ZackPomerleau
137 posts
Jun 03, 2009
9:11 AM
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Yep, I am in study hall right now. Did some work on an Eb Herinb Blues I have. In thirty minutes during lunch I changed it from a sucky harmonica that was incredibly leaky to a really good harmonica that overblows on 4, 5, and 6. Easy bends, too, and this was just with a screwdriver and a nickel (for embossing)...SO, who does their own?
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Preston
394 posts
Jun 03, 2009
9:22 AM
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I do my own reed word.
But I'm interested in learning from a professional one of these days.
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ZackPomerleau
138 posts
Jun 03, 2009
9:29 AM
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I haven't really gotten any professionals, I have just read various things and did what I thought would do good, based on common sense. It usually works out good!!!
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wheezer
80 posts
Jun 03, 2009
9:54 AM
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I do my own reed work. A bit of effort and even a cheap harp can play well.
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dfwdlg
29 posts
Jun 03, 2009
10:49 AM
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I did some gapping and tuning for awhile but it eats directly into my playing/practice time. I've ordered a custom GM from Buddha to see how it feels/plays (and look at the guts to see if I can tell what has been done).
Everybody leave him alone so he can finish that sucker.
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jonsparrow
398 posts
Jun 03, 2009
10:51 AM
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im experimenting with it. im getting better. iv improved this golden melody i have that was realy bad out of the box. but it could still be better. it took me a few tries over a time span of a few weeks. the first few times i fucked it up worse. but then it started gettin better. now its actually playable.
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Kingley
5 posts
Jun 03, 2009
11:50 AM
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I play Marine Bands. I do all my own reed work. It makes a huge difference to how a harp plays. I'm getting better and better at it all the time.
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Grillslinger
61 posts
Jun 03, 2009
11:58 AM
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I do my own reeds as well. I really enjoy it. It's very relaxing to me. Gapping, tuning, embossinig, curling. There are few other things too, but they're more involved, so I don't do them much.
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mickil
229 posts
Jun 03, 2009
12:11 PM
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I'm too lazy. Not only that; I don't want to / can't be bothered to do the manufacturers' jobs for them.
I mean: why should I fork out £36 UK for a MB Dlx (G) and have to pranny around to get rid of the 1 draw reed rattle. I know that lower keyed harps are prone to that kind of thing, but Hohner have had 113 years to work om improving the design. How many more milimetres would it take in size to eliminate the reed rattle problem? 2, maybe three. LO did it with their lower hrps.
Instead of going tekky, I've chosen to invest in a few more up-market harps. Yesterday, I got an 1847 Silver. Really nice harp. I can't OB on it cos it's harder on the lower keys, but I'd lay a penny to the pound that a Bb and above will OB. At least, that's the impression I get from stuff on YT. I think Christelle Berthon said that they OB out of the box.
Jason Ricci says, in one of his vids, that he spends as much time working on his harps as he does playing them. Me, I haven't got the time.
Still, I can see how it could be quite a relaxing thing to do, if that's what you like doing.
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'If it sounds GOOD to you, it's bitchen; if it sounds BAD to YOU, it's shitty' - Frank Zappa
http://www.youtube.com/user/SlimHarpMick
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Bluzdude46
56 posts
Jun 03, 2009
1:34 PM
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I started gapping, adjusting reeds, opening backs, embossing (which really screwed me and a coupla harps up at 1st) I even went so far as waxing the rivets on my stage harps (It made sense in the description)By the way if your Harps ever stay in your car and it gets a little warmer then you thought it would, that wax will melt and gum up a harp real well. I had to do a Major cleaning on a C harp.
I prefer sp20's that I work on cause I know what I like. I like the Seydels all I had to do was gap them. I prefer plastic or Aluminum combs, don't care for Pearwood, Rosewood, Oak, Teak, Cherry, Mahogany or Pine thank you very much at the expense of being considered a non traditionalist, Gimme plastic. I don't want to pry little nails up and hope they go back in tight, I'd prefer a slotted scew head not an allen or a star or whatever proprietory shape some engineering guy dreams up. I don't want titanium, plutonium,adamantium or some space age steel and please refrain from making promises that a harp will last forever...they never do. I understand the need for gapping and because of wear perhaps retuning.
But what we all really want is a Harmonica that is gapped reasonably with a good sound that we can open up to retune a reed adjust the gap a little. That's all. After all the money old guys like me (and the younger players that are following us) have given to The Hohner Co. And Seydel Harmonicas. You would think we could get a decent product without spending 3-5 times the price of what we've been paying for for 20-30 years, No offense to Buddha or any other customizer, I'm certain you guys do fabulous work, we've heard from too many that you do. But hell I feel like I own stock in Hohner and Lee Oskar. Whatever happened to making quality better? Ok I'm done my rant and as always thank you for listening.
Peace,
Michael
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mickil
230 posts
Jun 03, 2009
1:44 PM
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Well said, that man!
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'If it sounds GOOD to you, it's bitchen; if it sounds BAD to YOU, it's shitty' - Frank Zappa
http://www.youtube.com/user/SlimHarpMick
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DaDoom
107 posts
Jun 03, 2009
3:52 PM
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Michael, I couldn't agree more with you. They should just make good harps out-of-the box.
Having said that I do some reed work too. Tuning, gapping, embossing, arching. I'm far from being good at it. I made a pretty decent GM in D though that can sustain OBs for as long as you want. And two days ago I replaced all the nails in a MB (Low G) with some super sexy brass screws. I guess Buddha's video inspired me to improve my G harp although it doesn't sound that good....yet.
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harmonicanick
297 posts
Jun 04, 2009
1:05 AM
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Hope someone from Hohner is reading this thread!
