Ask Harp Tech Expert Kinya Pollard

Hello Kinya (wow, the first time I spelled your name correctly).  I ordered 6 blow reeds for Key of G for a crossover I am working on.  The warehouse mixed up their inventory and sent 4 blow reeds, three times.  Customer service was excellent and we finally got 6 blow reeds and a nifty Hohner T shirt for my troubles.  I relaced the reed and checked out the tunung.  Wow.  It was a C# showing 50 cents to the right.  My logic was to keep fllattening it (remove from the free end) until I tuned it to a D. continue reading...

Professor Pollard, continue reading...

Hello Kinya,

After a year of playing and constantly gapping my harps I have finaly decided to measure the gaps.

So far I have documented my G harp but the results I got ater thorow measuring has come out very strange.

I am attaching the result at the bottom of that post and I would need your guidance what am I doing wrong or what can I do better.

What astonishes me is the great difference between the blow and the draw gaps. continue reading...

Hi Kinya, continue reading...

Hello Kenya, Happy New Year.  2021 has to be better than 2020!  I am working on my third harp.  Used the parallel pliers tech for the zero set.  The free end of the reed still did not go into the slot except for one reed.  I used the half toothpick teck and all the reeds (1-5) definetly reduced the space at the rivet end and is level with the plate.  However, my problem now is the 3 reed  1/2 step bend.  Before I gapped and tuned the reeds I could quickly go from a 1/2 step to a full step 3 draw (Shakey's Shuffle, Artist Study). continue reading...

Hello Harp Techs, I just received an email from Professor Antaki informing me that his March order had finally arrived from China. This means all backorders will be shipped out. If you had not already done so, place your order for the Ozone Sanitizer now and be confident your harmonica will be bug free!

https://www.turboharp.com/harmonica-bug-blaster

Your Harpsmith, Kinya

Im a beginner And I'm not sure If the Reed is stuck or if I'm drawing wrong. When if i go to draw #3 I get the G note on 3 blow and 2 draw according to a tuner that I downloaded on my phone.

Hello Kenya.  I purchased  a TurboHarp that you highlighted a while back.  Used it on my harps and for N95 and other masks. You can smell the ozone when you open tthe unit and it gives you confidence that it is working to kill a lot of the little buggers.  Recently, I had a problem turning the unit on.  I contacted James Antaki at TurboHarp and exchanged several emails to troubleshoot the problem.  He immediately sent out a new cap the has the UV light and switch at no charge.  This is a good company that backs up its product. continue reading...

Hello Harp Techs. A few months ago I wrote on this forum, about Don Makowski-Dee’s Fine Tuned Instrument’s innovative glue-free windsaver. For Chromatic and “valved” Diatonic harmonica players, this was a phenomenal idea. Gluing anything has always been a bummer for me ;o(  continue reading...

Hohner Echo and Unsere Lieblinge harmonicas attach the cover plates with nails on the side.  Is it possible to remove these nails with damaging the cover plates?  Also, since they are nailed into the ends, can the nails e replaced with screws?