congaron
439 posts
Jan 14, 2010
1:56 PM
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Hi folks.
I was wondering if any of you have done harp mods you didn't think were worth the time it took to do them in terms of playability/tone before and after?
Likewise, any you think gave superior bang for the buck in terms of your time.
For me, cutting the little plastic pieces out of a special 20 comb is definitely the least worthwhile mod i have done. All those little screws, assembly, dissasembly...i just haven't experienced a significant tone or playblilty improvement.
On the other side, re-gapping has been the number one playability mod for me. Opening the covers in the back is my number one acoustic volume mod.
Those two things are all I do anymore unless a marine band comb swells..then i exacto it off. I may also emery cloth the reed plate edges and comb corners of a new marine band eventually, but not inside the tines.
Basically, I can do all of the above without disassembly, opening the covers with taped pliers to avoid scratching, then re-gapping as needed with a paper clip bent just so.
I started this thread to help new folks decide how much tinkering is really the average.
Again, I would say special 20's need none most of the time strictly form a beginner's playability perspective..also suzuki harpmasters if you like ET tuning.
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bluemoose
109 posts
Jan 14, 2010
2:12 PM
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I'm with you on chopping up the SP20 comb but other than that I think any mod, unless it renders the harp unplayable, is worth it even if it's just taking the cover plates off, having a look and re-assembling. All goes to reinforce visualization of what's going on under the covers and where you are.
All my SP20's get a gapping lookover to make sure gaps are even, getting slightly tighter to the high end. Usually have to just touch one or two but that puts you more in touch with the harp.
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isaacullah
572 posts
Jan 14, 2010
2:17 PM
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Flat-sanding (wood) combs and the bottom of the draw reedplate are the only really really worth it mods (in addition to gapping) for most people. IMO embossing is only worth it after you've reached a certain skill level (i'm not sure I'm there yet)
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The magnificent YouTube channel of the internet user known as "isaacullah"
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Ryan
68 posts
Jan 14, 2010
2:20 PM
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I've heard that tip scooping is actually pretty useless, and it can have the opposite affect of what you want.
Also, I tried crimping open the back of one of my golden melodies and it's something I wouldn't do again. For the most part I didn't really hear a noticeable difference from before and after, I've heard this from other people too. Also, if you decide you do want to try this, don't bend back the metal support parts of the cover plates. This is what I did because it seemed the natural thing to do when crimping the backs open, but without those it becomes difficult to get the covers in place when puting them back on (and the the covers do become somewhat flimsy). The biggest problem I found is that Golden Melodies will often get little chips coming of on the sides of the comb, if you don't have the supports in the back the covers might slide down where the plastic chipped off and it won't sit right. Anyways thats my suggestion, of course you can try it if you like, maybe you'll have better luck with it.
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scrybe314
59 posts
Jan 14, 2010
2:39 PM
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I'd never even heard of the SP20 mod, but I'll avoid it. Tip scooping and waxing the rivet end both wound up doing nothing for my harps after I'd killed a couple in the process of getting it right. On the other hand, learning to regap properly is readily worth the time and effort.
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congaron
441 posts
Jan 14, 2010
2:46 PM
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A little on the side here, I picked up a couple of the cheap piedmont blues harps i bought to get the case a few months ago. Guess what, they play just fine now that i can play. True, the plastic covers lack some resonance, but all the notes are there that i am able to play..except for a couple of the overblows, but most of them will do hole 6.
I'm finding out the playability of my harps seems to have an awful lot to do with my experience level. Sure, i can feel the difference bewteen one of those and a marine band/special20/harpmaster/promaster...they are al different. Point is, I can play the blues on a 3.99 hohner yellow plastic harp now, bends and all. I am moving away form the desire to tinker and tweak to perfection. Now I am just trying to get all the holes playing evenly and most of my harps are pretty close out of the box. I'm talking about five minutes to tweak a reed or two and another minute thirty to open the rear of the cover plates...not bad. After a few days break-in usually.
