hold up to ultrasonic cleaning though. It really does loosen stuff up.
I think there are different levels of gunk. When I clean my harps I want all visible or tactily touchable gunk off of the outside and anything that might come loose or block parts of the harp inside clean, but I don't care if the brass is shiny- but then again, I'm just working on my own harps. If I was working on other people's harps I'd go for a higher level.
I find my sonic cleaner, followed by a wipe down gets it clean enough for me. I use an old toothbrush on my covers and combs, but keep them clear of my reeds. Maybe I'm a clutz, but it's too easy for me to snag a reed on a bristle and screw things up. For day to day cleaning I use a microfiber rag (Seydel has a particularly nice one) on the covers and craft picks (heavy duty toothpicks) to scrape the grime out of the mouth holes and along the seams. (Always do this holding the harp so the crud falls out, not into, the harp.)
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Nate
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ME.HarpDoc
33 posts
Nov 12, 2015
3:16 PM
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@ florida-trader
Saw your note on trying a water pic. As a retired dentist i know you can get a lot of force on the high settings of a water pic, possibly enough to slightly displace a reed's position, so don't go too high on the setting. An ultrasonic probably gives more consistent overall cleaning, particularly for loosening small debris particles and saliva gunk. i haven't tried it myself but there have been some recommendations for using a denture cleaner in the ultrasonic ( most dentures are made of plastic so should work well cleaning plastic combs as well). An alcohol based cleaning solution should work well on reed plates.
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Owen Evans
96 posts
Nov 12, 2015
9:28 PM
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@ME.HarpDoc
Just to ask the expert on this; it has been widely spoken of that using a Polident tab in water with the comb & reed plates in the water is a good cleaner as well as a good antibacterial. Inquiring minds would like to know, can you shed some light on this technique?
Last Edited by Owen Evans on Nov 12, 2015 9:29 PM
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indigo
179 posts
Nov 12, 2015
10:09 PM
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There is no' technique', dentures sit in your mouth and attract bacteria,harps sit in your mouth and...
Put your harp into a glass full of denture cleaner and
be amazed(worried) at the crap that comes out.
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arzajac
1704 posts
Nov 13, 2015
4:50 AM
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Wood is porous organic material. It's never going to be sterilized unless you put it into an autoclave for an hour. (Don't do that!)
" is there a good way to clean the combs other than brushing gunk off with a toothbrush?"
Brushing them off with a toothbrush is the simplest, fastest and safest way to do it. Use as little soap and water as you need to get the job done and then a quick rinse.
I treat sealed wood combs like they are only 99 per cent sealed. If they warp, they can come back into shape. But once they start to deform, it takes less and less moisture to get them to warp. So don't get them wet unless you absolutely need to.
" Is it okay to put something like mouthwash on the combs?"
The alcohol can dry out the wood. It can also take the shine off of some varnishes or shellac.
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Custom overblow harps. Harmonica Combs and Tools.
Last Edited by arzajac on Nov 13, 2015 4:51 AM
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chromaticblues
1725 posts
Nov 13, 2015
7:25 AM
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Yeah I agree with Andrew about mouth wash or any chemical pretty much. I also don't advise getting them wet. Here's another idea that is a little labor intensive but will work. Lightly sand the top and bottom again with 600 grit sand paper. Then lightly sand in between all the tines. Wipe it all off real well then lightly spray it again. I've done this in the past and after a couple resprays you won't have to spray it again for a few sandings.
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hvyj
2822 posts
Nov 13, 2015
8:03 AM
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Sterisol. It's a disinfectant and cleaner for brass and woodwind mouthpieces. Readily available on the net through most of the musical instrument retailers like Musicians Friend and it's cheap. Spray it on and wipe down or if necessary scrub with a toothbrush.
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ME.HarpDoc
34 posts
Nov 13, 2015
11:09 AM
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Owen
Polident would work to loosen and clean ( not suggested for wood). Toothbrush scrubbing good for more stubborn debris. Soap and water is decent disinfectant. You,re not likely to "sterilize" a harp.