Why should we have to pay more good money for a decent product?
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oldwailer
751 posts
Jun 04, 2009
3:15 PM
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I don't think any harp player can escape the need to work on the harps at least a little.
Even if you get a perfect top-of-the-line harp from Buddha this week--yeah, it will be perfect for a while, but, sooner or later, in your quest to be a better player, you're gonna need to tweak a little here and there to make them perfect for you--tune them up or regap the 6 blow or whatever.
I don't think the perfect gap for a 6 blow for Buddha is necessarily the perfect gap for me either--so, it's either send them back to Buddha or somebody now and then for tune-ups, or learn to do it yourself--they're like cars--they need a little tune-up and loving care now and then.
I don't believe there is an instrument that doesn't require maintenance and care. I'm not out to defend Hohner or any manufacturer cuz I've been just as screwed by them as anyone--but even a top-line Martin Guitar that costs 5 or 10 grand would require some fine-tuning to suit ME.
If you can afford to send them to a pro on a regular basis, the way I do with my car--that is a great way to not work on harps. Otherwise, just butch up and learn some basic skills like Zack has and your harps will last better and sound better and you will have more playing time because you won't need to quack about Hohner QI so much (LOL!) . . .
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Zhin
311 posts
Jun 06, 2009
12:48 AM
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I do my own reed work out of necessity.
It's a chore and not fun anymore but it's worth it. It's not even meditational to me anymore. Everyone feels different about this kind of thing though.
That being said, ever since I got into working on my own harps I've developed a deeper admiration for anyone who does custom work on their own harps and dedicated harp customizers.
It's hard work to get it right and a lot of patience/planning/perseverance.
But man, when you pick up that harp to play a song after you're finished with the work and final tweaks, you forget very quickly how much time you spent! :)
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http://www.youtube.com/harmonicazhin
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ZackPomerleau
144 posts
Jun 06, 2009
8:41 AM
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Zhin, you know what really sucks, when you spend that much time and then one of the draw notes sounds like a party horn!!! :D
I love doing the reed work at night when there is nothing to do, I find if you have no worries about doing something more important this works out much better.
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scalene
1 post
Jun 07, 2009
6:18 AM
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I am a bit of a tinkerer so I don't mind a little tweaking now and then. But i'd rather be playing. Right now I'm getting some rattle on a 6-draw bend on my C that has to go. It wasn't doing it out of the box. I am still just learning to bend so maybe it something about how I play - I don't know.
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rpoe
4 posts
Jun 07, 2009
10:29 AM
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I do my own gapping and embossing. About to venture into opening up the covers and adding screws to MB. Lot's of good instructional material online. I find it very rewarding.
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Bluzdude46
58 posts
Jun 08, 2009
9:23 AM
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Laughing at Zack and the party horn analogy, And Oldwailer? I was raised in PA close enought to Nazareth PA and The Martin Guitar Factory to say....... HERESY!!! BLASPHEMER!!! Martin Guitars are perfect
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Zhin
313 posts
Jun 08, 2009
10:40 PM
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Scalene,
Setting the reeds isn't as easy as people think. Getting it right is a lot harder than what I used to think but by understanding that and knowing it before hand... well, can really help.
You need to really KNOW what you're doing when you're playing harp first. You need to have an "intimate" understanding on your breath control and bending first.
And you should understand how the harp actually works. Like why is it it plays sounds from one reedplate or another when you draw or blow notes. How is the air travelleing in there and how does it affect it?
You need to understand what you're doing to those reeds when you change their action.
Truth is, anyone can do their own reedwork. But getting it right to make sure all the notes play at an even volume (when you choose to) and bends/OB's should come out easily... it takes a lot of time and painstaking work to get it right.
There's no need to rush into anything. Take your time, enjoy playing the instrument and get to know it first before even thinking of tinkering with it. You are more than likely to do more damage than any good if you haven't even got your bending down in the first place.
Sometimes the reed setting can be extremely frustrating. It's literally like a rubics cube. You have one thing and everything else is affected. You think you're done after 3 hours and find yourself working for another 3... ugh.
I hate to say this but it makes perfect sense... if you can't play harp in the first place, there's no way in hell you can configure a harp that plays well for harp players. You can fool easy to please non-critical people, but anyone who is a little sharper than that will know.
A well customized harp is something for you to control for good tone. Not control YOU for good tone.
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http://www.youtube.com/harmonicazhin
Last Edited by on Jun 08, 2009 10:43 PM
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ZackPomerleau
160 posts
Jun 09, 2009
8:29 AM
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I agree with Zhin, you NEED to learn to play good first before you customize your own harmonicas. I DID work on my old ones when I was a newbie and I did nothing good at all. You'll just get frustrated, but when the time comes I can promise you you will get it. I know, I used to say I would never do it, but then I had a few horrible harmonicas and I tried it. Now I do it a few times a week.
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Andrew
354 posts
Jun 09, 2009
3:31 PM
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I've worked on all my harps. I think I've done quite a lot of good, but I suspect I'll have to replace them and do the work again once I'm a good harp player.
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Zhin
317 posts
Jun 09, 2009
9:08 PM
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You don't need to be a "good" player. Just have to know the things I mentioned. There are people who know all that stuff but are not exactly considered that good.
Anyways I wasn't trying to discourage anyone.
I firmly believe EVERYONE should get into doing work on their harps. But I also strongly believe they need to already have spent the time to get to know the instrument first.
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http://www.youtube.com/harmonicazhin
Last Edited by on Jun 09, 2009 9:08 PM
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ZackPomerleau
169 posts
Jun 10, 2009
8:54 AM
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Zhin, I think knowing breath control and bending is pretty close to playing "good." I agree with you totally, though.
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