Reed making screeching noise
Hi Kinya,
When I bend 2 draw to F on my crossover Bb it screeches like feedback and then makes clicking noises, which I assume is the reed catching on the reedplate?
Which is the best way to tackle this please before I jump in and risk damaging it?
Many thanks
Saul
Thanks Kinya.
I made a crude light box, realigned the reed a couple of times and it is still making the same sound followed by a "Gulping" type sound. It's not so bad if I have the coverplate screws loose, but as soon as I close them up It is there.
YIKES! I get the clicking noises, but anything that gulps can be a scary proposition.
My hunch is that none of your other (Bb) harmonica models experience this issue?
...with the cover plates off--the problem disappears?
Can you attach a recording of this occurance, and include a (side) closeup photos of the #2 DRAW and #2 BLOW reeds?
Your HARPSMITH, Kinya
I think I've fixed it. I stripped it down again to do what you asked me to do, but I slid a fine feeler guage underneath both the draw and blow reeds nearly all the way to the rivet, reassembled the harmonica to test and not even a hint of a whistle, gulp, fart or click.
I have obviously freed it up!
Thanks for your help.
Best
Saul
Well done Saul. You're hired!
You did precisely the right move. I call it "flossing".
At the factory, either while tuning or setting the reed profile/zero point, a dingle-berry (technical term for burr) inadvertenly developed and vibrated against the reed plate.
The reason why loosening the reed plate cover plate screws minimized the problem, was because cover plates apply minute internal forces across the entire reed plate slots, reducing this force was enough to relax the irritated burr ;o)
Your HARPSMITH, Kinya
That's interesting.
Many thanks.
Hey Saul, don't hesitate to reach out if you discover any other weird occurances.
Your HARPSMITH, Kinya
Hello Scorny, first step is to review HARPSMITH Workbench #9F:
https://www.bluesharmonica.com/harpsmith_bench #9F
Here I will demonstrate how to align a reed within the reed plate slot using a light box. If you are still feeling a tad woozy about removing your reed plate from the comb, let me know.
Your HARPSMITH, Kinya