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Meaux Jeaux
104 posts
Nov 13, 2015
11:28 AM
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I use a Branson ultrasonic to clean all my harps with non porous combs. I do this after about 8 hours total playing time. I don't disassemble them, I use a dental cleaning tablet, warm water, and two to three cycles. I then rinse them and allow to air dry. As for MB and others with questionable sealing I use a toothbrush with the bristles trimmed, warm water mild soap. I also use Mi-T-Mist mouthpiece sanitizer after use to keep my instruments clean. For cleaning of mouth covers
and reed plates I find that Barkeepers Friend is a great product to use with a trimmed toothbrush. I trim the bristles to keep them from "accidently" hanging in the reed slot. And lastly, good old sunlight is a great sanitizer, just don't let ABS get too hot as it will warp.
Regards, Meaux Jeaux
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isaacullah
3094 posts
Nov 14, 2015
10:07 AM
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How to clean a wood combed harp:
Step 1: Throw it in the trash.
Step 2: Buy a Special 20.
Ok, ok. I'm being more than a bit facetious here. But you can count me among the converts to non-wood combs for harmonicas. I used to love wood combs. I sanded them, sealed them, shaped edges of the tines to be comfortable. Drilled them for screws. I look back on all that work I used to do just to make them "okay" for the intended use, and I just think, "Why did I used to do all that when a plastic-combed harp pretty much just works out of the box?"
I do understand the whole "This is how harps have been made for 180 years, if it ain't broke don't fix it" mentality. I really do. But I've come to realize that wood combs ARE "broke." If you think about it, in the 1850's there wasn't any other material you COULD make a comb out of (perhaps tortoise shell or bone). And even through the first half of the 20th century, wood was still the most economical option. But, as we know, "economical" doesn't always equal "best." Certainly a "mystique" has developed around wood combs. Some is genuine, some is spurious. A lot is simply myth, I think. Wood can work in the short term, but I think it's really tough to make a wood comb that's easily serviceable, durable, and that will remain comfortable and airtight for a lifetime of playing.
These days -- at $45 a pop -- we don't view harps as easily replaceable things. What we want from a comb (to be comfortable, long lasting, and airtight) just isn't best met by stock or even modified stock wooden combs. Aftermarket replacement combs are a substantial investment, but are probably worth it, IMO, if you have some wood-combed harps. Moving forward, however, I'm sticking with stock plastic combs, which, to me, offer everything I'm looking for in the most affordable way. And they are easy to clean. :)
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Last Edited by isaacullah on Nov 14, 2015 10:08 AM
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chromaticblues
1727 posts
Nov 14, 2015
3:37 PM
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Isaa if this was facebook I would give you a thumbs up!
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Rgsccr
380 posts
Nov 14, 2015
3:48 PM
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Hey, thanks everyone. I cleaned most of my harps yesterday. I took them apart and soaked the covers, reed plates and screws in water with a bit of mouthwash (briefly). Then I put four at a time in the Ivation Ultrasonic cleaner with water only. Plenty of gunk came out. The combs I cleaned with a toothbrush and very fine sandpaper. Overall, pretty easy and they are much cleaner. As for the wood combs, I just like them better than plastic or other materials - just a personal preference. Even when I played SP-20s I ended up replacing the combs with wood ones from Blue Moon. It might be my imagination, but I like the tone of Marine Bands better. I do use Crossovers for the low keys - they seem a bit brighter, louder and easier to play in G, A, Bb and C. I have had very little trouble or issues with wood combs, either the sealed ones that come with Crossovers or MBDs, or even the ones I've sealed myself. I play most of my harps everyday, usually at least an hour - no swelling or cracking and most of the harps are at least a year old.
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chromaticblues
1728 posts
Nov 14, 2015
5:15 PM
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@ Rgsccr Your not the only one that feels that way. I just recently did some recording and some of the songs we did were to a room mic about three feet away. I tried sp20's and Marine Bands for certain songs playing the same part, same song same distance. Same everything! The Marine Band had a certain natural good acoustic tone that wasn't bright or anything. It just sounded right. Now I'm a SP20 player I'm not going to change because I like how they feel and play. What ever the difference is amplified it seems to go away for me.
In the end what ever your comfortable with is right for you!
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