Flea
1 post
Dec 18, 2009
6:00 PM
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Hey everyone. I'm very new to playin' the harmonica. I got a Blues Band about a year ago, played it for a couple weeks, then set it down and forgot about it. I wanted to get back into it again and learn to play it. I played it for about a week, but then the reeds in the 2 hole got stuck. I picked up a new Marine Band last night. I played it gently for about an hour last night. Then I played for about 45 minutes tonight, and sure enough, more stuck reeds. The 2 and 3 holes have stuck reeds. What am I doin' wrong? I'm not playin' right after eatin' or drinkin' anything. I'm not slobberin' all over the thing. I'm not playin' it hard. I don't know what I'm doin' wrong, but it's gotta be somethin'. Can anyone help me out? Is there a way to fix the two harmonicas I have?
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pharpo
22 posts
Dec 18, 2009
6:18 PM
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I find that blowing / drawing quickly though chords or multiple holes, many times frees up "stuck reeds".
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Music is your own experience, your own thoughts, your wisdom. If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn. They teach you there's a boundary line to music. But, man, there's no boundary line to art. - Charlie Parker
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javajoe
5 posts
Dec 18, 2009
6:23 PM
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Is it stuck when you draw in or when you blow out or both?
You can take the covers off and visually inspect it for foreign objects... take something soft, like a toothpick and GENTLY flex the reeds to try and free them. Run them under a little tap water... Perhaps you could givea little more info? Are the stuck reeds making a squeeling noise? It's not likely the reeds are shot.
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Flea
2 posts
Dec 18, 2009
6:24 PM
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So in this case, I should try quickly blowing and drawing through the 1,2,&3 holes, or the 2,3,&4 holes?
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Greg Heumann
189 posts
Dec 18, 2009
6:25 PM
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The spaces between the reeds and the slots are very, very fine. It doesn't take much to jam one - a tiny piece of pocket lint, for example. You can remove the cover plates and inspect them under a very strong light - you should be able to see even light on all 3 free sides of the reed.
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/Greg
http://www.BlowsMeAway.com
http://www.BlueStateBand.net
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bluestate
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Flea
3 posts
Dec 18, 2009
6:27 PM
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They don't make much sound at all when blowing or drawing. The sound that does come out, is flat.
Would running tap water over them mess up the wood comb? I read that soaking them would make the wood expand, but then it would shrink back down to an even smaller size.
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javajoe
6 posts
Dec 18, 2009
6:28 PM
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Sounds like dried saliva...Rinse them well, pop the excess water out on your trouser leg and give them a few fairly aggressive draws & blows.
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Flea
4 posts
Dec 18, 2009
6:30 PM
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If I can fine a small enough screw driver, I'll take the cover off and check it out.
What am I doing wrong to cause them to get stuck? I just picked this one up last night and I put it in a case when I was done.
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Flea
5 posts
Dec 18, 2009
6:33 PM
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Alright. I'll see if I can get the cover off. Would I be better off using a cue tip and some alcohol, rather than running water, so I can try to keep the comb dry?
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scstrickland
375 posts
Dec 18, 2009
6:38 PM
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Try running your Bluesband under hot water. Shake it out and blow and draw virtuously. If it clears up, it was probably dried saliva. If that doesn't work, try opening it up and gently plinking the reeds with a toothpick. DO NOT RINSE A WOOD COMB HARP.
"I'm not slobberin' " thats what I thought too in the first six months, turns out I was. 8^) good luck.
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javajoe
7 posts
Dec 18, 2009
6:44 PM
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You're not necessarily doing anything wrong... stuff can get in them from time to time. It's a good Idea & habit to clean them every so often. You could have a couple of reeds/slots that just weren't adjusted well at the factory. As Greg mentioned, the tolerance between the reed & slot is very slight. It doesn't take much to hang the reed up.Try the cleaning first.
As far as soaking goes; I don't soak my MB's. It does cause them to swell and when they dry out, the combs actually shrink up smaller because the cells in the wood get weakened and broken down from the swelling.
Therefore, you actually have a more leak- prone harp than you started out with.
Jason Ricci has a vid on You tube about cleaning Harps that pretty good... Search "Jason Ricci mongoose free".
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Sirsucksalot
113 posts
Dec 18, 2009
6:48 PM
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What ever you do don't put it anywhere near water, it will swell. you have to pry the covers off with a pocket knife, those are nails not screws. be careful and do it slowly. or you could try using a toothpick and gently move the reeds. mot to much, very lightly. don't eat when playing or just before. and try not to drink sugary soda when playing.
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javajoe
8 posts
Dec 18, 2009
6:49 PM
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I respectfully disagree... Rinsing a problem wood comb harp out one time is not going to hurt it. I wouldn't soak one though.
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Flea
6 posts
Dec 18, 2009
6:55 PM
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Thanks for the help. I don't know why I didn't think about rinsing the Blues Band. That one should be alright.
If I pry the nails out of the Marine Band to get the cover off, would they go back in correctly?
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Sirsucksalot
114 posts
Dec 18, 2009
7:00 PM
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yeah they should. you will have to push them back in with the flat of a knife or some pliers. and be careful you don't lose the nails.
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javajoe
9 posts
Dec 18, 2009
7:00 PM
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To be honest, once you take the covers off, the nails rarely fit as tightly as they originally did. I glue in the tip if a flat toothpick (shave it off flush with the plate when dry) when they get too sloppy. First time putting them back on they usually stay fairly tight.
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Flea
7 posts
Dec 18, 2009
7:05 PM
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Thanks. You guys have been very helpful.
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DanP
107 posts
Dec 18, 2009
9:11 PM
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If you have been eating before you play, it's best to rinse your mouth with water or mouthwash because a particle of food can get stuck between a reed and the reedplate causing the note not to sound.
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Marcelus
4 posts
Dec 18, 2009
9:23 PM
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Try watching this. It will help if you really need to take it apart
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkqmXP9IVyg
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nacoran
565 posts
Dec 18, 2009
10:24 PM
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Blues Bands are plastic and metal, not wood combed, so wash away, but be careful with the Marine Band. Adam actually has a video (sorry, I don't know which one) about the two hole. (No, it's not a porno!) He says that a lot of times newer players can't get it to sound. He says people come up to him all the time saying the two hole is broken; it worked, then it didn't. He says it's almost never actually broken or jammed. Since you seem to be having problems with that hole specifically that might be your problem. Sadly, I don't remember how he said to fix your embrochure to correct it. I had the problem, and it fixed it. Anyone know which video that was?
edit- He talks about it a few times, but video 2 talks about how to fix your embrochure.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5Gcchw5rkM&feature=PlayList&p=B6838E17C1101700&index=1
(Or it could be stuck reeds.)
Last Edited by on Dec 18, 2009 11:31 PM
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