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Извините, в данный момент я не принимаю студентов. С наилучшими пожеланиями

Hey AJ, thanks, great to hear from you!

I’m sorry for the problem, I’ll try to bring the volume up on the next video.

By the time a reed breaks, there’ll be fatigue throughout the reed. Even if the solder were to hold, the tone would be weak and dull. You might be able to find strips of brass or bronze from which to cut reeds but it would be difficult work and the material might not be of the proper hardness. If you’re playing Hohner harmonicas you may be able to order individual reeds from them: www.hohner-cshop.de/en/Downloads/

@@stimmrad thanks for your detailed reply!

Yes, I believe it does. It also seems to help prevent the likelihood of a bend kicking up into a dissonant, higher register.

@@stimmrad Thanks for the reply Rick I have to try it. I'll have to get a tool to do it with. I'll see if I can make one like you mentioned in the video. Great work.

And chamfering may improve a reed’s longevity because it removes its sharp, upper edges. Edges, inside corners, etc. are areas where fractures are more likely to propagate.

@@stimmrad Thanks Rick this information is gold. So happy you make videos to share your knowledge. It's appreciated.

Thanks for asking. I don’t sell any tools, but my valve tool has been available from one of the following: Hot Rod Harmonicas hotrodharmonicas.myshopify.co... J.A. Harmonicas jaharmonicas.com/webshop.html...

👍

I have a factory-made Special 20 D long slot. As might be expected, the low end is a little beefier and the high end a little duller and less responsive. If you play mostly at the low end, you might give it a try. When the MS reeds were first developed, the current MS short slot reeds were the long slots, with a short slot scale above it. The short slot high end played brilliantly, even the top reeds of the F#, but the long slot low end, which was shorter than the Classic long slot, lacked the power that Hohner reeds are known for. So a new, longer long slot scale was produced, called “Super Long Slot”. I only wished that they could have kept the old short slot, providing three slot scales, but knew it would be economically infeasible, and a strong tone would be, for most players, more important than high end response for the highest couple of keys.

That's deep. I've always wanted to try a frankenharp project, maybe a long slot D will be the one. If I'm reading your reply correctly it would be... long slot Db MS plates for holes 1-6 retuned up to D. For holes 7-10 MS D plates. And I've been looking for an excuse to purchase a jewelers saw! The economics don't make sense but it would be a good challenge. Something to think about for sure. Thank you for the reply and sharing. So nice to have the resources we have today with TH-cam. When I started playing back in 1969 it was the dark ages. All the best, Blunt White, Stonington CT. @@stimmrad

Before you go that far, try just tuning up the entire Db plate. Filing up the highest reeds, even by one semitone, will leave them pretty thin at the tip, which will improve their response. The pitch neutral point for most reeds is about 1/3 the way back from the tip, so utilise all that area when raising the pitch in order to maintain an even gradient in the reed profile. Another idea to try might be to cut down a set of D MS plates to fit your Classic comb. The reed length gradient on MS is steeper than on Classic. Check these approximate reed lengths of positions 1 and 10: MS long slot 17.2 - 8.4 Classic long slot 16.7 - 8.8 Classic short slot 14.8 - 7.6 MS short slot 16.2 - 7.7 The MS short slot is not far off the Classic long slot in the low end and not far off the Classic short slot in the high end. Cutting all four sides of an MS plate to fit a Classic comb will bring the reeds closer to the front of the mouthpiece, improving response over that on an MS comb.

You could start with embossing only the tip of the reed slot and see what effect it might have, but I expect it will be fairly minimal. All Hohner chromatic and diatonic reeds except for MS are tapered; wider at the base and narrower at the tip (MS reeds have parallel sides), while all slots have parallel sides. If you don’t get a desired result from only embossing the tip, then try embossing to halfway or so back from the tip. In addition to creating the desired sharp edge along the slot, it will help close the gap between the reed and slot where it is widest. After that, try chamfering the reed itself before going on to embossing the slot sides all the way back. A sharp edge along the reed has the same effect as a sharp edge along the slot. Here’s some information about chamfering: docs.google.com/document/u/0/d/1hHeMSL1Pt3MV2U9HWGoPBCYicfukRP6W09CpfVssinU/mobilebasic?pli=1

