Ask Harp Tech Expert Kinya Pollard

Hello Kinya.   Do you have any experience with the Tuner as part of the Garage Band app.  It seems to be one of my options in lnstead of purchasing an analogue Seiko.  Your opinion?  Thanks. 

I am new to the harmonica. I have a new 5 harp set of the Special 20 harmonicas. I have been working a couple of weeks with lessons on this site, mainly with the A harp. I can not draw air on the 2 hole. I do not have this problem with the other 4 harps; so I think there is a problem with the harp. Any help will be greatly appreciated. Tom

Hello Kinya.  I had great success with reed gaping my Special 20, Key of A.  when i worked on my Crossover Marine band Key of A, it sounded great with the side clips holding the plates on.  When reassembled it did not sound as good.  After several times of playing with gap with same results the problem seemed to be with the screws on the reed plate screwed too tight.  I loosened them to barely finger tight and it now plays well.  Should all the reed plate screws be barely finger tight?    

Hello Kinya.  I am finally getting more serious about adjusting my harmonicas.  Recently completed adjusting the gap of the reeds on my first Special 20 Key of A harmonica which was not playable (purchased 5 years ago).  I cannot beleive the difference.  This is now my favorite harmonica and can't wait to work on my other keys.  Thank you for being so organized in your lessons.  Question:  What sequencd should I use in tuning my harps.  Should I follow the sequence of the lessons or should I gap the reeds first.    

Hello All, moments ago I received an email from Jim Antaki of TurboHarp. He wanted our members to know that he just received his order of Ozone Sanitizers and is ready to ship to customers.

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

Your Harpsmith, Kinya

Dear Kinya,

I saw a video you made a while back about the Sjoeberg tuning table so I assume you own one ?

I wanted to ask you for a "I've had this for a while and here's what I think" type review. 

I guess my main question is how good can you get the tuning done on the table ? Do you often have to re-adjust once back on the harp ? Do you still use it or did the novelty wear off and you're back to tuning straight on the harp ?

I'm considering buying one, they seem like a lot of fun to use. continue reading...

Hello Harp Techs, as your skill level in harmonica mechanics increases, you will feel compelled to find new techniques to accomplish certain harp tech tasks. For me, I am always in pursuit of a “better way” to set the Zero Point of the harmonica reed, so when I found a narrow enough parallel brass lined plier at www.micromark.com (part #86632) I had to order the tool and take-it-to-the bench. The pliers arrived yesterday. continue reading...

Hello Harp Techs, this amazing essay was written by Ben Marks and published by Collector's Weekly on August 6, 2013. For those of you who missed it, click on the following link, it makes for a terrific read! For those of you who did read it, it will be well worth your time to revisit "How a Gang of Harmonica Geeks Saved the Soul of the Blues Harp".

https://www.collectorsweekly.com/articles/how-a-gang-of-harmonica-geeks-saved-the-soul-of-the-blues-harp/ continue reading...

Hello Harp Techs, I just received my catalog from Micro-Mark. Super discounts on many of the tools and materials shown here on the Forum. Now is the time to stock up!

Prices in this catalog valid June 13, 2020 through August 14, 2020

www.micromark.com continue reading...

Hiya Kinya.

I have a harp where the reeds are shaped like a this --->  ( with the middle going into the slot.

so in other words I can't slide a shim all the way to the zero point.

Now is that bad ? I'm looking at shaping/improving this harp and I haven't touched the reeds at all yet. It actually plays pretty damn good as is. It's a marineband classic .

Would it benefit if I'd shape it so I have clearance all the way to the zero point ?

Thanks,

Chris