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Forums :: Ask Harp Tech Expert Kinya Pollard

Harmonicas going out of tune

14 replies [Last post]
Tue, 07/29/2014 - 22:50
bordercollie
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Hi Kinya

I have a question about harmonicas going out of tune. I don't play my harmonicas very hard. However, they all seem to go out of tune to some extent on a least one note. They are a mixture of Marine band crossovers, Lee Oskar and Seydel.

I practise about 1-2hrs a day most of the time. Is this loss of tune something to be expected? Is there anything I can do to slow the process down? I have the Sjoberg harp tuner that I intend start using. I am trying to track down a source of the ceramic files here in Australia before I begin. So hopefully I can retune them. However, I am interested to know if this is common or am I  torturing my harmonicas in some way.

 

Thanks

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Thu, 07/31/2014 - 08:22
#1
Harp Tech Kinya...
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Hi Border Collie, Good to

Hi Border Collie,

Good to hear from you, and no—I don’t think you’re torturing your harmonicas.

For us blues diatonic harmonica players, living with slightly out-of-tune reeds come with the territory.

Keep in mind, the Richter tuned diatonic harmonica was not originally designed to be played chromatically. The early inventors had no idea the “missing” notes could be conjured up by bending the reeds!

Harmonica reeds are machined from "spring metal"--manufactured from a variety of materials including brass, phosphor bronze, stainless steel, and even aluminum. Hyper-Flexing the reeds during the bending process accelerate the fatiguing of the metal—altering its structure over time. Eventually, the reed will lose the tuning.

In contrast, a Chromatic harmonica does not require bending to play all the notes of the scale. I have had numerous vintage Chromatic harmonicas over the years that required no tuning at all.

Your Sjoberg Harp Tuner was a good investment, and for your “super tuning”—there is no better tool outside of the Hohner factory. My recommendation, however, for spot tuning (1~2 reeds), would be to tune without disassembling your instrument (refer to past Harp Tech Studies).

Your Harpsmith, Kinya

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Fri, 11/07/2014 - 09:59
#2
jeingham
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On Ceramic File Source

Masterharp USA is currently working to source those files at a better price point than what is currently market standard, not cheap. For a full set, 400, 800, 1200 and the handle / holder today's market dictates $80 - $100 USD. I am pretty sure that we can cut that roughly in half. We will let this group and all Sjoberg tuning table owners know when those sets are available. - John Ingham - Masterharp USA 

 

UPDATE: MasterHarp found a source for the files that is reasonable, imports they are but they compare very well to Xebec. It looks like we will be able to sell those, 400,800 and 1200 plus holder as a set for around 39.5 US. We also found a resonable source for Xebec that will go for around $12.50 each or in a set with holder for $34 or so. These prices seem to be very fair and competative. -  John

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Wed, 09/03/2014 - 08:19
#3
Harp Tech Kinya...
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Super Awesome! Thank you

Super Awesome!

Thank you John.

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Fri, 09/19/2014 - 11:34
#4
Richard Sleigh
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on going out of tune

Dear Border Collie

Kinyas's right - play harmonicas, they go out of tune. Just like guitars. The more you get used to tuning them, the more you notice when they are out of tune.., That just means that your ears are getting better at listening to details of your performance.  Makes you a better musician.

Richard Sleigh

http://hotrodharmonicas.com

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Tue, 10/07/2014 - 16:12
#5
Michael Ziemba
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@ John Ingham, I would be

@ John Ingham, I would be interested in a set of those files. Am I on your list? Any update from Masterharp USA?

 

Thanks!

-Mike

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Fri, 10/24/2014 - 10:09
#6
ungar
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While we're on the topic, I

While we're on the topic, I bought a Bb Firebreath a month ago, haven't been playing it hard at all, picked it up today and found the 4 draw WAY flat.  I mean like more than a quarter-tone off!  This is really strange, since it seems to have happened overnight.  I've taken the cover plates off and nothing looks wrong.  Since I'm pretty inexperienced, I don't really feel like retuning.  Any idea what could have happened?  Thanks

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Fri, 10/31/2014 - 07:54
#7
Harp Tech Kinya...
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Hello Unger Good to hear from

Hello Unger

Good to hear from you.

Hmmm ... ghosts in the machine? The Suzuki FireBreath has a unique architecture, using short reeds. Just for kicks, warm up your harmonica to body temperature, before playing it and test again.

Check against your number 1 draw as a 1/4 octave. Does the pitch quiver?

Let me know. 

Your Harpsmith, Kinya

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Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:29
#8
ungar
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Hi Kinya,   Actually, I took

Hi Kinya,

 

Actually, I took it back to the shop the other day.  Since it's only about a month old, they agreed to give me a new one if they couldn't fix it, so we'll see. It's precisely when I played them a 1/4 octave that they realized how off to was -- closer to a semitone than a quarter tone really. That's the sort of thing that's supposed to happen to old harps when the reeds wear out, but one month old?  It's the first Suzuki I've owned, and has kinda put me off Suzukis. 

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Sat, 11/01/2014 - 23:05
#9
Harp Tech Kinya...
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Hi Unger If only you could

Hi Unger

If only you could have seen what I saw when I toured the Suzuki Harmonica factory in Hamamatsu, Japan ... crazy amazing! I would recommend test driving the Suzuki Manji harmonica. It's a beautiful piece of engineering, and sounds/plays incrediably well "out of the box". Give Suzuki another shot ;o)

Your Harpsmith, Kinya

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Sun, 11/02/2014 - 06:37
#10
ungar
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OK, maybe I'll give them

OK, maybe I'll give them another try, next time I need a new harp. I kind of liked the closed, no side vent sound though. Do you think the olive might be a good alternative? They have the same reeds as the Manji. And, by the way, what difference does reed length make to ease of play, overblows etc?  (I'm only just starting to get a couple of OBs)

 

thanks

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Sun, 11/02/2014 - 07:24
#11
Harp Tech Kinya...
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Hello Unger The Fire Breath

Hello Unger

The Fire Breath short reeds was a nice experiment for OB playing, but alas ... 

Suzuki Manji and Olive reed lengths--as well as most Hohner reeds are favorable for OB playing, but remember it's all about the set up ;o)

Master OB harmonica player, Jason Ricci favors Suzuki harmonicas ...

The Olive harmonica is "identical" to the Manji, with exception of the cover plates and color.

Your Harpsmith, Kinya

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Sun, 11/02/2014 - 14:35
#12
ungar
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Thanks, that's very helpful. 

Thanks, that's very helpful. 

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Fri, 11/07/2014 - 10:02
#13
jeingham
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Ceramic Files

Michael: They are coming! Posted around that today, reasonable source found, you will like pricing, very competative. Will post here when they are available. - John

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Wed, 11/12/2014 - 19:01
#14
Harp Tech Kinya...
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Thank you John.

Thank you John.

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