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Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! >
Flat Harps
Flat Harps
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TheLastPeanut
1 post
Mar 17, 2009
1:01 AM
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A few days ago, after neglecting some practice, I picked up my Marine Band that I got for christmas and started to just jam. As I was going along, I noticed that my 4 draw was sounding a little off. I thought "oh well ill try (and probably fail) fixing it later". So later on, I picked it up and started playing, forgetting about the four draw untill it sounded a godawefull noise. For some reason it seemed that it was MORE out of tune.
As I was trying to figure out why it was more out of tune, I relised that I didnt have a clue why it was out of tune in the first place. So MBH community my question basically is this, what makes a harp go out of tune? I know that everything wears out eventually but what is the science behind flat harps and is there anyway to fix or prolong the life of harps. They are pretty pricy down under and I'm already cheap.
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Tryharp
138 posts
Mar 17, 2009
1:21 AM
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I have heard some say that it is a sign the reed has small fractures developing, and the end of is life is approaching. I have experienced a reed going severely flat, then when I plinked it it broke off at the base.
Also anything that adds/removes weight to the reed could affect the tuning, so maybe build up of gunk, corrosion etc
Others probably have a more scientific response.
To fix a flat reed just file some metal off the end, theres a fair bit of info on it out there. IF the reed is no good you can replace it, this is not as hard as it sounds. With a MB, if you have a dead harp, you can punch the same length reed out, and just punch it in the new harp using the same rivet, or cut a longer one down. You would then need to tune it though. Theres youtubes on this topic.
I know what you mean re harp prices, luckily when the Aussie dollar was up, I ordered 7 Marine bands from the US, the guy shipped them to me for free due to a good size order, and got them landed here for under half the cheapest price here - not any more though.
Tryharp
Last Edited by on Mar 17, 2009 2:57 AM
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Jim Rumbaugh
14 posts
Mar 17, 2009
10:09 AM
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Notes can go slightly flat from dirt and corosion adding weight to the reed.
More common for new harp players learning to bend, is that the reed has been bent too hard. The metal fatigues and gets looser, producing a very flat sound.
I have successfully raised the pitch back up on the slightly flat reeds, but the ones that are real bad,
are ready to go. Fixing them may only lasts a short
time before the reed fails.
To make them last longer, do not play so hard.
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oldwailer
586 posts
Mar 17, 2009
10:38 AM
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From what you describe, it's almost certainly a fatigued reed--I've had a couple of these and the 4 draw is the one that always goes on me.
Here's hoping that it's just a piece of junk stuck to the reed. . .
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bluzlvr
146 posts
Mar 23, 2009
1:22 PM
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I was woodshedding on my remaining Seydel and right before my ears the 4 draw reed slowly went flat. No more Seydels for me. That's the second one (of two)that went bad prematurely. The question I have is: How flat is too flat? This one is flat by exactly a half step. Anybody had any luck bringing a reed that far back?
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