Never thought to measure the widths of the reeds/slots. Just measured some... always nice to learn something new! Regarding chamfering, I read your research report a long time ago and have chamfered my reeds ever since, just like in Formula One, low drag rules. For chamfering I use one of Richard Sleigh's draw scrapers. My embossing technique has always been all the way around, thanks to your suggestion going to change it up a bit. Really appreciate the advice. Thank you @@stimmrad

Hi there, Sorry for the delay. 1. Yes, on a standard 10-hole, the 4-blow reed will work tuned up in the 4-draw position. 2. A 3-draw reed will work cut down to the 4-position, with some key harps possibly easier to manage than others. 3. 1 and 2 hole reeds, especially in the lower keys, can be quite thin in the back half of the reed, requiring the front of the reed to be filed too thin to bring it up to the pitch of a position 4 reed and still maintain a strong tone. If possible, I would choose a reed closer in position to the reed needing replacing. But, as reeds 1 and 2 rarely wear out, there’s nothing to be lost in trying.

Note that Hohner diatonic and chromatic reeds come in two widths, the lower reeds being 2.1mm wide and the higher reeds 1.9mm. Doesn’t work to put one into another’s position.

@@stimmrad Thanks for this. Really appreciated.

The 100mm tool is pushing the reed into the slot and then going on to emboss the top edge of the slot. I only do this about halfway along the reed. Were I to do it for the half closest to the rivet, it could force the reed too far into the slot, changing its set and possibly straining it. When determining how far back to apply this technique, gently work the tool back from the free end until you start to feel resistance. It’s a matter of practice to know how far back and with how much pressure to use this tool. Finishing embossing the rest of the reed slot requires a different tool and technique.

@@stimmrad Thank you very much, that now makes sense. So last part can not be embossed using this tool.

Its not 100mm radius, its 10mm. 100mm is like four inches.

Hi there, The tuner app is iStroboSoft by Peterson, with the Harmonic Tuning in-app purchase. At one time, Harmonic Tuning was only available for iOS.

J.A. Harmonicas offers them for sale: jaharmonicas.com/webshop.html#!/products/harmonica-valve-tool-with-reed-lifter

Hi Garlind, Glad to be of some help and glad to hear you’re working on the instrument. You know you can order individual reeds from Hohner (I’m not sure what their sales policy is for customers outside the EU): www.hohner-cshop.de/en/Downloads/ Best regards, Rick

@@stimmrad Thanks Rick, I am in Ontario Canada. There is a dealer near Toronto Ontario that sells only harmonicas and accordions and possibly pianos. He does repairs and sells wind-savers and can order in any Hohner products. So we are all good here. Thanks again for sharing the wisdom and knowledge.

Great to hear you’re sorted. Would that be Jeff Wilson? If so, say hello next time you’re speaking to him.

@@stimmrad Yes it is Jeff Wilson. I’ll say hi for you

Yes, it’s worth the effort. Bear in mind though, the responsiveness can end up worse than before if the depth of the reedfoot and the overall reed curvature are off. With practice, the operation goes fairly quickly. At the factory, I’ve seen workers push down the reedfoot with a fingernail during the pre-tuning adjustment. Done in nearly the blink of an eye.

By profile do you mean reed curvature? Always. For the quickest response, the reed should cut off the airflow as it passes through the slot, along the entire length of the reed, all at the one time. This can only be achieved by adjusting the curvature of the reed appropriately. In the organ building trade this is part of what’s known as reed voicing. Responsiveness can be improved further by reducing the duration of the period when the airflow is cut off in the slot; that is, by reducing the length of time between the pulses of air that produce the sound wave. This can be done by reducing both the thickness of the reed slot and that of the reed tongue at their edges of close contact, the reed slot by embossing and the reed tongue by chamfering. All the above procedures- voicing, embossing and chamfering, can, in addition to improving responsiveness, increase the strength of the upper partials, producing what might be called a crisper, brighter, thinner, or shriller tone. So it’s a judgement call as to how far to pursue these procedures in order to find the desired balance between tone and responsiveness.

