My first ever harmonica was a Hohner Blues harp. I'm not ashamed to say I was extremely 'n00bish' enough to think that it was the harmonica I was looking for because it said "BLUES" harp. Haha. Anyone else make that mistake? c'mon, admit it.
Anyway, I've acquired a lot more harmonicas in the past 7 months and I really don't use the blues harp anymore. So I was thinking I'd use it as a practice harp for customizing... I'll do every/anything to it and see how well it plays.
Has anyone embossed the blues harps wood comb? what works best? I hate the taste of the comb... it's so woody.
I wouldnt try embossing the comb!!! Things you might try are to seal the comb with bees wax ( or butchers block oil), emboss the reed slots, gap/arc the reeds, round off the tines and sharp edges of the comb and plates, fit it back together with screws, and I would say you would have a nice harp on your hands ( that is if you dont totally stuff it up doing the above, which on your first one is quite likely by the way ).
lol, thanks for the correct Tryharp. I meant seal... sometimes my brain works at an angle without my knowing it. Like once, I wrote the first paragraph of an essay with my hands position 1 key to the right (without looking at the keyboard)
Yup. Blues harp in C was my first purchase. Learned the difference between phillips and pozi-driv screws quickly, but fatally (to one screw) when I first thought my 2 draw was wonky, but later learned it was juuuuust fine and purposefully difficult to play.
I still like the Blues harps for some bendy notes when they're well broken in, but haven't spent much time trying to otherwise customize them due to my own clumsiness on the topic.
Wow : It takes my brain a while, but usually a light will come on. I'm not mechanical at all. I usually hate to take things apart. Normally I will break them before I get them repaired. After reading this thread I finally took apart my blues harp. it was a gift a couple yers ago and seldom played for a lot of the same reasons i've read in this forum.
All I did was gap/plink the reeds. All very carefully . It really may have made a difference. I think its worth the time to learn a little more. I have a great DVD of Rupert Oysler that I have'nt really watched. Guess I will know.
My question to try harp or anyone: How many coates of sealant to the comb and I assume you don't put any coate on to heavy. Sould you use a small artist brush? Thanks for any help K.C.
KC69, You want to check out a video by Dave Payne of Elk River Harmonicas. He had a vid showing to put on about half a dozen coats of salad bowl finish with a small art brush, but now he recommends Butchers block, as a better product, I havent done it that way myself. What I do is melt down some bees wax and dunk in in the melted wax, then scrape off the excess. I posted a detailed link to a harpl post on this, so if you do a search you should find it. ( you need to be very careful melting bees wax because its highly volatile at temperature, so no naked flame and dont let it get too hot etc or you might lose your eyebrows, or worse )
Thanks Tryharp: I will check out Dave and other posts.
I have only been to Elk River site once. They have a picture of the Deer Jerky Gang, a group of us from the Buckeye Harmonica Fest. Its really Lawn Chair Deere Jerky. I only hunt from my Lawn Chair.
I will be carefull if i would try bees wax.I know some local bee farmers, maybe they also have advice on using that product this way. Thanks again K.C.
Just watched the youtube vid. does'nt look to complicated. I'll give it a go. My problem or luck, If I were a buffalo, who would I run into but____ Buffalo Bill. Thats the kind of luck I have. Guess I've got some spares to work on first. Thanks again K.C.
Last Edited by on Mar 19, 2009 7:25 PM
Actually my first harp purchase was a blues BAND harp. Way crappier than the Blues Harps. Blues Bands are basically crap and I used mine for my very first experiments in harp modification (they went horribly wrong, but it wasn't much a loss). Blues Harps, on the other hand, CAN be modified into quite workable harps. Here's a video that forum member N62KM recently made that should give you some ideas:
My first harp was a Marine Band in C. If the harp is otherwise OK, then gapping has amazing effects (talking as a noob to noobs). If the harp is leaky, more drastic measures are needed.
Blues harp wood combs are already sealed from the factory. I do re-seal mine, but only because when I sand them I get into the finish.
I use beeswax. It is real easy. Just melt it in a pan on very low heat, dip the comb, let dry and repeat. 3 coats is all I've ever done and that seems to be sufficient. It drys real quick and you can do the whole process in about an hour. The 11 or 12 coats of finish that you have to brush on is too much work for a guy as lazy as me.
I only dip it in once, and hold it odwn for a bit. I dont really see the point in re dipping it again, I recon it soaks up as much as it can on the first dip.
I just bought a can of Watco butcher block oil. I'll give it a go. I have a few older harps to practice with. Wonder if the wife would____ No Better not!
For Preston. Two good reasons why I used varnish on that harp.
!. I ain't got no butchers block oil or beeswax.
2. I have got a tin of varnish.
No, you're absolutely right. The varnish takes forever but you do end up with a comb that looks great and is smooth and flat plus you can wash it under the tap.
Last Edited by on Mar 22, 2009 7:35 AM