Oh, and I'm not talking about custom harps which are well worth the money. I'm talking beginner stuff here to make sure it plays. The piedmont thing makes me believe a beginner should start with a special 20 and be done with it.
Last Edited by on Jan 14, 2010 2:48 PM
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scrybe314
60 posts
Jan 14, 2010
2:50 PM
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congaron, I feel ya, there. I play Huang Star Performers - dirt cheap Golden Melody clones out of China- and I can work most of the magic I need on 'em. Still, I've played ONE custom harp before, and I never forgot the feel of it, the responsiveness, the flawlessnss of the action. I can play on utterly crap harps as long as they can be played, but it's a fight. When I'm performing, I don't want to struggle with my harp, I want a fusion.
Also, there's just something really satisfying about getting your harp to play right after hours whittled away on making sure the reeds are gapped and embossed just right.
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isaacullah
573 posts
Jan 14, 2010
2:53 PM
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yup, playing comfort and even-ness of response are all I'm after these days. Increasing responsiveness is something I'll aim for again after some time when I feel like I really need it.
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The magnificent YouTube channel of the internet user known as "isaacullah"
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MrVerylongusername
827 posts
Jan 14, 2010
4:05 PM
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I do cut the sprues out between the comb tines on Sp20s and GMs. It doesn't add anything to the sound, but it makes it much easier to make little gapping adjustments through the holes without needing to dismantle the harp. You can still do it with them in place, but it's a bit more awkward.
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nacoran
797 posts
Jan 14, 2010
5:52 PM
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What is with how Piedmont's taste when they are new? I have tons of better quality plastic comb harps, SP20's, GM's, LO's, BluesHarps, and there is no real taste to them, but the Piedmonts taste like I'm licking a yak's toe jam. It wears off after a while, but it has me wondering about the plastic they use.
When you are first starting off picking up a set isn't a bad way to fill out your keys isn't a bad way to go (or two practice modding on) as long as you have at least one good harp to learn on, but oh, that taste!
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congaron
444 posts
Jan 14, 2010
7:26 PM
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lol
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Shredder
107 posts
Jan 14, 2010
8:26 PM
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I have opened up the backs of my G/M's and that made a definate positive differance, even the Guitar and drum player can here the change from them to stock harps.
I have opened the ends of the cover plt's also. This really didn't make any differance to me, actually I feel it took away from the tone a bit.
I tryed embossing and can't see the point, at least on a G/M. They are tight from the factory.
Removing the spruses didn't make any differance either.
Gapping is the most important thing you can do to a harp in my opinion with opening up the backs 2nd !
Channeling the reed plate makes some differance to the over blow in my case so I guess I'll say it's 3rd in my case
Mike
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Bluzdude46
373 posts
Jan 14, 2010
8:38 PM
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Opening the bacvks is a must for me as well as gapping. I'm pretty good at embossing it just takes patience and a lot of plinking (Thank you Chris)
Waxing rivet ends is the most useless. If the harps get a bit too warm?? What a gummy mess!!
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LittleJoeSamson
206 posts
Jan 14, 2010
9:04 PM
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Worst unsolicited advice I EVER got: I outplayed a name player who shall remain nameless; and he gave me an inside clue to preserve reeds: put a rubber band around them after playing ( psst ).
OK, I thought...WTH, it won't hurt to try...
WASTE OF TIME. He was shining on me. Course, I wasn't THAT gullible. I only did it with one harp.
I still feel stupid for even nibbling!
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oldwailer
1016 posts
Jan 14, 2010
10:10 PM
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I like to at least check the gaps--do a lightly once over on embossing while gapping--then check the tuning. If I have the time I re-tune to 7-limit because I like the sound of the chords.
If I have even more time I make a new comb for it and round off the corners to make it more comfortable.
I buy almost all MB's now--but I like the 20's I still have. Every now and then I get an MB that just sounds too damn good to screw with--and I just leave it alone and play it until it sounds like it needs something. . .
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