@@stimmrad my main goal for working on my harps is to be able to access more overblows and overdraws. I am able to melodically use the 6ob by adjusting the reed gapping and some light embossing, it’s the overdraws that I can’t achieve yet. I’ve been able to use a lot of your tips to get to where I’m at now, including the strobe tuner. I really appreciate all your time and effort sharing this knowledge with us. I’m an aspiring customizer, so your wisdom is greatly appreciated.

Hi Fernando, If your reedplate is held on by nails, you can remove it by carefully prying it up with a sharp knife. Work your way around the reedplate a little at a time, raising rather than lowering the back of the knife so that you don’t damage the outer edges of the wood comb. Be careful not to insert the blade so far that it might damage an inside reed. Support the comb on your workbench while doing this, rather than holding it in your hand, so that you won’t bend or possibly break the comb while removing the reedplate.

A reedplate held on by nails instead of screws can be removed by prying it off with a knife. Carefully insert the blade between the reedplate and comb, taking care not to touch any of the inside reeds, then lift the back of the blade to pry off the reedplate, a little at a time as you move along the edge of the reedplate. If you were to lower the back of the blade to pry off the reedplate instead of raising it, the edge of the wood comb might be damaged.

Hi Adam, If you have curled accordion reed valves, whether they’re made of all PVC layers, a combination of PVC and Vileda layers, or PVC and leather layers, your best bet may be to remove them from their reedplates, straighten them then replace them. Don’t pull them off as this might stretch or otherwise damage them. Pry them off from the back, as demonstrated in my short video on leather harmonica valves. Even if one didn’t have the issue of the top valve layers being shorter than the bottom, there should never be a convex curl in a valve, where the ends are in contact with the reedplate and the middle is raised. This can cause the valve itself to vibrate, creating an awful buzz. It happens with both harmonica and accordion valves, regardless of the valve material. A slight upward curl is not the worst thing in the world and can sometimes be coaxed down with a few gentle rubs with the finger in the direction from the attached end toward the free end. If your valves are leather with a thin wire “contrapelle” attached on top, you can put a bit of downward curl on the wire using a pair of tweezers, like curling the end of a gift wrapping ribbon. Only curl it enough to make the leather valve lie flat. Too much will make the valve too stiff to open properly. If your valves are single layer leather, they should also not be flipped because the nap side should always be face down on the reedplate to give a good seal. My video shows how to recondition the nap before gluing the valve back down again.

@@stimmrad Thank you for this detailed information. I'm not familiar with the term "nap side" but I assume that means there's a smoother side on the bottom for a better seal. When you mentioned the thin wire, that gave me an idea, that maybe a bread bag twist tie could be glued onto the top of the valve 🤔

Hi Adam, If you’re having a serious problem with your reeds, the best thing might be to bring your accordion to a qualified accordion technician. If you decide to do the work yourself, then try to use good parts. The Carini company in Italy has all types of reed valves. Their website seems to be a bit disorganised at the moment but give them a try: www.carinidena.it You can also try the Hohner website: www.hohner-cshop.de/en/Akkordeon/Parts-Accordion/Valves/

@@stimmrad Thank you for the resources. My phone does not automatically translate the websites, so it is too much information overload at the moment, but I at least I know about it now. As of yet, I haven't opened my accordion and looked at the insides. I haven't even paid for it yet, but the local music store owner is my friend and he "advanced" it to me to try out and make sure I like it, which I do. Anyway I'm not going to take any "surgical action" until it's officially mine, but I'm doing preliminary research. It obviously has some out of tune notes, some on the pull and some on the push of the bellows. It has some air leaks and wheezing here and there, but I've only theorized whether its from a leak in the brittle reed wax or from a curled valve. So yes, I'm in the "researching ahead of time" stage :)

Adam, accordion valves always have to be installed with the shorter layer facing up, in fact some accordion repair people even customize the length of the top layer for more or less springiness.

Hi Matt, Likewise, Happy New Year! I'm afraid I've a bit too much going on at the moment to take on the job, but thanks anyway for asking. All the best, Rick

I both chamfer the reeds and emboss the slots. Doing both improves performance more than simply embossing the slots.

