Honkin On Bobo
129 posts
Jan 07, 2010
9:22 AM
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Ok, I've been holding off on doing this, because I know I'm not going to enjoy it, but I feel I've got no choice after blowing out my last reed.
I've got about about a dozen Special 20's with various blown out reeds that I've kept, and I'm about to take that first step in trying to cannibalize some of them to fix others. I have never so much as opened up a single harp.
What tools am I going to need? All I know is that the covers have teeny tiny screws (very mechanical ain't I?).
Also, what's a realistic expectation to have here? ie; What's the degree of difficulty on this? I'm not trying to soup them up, ya know... emboss, arc (I don't even know what those terms mean), gap or anything....I just want to take a reed from one.........and put it in the other. The simplicity of that statement scares me...it's usually a bad sign. Will I need to warn friends/relatives to stay out of my apartment for a period, lest they be hit with flying objects?
To BarbequeBob: I know, I know.... it's my technique, breath force.......less of it.
I'm workin' on it.
Last Edited by on Jan 07, 2010 9:39 AM
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saregapadanisa
42 posts
Jan 07, 2010
9:43 AM
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Glad to see that you are as good as I am with tools. I never tried that, but I guess you could find good guidance from youtube.
Otherwise, I would go for the Harponline no-nonsense system, which allow to fix a reed with nut and bolt. Check their website http://www.harponline.de under "workshop".
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barbequebob
303 posts
Jan 07, 2010
11:15 AM
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There are some good videos from customizers Joe Spiers (harpwrech on here) and Elk River Harmonicas that you should look into. There's also a good video you can get by Rupert Oysler, who was also a long time customizer before he became US sales rep for Seydel that you should look into. Hohner, Seydel, Lee Oskar, Hering and Suzuki also have repair kits as well.
IF you've you've got junk harps/cheapo harps, use them to practice this stuff until you get comfortable enough to start working on your better stuff and one very important thing; DON'T BE IN A HURRY or you can really make some bad screwups. Patience is necessary and the very best teacher.
Having a quiet working environment definitely helps. Right now, with the internet and other publications available, you have tons more information to start out with than what I had when I began to work on my own harps in the mid 70's.
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Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
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Honkin On Bobo
139 posts
Jan 07, 2010
11:20 AM
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Thanks BQBob, appreciate the info.
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harmonicanick
511 posts
Jan 07, 2010
11:22 AM
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I also think you should be good and steady with your hands before you think of starting.
I am not, and it took a couple of screwups before I realised my limitations. Now I just clean them.
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barbequebob
306 posts
Jan 07, 2010
11:25 AM
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Customizer (and now US sales rep for Seydel USA) Rupert Oysler once said that in the beginning, he certainly ruined quite a few harps before he got the hang of things and so that's gonna be part of the learning curve and it's why I also tell players to practice with their junk or real cheapo Chinese made harps first.
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Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
Last Edited by on Jan 07, 2010 11:26 AM
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Honkin On Bobo
140 posts
Jan 07, 2010
11:29 AM
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thanks nick
I really feel like what have I got to lose? The dead harps sitting in the boneyard aren't doing me any good anyway. So why not give it a shot?
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Kingley
594 posts
Jan 07, 2010
11:35 AM
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Somebody needs to make a good YouTube video on how to replace reeds and the tools necessary.
Maybe we'll get lucky and Joe Spiers might make one to go with his excellent series on gapping.
Dave Payne did a good one demonstrating the Seydel reed removal tool. Unfortunately though he didn't go into the process of replacing the reed (at least not that I recall).
Last Edited by on Jan 07, 2010 11:36 AM
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harmonicanick
513 posts
Jan 07, 2010
3:21 PM
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Honkin
How much time do you have? Even though I am retired I feel less like messing about with fiddly bits of metal and plastic than before.
If they are broke, I buy another. By the way I play Golden melody and Lee Oskar and in general they last fine.
Unless the band is too loud and and I get pushed into a too strong blow/suck situation and then the reed goes and it costs me money
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Honkin On Bobo
149 posts
Jan 08, 2010
2:17 AM
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Nick,
Got a decent amount of time. Like you, I really don't want to mess around with them, but the amount of dead harps is starting to get ridiculous. I know I'm playing too hard on them but some of that's unavoidable, as yes, the band IS too loud. I can't tell them to turn down because A) we're kind of a hard rock, rock and roll, blues, punk hodge-podge; B) it's not my band and so, they'll probably tell me to take a hike. I need them more than they need me. It's my only chance to play out with somebody; C) they're good guys and I like them. So right now it's figure out how to fix these suckers or keep shelling out the dough.
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MrVerylongusername
793 posts
Jan 08, 2010
2:23 AM
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I think Richard Sleigh said his next book would be on replacing reeds. It's also covered briefly in the Rupert Oysler videos and Brendan Power has a Youtube clip on replacing welded Suzuki reeds. Harponline.de used to have an article on it - dunno if it's still there.
Never done it myself yet though!
[*edit* just needed to correct 'Brenda' Power - if you're reading this Brendan, sorry!!!]
Last Edited by on Jan 08, 2010 2:40 AM
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Honkin On Bobo
150 posts
Jan 08, 2010
2:32 AM
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Mr.V,
hey thanks...read your career profile on the other thread...very admirable.
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wheezer
132 posts
Jan 08, 2010
3:03 AM
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As Saregapadanisa says, Harponline are the people who have all you need. As well as screws and nuts they also stock individual reeds (SP 20's use the same reed as a Marine Band) priced at half a Euro each.
I have a video on Youtube showing all the tools needed to
replace single reeds. Type N62KNM into the Youtube search
and you will find it.
As Barbequebob suggests start on a cheap harp. Your SP20's are good harps and once you master reed changing
they should last you a lifetime. The process is not difficult, it just requires a little patience and care.
Should you require a tuner to check the pitch of your new reed could I suggest the "seventh string online tuner", a free download that I have found to be good.
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MrVerylongusername
794 posts
Jan 08, 2010
3:07 AM
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Oh yeah forgot to add if you sign up for Richard Sleigh's mailing list, you can download his "field spotters guide to Marine Band harmonicas" which apart from being an interesting read in its own right, has a useful guide to what reeds are interchangeable between keys.
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Honkin On Bobo
152 posts
Jan 08, 2010
4:37 AM
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Wheezer thanks, i'll definitely check out that vid.
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Gwythion
52 posts
Jan 08, 2010
7:22 AM
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Hello Wheezer, Your YouTubes are brilliant - I learned a lot about harp repairs and stuff from them. Cheers.
I didn't know what your nickname on here was before now.
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