This may have been posted a few years ago, but the principles are still relevant. As a rookie harmonica player, I made some rookie mistakes poking around the reeds to clean. This video helped reclaim a three draw bend I had inadvertently destroyed. Thank you very much Andrew.
Hey you know what works great for seeing the gap around the reed, use a laser pointer. When you shine the laser in the lane of the comb you can really see the gap great. Just thought I would share that with the harmonica world
Excuse my language, but this tutorial is f**king brilliant. I have been working on an old Hohner blues harp that has been treated really badly. I have been able to fix the three draw reed. I can't thank you enough. So much knowledge and useful information in one tutorial. I am your newest subscriber. Thanks, from New Zealand.
Andrew thanks for the tip on how to get the reeds to function better by making sure they clear the slot!!!!! I also saw your videos on harmonica maintenance ,,,fantastic work !!! I'm looking forward in the near future God willing , to get your harmonica tool kit!! Again thanks and keep up the videos coming!!!Victor Union City NJ
Thanks a million Andrew, I was about to throw away with my Hohner 270d chromatic, then you saved me. I was trying to fix hole 1 and 2 draw since I bought the harmonica, those two holes were really bad. I could play them, but only by some specific adjustment of my tongue and mouth shape, they were not easy like the other holes, so was very uncomfortable to play. I tried to shape the reeds and adjust the gaps many times, but no luck. I found your video recently, and tried to follow it precisely. And voila, after few hours of work, those two holes are now playing like charm, I can play them by any shape of my tongue and mouth, very easy to sound. Your instruction of looking at the reed shape by the light coming from the reed gaps was really really useful. Few things I like to add, may be specific for chromatics. I noticed that if there is even a very tiny gap between the mouthpiece and the reed plates, it affects a lot. That gap may not be seen normally, but can be observed using your lighting technique. It can be solved by very small careful shaping of the mouthpiece and the other plates under the mouthpiece. Another thing is the tightness of the screws fixing the reed plates with the comb. All the screws on 270d are on the back side of the reed plate, so if I make them very tight then they kind of squeeze the back side of the reed plates making the front side little away from the comb, which affects the air tightness. So those screws should not be over-tight. I observed that even a small difference in the air tightness affects the lower holes a lot.
Hi, Andrew, great thorough instruction on these adjustments. Just out of curiosity, how do you test reed by blowing/drawing right after adjustments? It's off camera and to me sounds like an assembled harmonica. Thanks in advance.
Hi. I only seem to get problems with harps (all makes) for key A on draw hole 6. On several harps I get the same note whether I blow or draw. On one harp I get a lower note on draw 6 than blow 6. Any tips for overcoming these problems?
Shawn, he's taking the reed plate and putting his lips flat against the underside (non-reed side) of the reedplate and playing the single reed. It's a little weird at first, but give it a try. A lot faster than re-assembling and tells you a lot more about how that single reed acts.
This may have been posted a few years ago, but the principles are still relevant. As a rookie harmonica player, I made some rookie mistakes poking around the reeds to clean. This video helped reclaim a three draw bend I had inadvertently destroyed. Thank you very much Andrew.
This video is fantastic especially for people like me who are not experienced working on harps.
Hey you know what works great for seeing the gap around the reed, use a laser pointer. When you shine the laser in the lane of the comb you can really see the gap great. Just thought I would share that with the harmonica world
Excuse my language, but this tutorial is f**king brilliant. I have been working on an old Hohner blues harp that has been treated really badly. I have been able to fix the three draw reed. I can't thank you enough. So much knowledge and useful information in one tutorial. I am your newest subscriber. Thanks, from New Zealand.
Thanks for showing that those reeds can survive so much. This way I don't have to be afraid when I am going to work on my harmonica :D
Andrew thanks for the tip on how to get the reeds to function better by making sure they clear the slot!!!!! I also saw your videos on harmonica maintenance ,,,fantastic work !!! I'm looking forward in the near future God willing , to get your harmonica tool kit!! Again thanks and keep up the videos coming!!!Victor Union City NJ
I've been having problems and your excellent video has been a great help.
Thanks a million Andrew, I was about to throw away with my Hohner 270d chromatic, then you saved me. I was trying to fix hole 1 and 2 draw since I bought the harmonica, those two holes were really bad. I could play them, but only by some specific adjustment of my tongue and mouth shape, they were not easy like the other holes, so was very uncomfortable to play. I tried to shape the reeds and adjust the gaps many times, but no luck. I found your video recently, and tried to follow it precisely. And voila, after few hours of work, those two holes are now playing like charm, I can play them by any shape of my tongue and mouth, very easy to sound. Your instruction of looking at the reed shape by the light coming from the reed gaps was really really useful.
Few things I like to add, may be specific for chromatics. I noticed that if there is even a very tiny gap between the mouthpiece and the reed plates, it affects a lot. That gap may not be seen normally, but can be observed using your lighting technique. It can be solved by very small careful shaping of the mouthpiece and the other plates under the mouthpiece. Another thing is the tightness of the screws fixing the reed plates with the comb. All the screws on 270d are on the back side of the reed plate, so if I make them very tight then they kind of squeeze the back side of the reed plates making the front side little away from the comb, which affects the air tightness. So those screws should not be over-tight. I observed that even a small difference in the air tightness affects the lower holes a lot.
Thx Andrew, this was a very good lesson on gapping and especially at the rivet end!!
Very good! Thank you.
Thanks Andrew, very good instructions with some nice background knowledge. Very much appreciated!
Top notched master. Unbelievable! Thank you X 100 times.
Great video, really helpful. Thanks Andrew
Hi, Andrew, great thorough instruction on these adjustments. Just out of curiosity, how do you test reed by blowing/drawing right after adjustments? It's off camera and to me sounds like an assembled harmonica. Thanks in advance.
Just subscribed. Merci
great thanks!! would you say the higher smaller reeds are harder to shape?
I'm struggling with the accuracy of the high reeds
Hi good morning I am playing c chromatic harmonica 12 holl but holl no 10 only dro please tell why? Thank for you
Hi. I only seem to get problems with harps (all makes) for key A on draw hole 6. On several harps I get the same note whether I blow or draw. On one harp I get a lower note on draw 6 than blow 6. Any tips for overcoming these problems?
is this a special 20 that you are working on. ?
Very helpful - but how are you testing it so quickly when its separated form the comb and other reed plate?
Shawn, he's taking the reed plate and putting his lips flat against the underside (non-reed side) of the reedplate and playing the single reed. It's a little weird at first, but give it a try. A lot faster than re-assembling and tells you a lot more about how that single reed acts.
U CAN BUY A COMB FOR A HOLE.
to DanRidgway,
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