@@stimmrad first time seeing someone Chamfer the reeds. I haven’t played one to feel the difference, so now I’m curious.

Here’s a link to a document about chamfering I wrote a few years ago: docs.google.com/document/d/1hHeMSL1Pt3MV2U9HWGoPBCYicfukRP6W09CpfVssinU/edit

@@stimmrad awesome. Greatly appreciated. I’ve recently begun to customize my harmonicas, and your videos have been a godsend. By properly shaping and embossing, I’ve been able to integrate (melodically) the 6ob into my solo playing, and hope to have access to the 7od eventually.

Read the previous comments in which there is information on reed response related to the duration the reed plate and reed makes a big difference. Leakiness give a mellow tone he says, but it lowers response. Everything in moderation.

Thank you for your message. I'm sorry, I have no parts to spare. Inexpensive harmonicas such as can be found in toy stores are one way to develop harmonica service techniques without risking damaging expensive harmonicas.

Hi Matt, Thanks for your message. How much playing have the reedplates had and how’s their tuning? Did they play well when you first got them? Have you had them off the comb and what shape are the windsaver valves in?

@@stimmrad It’s in nice condition. In tune, responds well. Windsavers good. I haven’t played it much due to the slide issues.

@@MattWatsonHarmonica you might want to check the slide channel in the mouthpiece to see if it looks overly worn. Also, the mouthpiece should have a slight bow, with the ends a little higher than the middle. This way, an even pressure is applied along the mouthpiece when the screws are tightened. Are the rubber bumpers that go over the mouthpiece screws in place and in good condition? When tightening the mouthpiece screws, I go back and forth tightening the screws, until the slide begins to bind, then I back them off a little. You can also lubricate the slide. I think Hohner sells slide lubricant, or you can use trombone slide oil. But be very sparing with lubricants as too much can gum up the works.

@@stimmrad Everything else is fine but I haven’t checked the slide channel. I’m not optimistic though. I hear you regarding lubricating the slide. I don’t like to. Attracts dust etc. This harmonica has never been used much. Even when it had the standard tuning.

Thanks for that. I use solder for permanent retuning, but I also use blue tack for temporary jobs , to try out new tunings or when out on the road. Back in the 70s I used powdered brass mixed with beeswax, after reading that the Chinese used to use a powdered lead and beeswax mixture to tune the sheng. Got the blue tack idea from Brendan Power; it's much easier than powdered brass and beeswax.

@@stimmrad I play kalimba as well and tune it with tiny magnets.... This allows me to play in 5 different keys and to do some key changes with custom tunings... I need to make a video about it as I haven't seen anyone else doing this...🤪🎶🎵👍

Hi Matt, Suppliers where you can find the tool are included in the comment section of this video: th-cam.com/video/MefJfvTDqHc/w-d-xo.html Best regards, Rick

@@stimmrad Thank you! I've just ordered. Usually I replace them when they curl up.

It might be good for plastic some valves but test it first to make sure it doesn’t react with and warp the valve. Shellac is the traditional cement for leather valves.

@@stimmrad Thank you.

Hi Jezil, Harmonium and harmonica reeds are similar in their adjustment but buzzing can be due to different causes. Harmoniums do not have the windsaver valves, or reed valves, that can cause buzzing in harmonicas and accordions, so the problem is something else. If a reed is not properly centred in its slot it might buzz. Sometimes it might only buzz if the reedplate is cold, and will stop buzzing when warm. But if the buzzing is happening with many different notes, there might be something loose somewhere. It could be a loose reedplate, but it could also be anything at all, such as a loose screw or bracket somewhere, anywhere on the instrument, inside or out. Go over every inch of the harmonium to make sure everything is secure and hopefully you’ll find the problem.

My videos provide some information on basic tuning techniques but there is plenty more online. Just search "how to tune a harmonica". The good thing about buying a cheap harmonica is that it gives one the opportunity to learn and practice tuning without the risk and expense of damaging an expensive instrument in doing so. Even expensive harmonicas may need tuning from time to time so it's good to start on the cheap ones. Best regards, Rick