wheezer
49 posts
Feb 20, 2009
4:37 AM
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Hi fellow harpers,
I have started to post some videos on Youtube to demo some rebuilt harmonicas.
There are sveral videos showing different harps that I've managed to reclaim from the 'clunker' drawer. These harps vary from a custom Marine Band that has been valved to Suzuki, Hering, a variety of Hohners and others.
I hope that someone will find these videos of interest. In the present financial climate who can afford to splash out for new harps all the time?
I would like to apologise for the dodgy playing, I find playing to camera scary (much harder than playing on stage)
and also if I tend to waffle and repeat myself.
If you have any questions about what has been done to the harps or how to do something let me know via the comments section.
There are two or three vids already there with a few more to follow.
To view the videos type N62KNM into Youtube search.
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Preston
145 posts
Feb 20, 2009
1:20 PM
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I personally enjoyed the one where you opened the back of the coverplates. I have done this on a few harps and always manage to mess something up. I have been folding the metal under with a pair of needle nose pliers, and using a thick metal shim so the teeth of the nose doesn't mark up the metal of the cover plate.
However, I can never get a 100% smooth plate when I am done. There is always a small ripple or slight kink. Not very noticeable, but I eventually want to get perfect.
Do you find that using the two cuts on the end and bending it with a hammer gives you a good smooth fold, or do you have slight imperfections with that method as well?
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tookatooka
126 posts
Feb 20, 2009
4:12 PM
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Nice one wheezer. Sounds like you are in the UK somewhere too.
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When I'm not blowing, I'm drawing.
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Tryharp
100 posts
Feb 21, 2009
1:53 AM
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WHeezer, I always check out your vids. I do the same sort of stuff myself, but everyone does it a little bit different, and can always learn something.
@Preston. I bought a small hammer/mallet with a hard plastic face. I find this perfect, and it gives perfect factory like results. With something like a marine band, just bang it over. With special 20, I actually dont nick it either, just bang it over as well. It just twists around at the end feet, but again the result looks very good I think.
TRYHARP
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wheezer
50 posts
Feb 21, 2009
3:56 AM
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Thanks for the comments fellas.
Preston. Opening the covers in the way I showed leaves no ripples or kinks.
I am trying to 'come clean' in these videos about mistakes I made when I first started doing all this stuff
to harps to save others from those pitfalls
The first way I tried was to file or grind away the overhang and it did not give a very good result but turned the coverplate into a very sharp knife. The reason I cut that knick in is to leave the bit you are going to fold over 'free' as it were so that when you bend it there is no 'pull' on the rest of the coverplate. This results in no kinks or ripples.
Tookatooka. Yes you are right, I live in S.W. London,
the boring London accented monotone is a dead giveaway.
Tryharp. You are so right. I am of an age now where I don't trip over but, instead, 'have a fall' as one of my band members so kindly pointed out ,via the pa,
at a recent gig. However I still seem to be constantly looking for new and better ways to do stuff and this forum and Youtube etc. are now the fonts of all knowledge.
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RyanMortos
83 posts
Feb 21, 2009
7:09 AM
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Wheezer, nice vids.
Whereabouts did you learn the techniques for rebuilding and customizing? Other websites or a video or someone taught you in person?
I'm only playing with little stuff like the effects of different gaping right now.
Opening the backs of cover plates is for volume right?
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~Ryan
PA
Ryan's Tube - Containing [0] uploads and counting...
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wheezer
51 posts
Feb 21, 2009
5:52 PM
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Hi Ryan, glad you liked the vids.
I blame it all on Adam for me getting involved in repairing harps. His video on gapping reeds got me started. He explained it in such a way that I actually understood what the adjustments were meant to achieve. I then started searching Youtube for more info. and came across Dave Payne of Elk River Harmonicas. Don't laugh but he had posted a video using an emery board to explain reed arcing and anyone who wants to work on their harps should see this video. I cant tell you how much help and advice Dave Payne has given me. The man is an absolute gentleman and I would still be struggling without his help To find Dave put Elk River Harmonicas into Youtube search, I am sure you will find his vids realy interesting.
On opening up the backplates: I have fairly small hands
so when I am holding a mic I can't form a very large chamber with my hands. With open plates I just seem to get a better sound.
If you are gapping your own harps you are on the way.
If you can gap you can make some of the cheaper harps sound pretty good, I have just posted a demo of an Ab Merano ( throw your hands up in horror ) that with a little gapping turned into a pretty good harp.
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