Ask Harp Tech Expert Kinya Pollard

Hi. I have an A Hohner Marine Band Crossover, about 18 months old. The 5 draw (D) is off, a little flat. I have taken the harmonca apart, cleared the reed with a wooden toothpick, put it back together, and it's still off. Is there a fix, or do I need a new harmonica? Thanks, Dave Menken.

Hello Harp Techs, much to the chagrin of the "other" people in the house, I am willing to bet that many of you have commandeered either your Dining Room or Kitchen Room table as your harmonica workbench. 

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Hello Harp Techs, the Embossing (a.k.a. Sizing, Burnishing) technique for harmonica reed plates is now applied worldwide by harmonica customisers and harp techs. Who originated this magical technique?

I was visiting Brendan Power’s website and happened upon an obscured article about Rick Epping, the former Production Manager for Hohner and inventor of the Embossing technique. Tip: you'll have to zoom in 200% to read from here, or go directly to Brendan's web page:  continue reading...

Hello Harp Techs, 

With the world going crazy, we are all living the blues right now. Make certain you stay healthy, 'cause somebody has to stick around to play the BLUES-right?

Your shelter in place Harpsmith, Kinya

Hello Kinya,

Before I "break" some of my more expensive harps though I would like to ask you if you would have some helpful tips on how much to decrease the gap.

That is besides the obvious point when the reed actually starts toiching the reed plate.

Thanks in advance!

Hello Kinya,

So far my experience is with 2 herp models by Hohner, but I got totally different results, so I wanted ot know if you have had experience with any of those and perhaps help me demistify the difference between cheap and expensive herp models.

I have attempted the following:

1. Reed slot sizing
2. Reed Gapping (includes setting the Zero Point)
3. Reed Profiling
4. Tuning

On 2 harp models:

1. Hohner Silverstar (I dont think they make those anymore. It is a pretty old Harmonica). continue reading...

Hello Kinya,

I have another "cover plates" related question but I have decided to post it in a new thread this time.

So this is my dilema. I have this Hohner meisterclasse harmonica, that I am really happy with.

There is just one quite annoying part, that may sound funny but it really bothers me.

The upper coeners of the cover plates are not completely sealed and quite often if I play unshaved, mystache hairs get caught in there snd I get unvoluntery mostache depilaiton that is rather painful. continue reading...

Hello Kinya,

Let's say I have the basic tools I may need and now I want to "break " some  old harps in order to learn how it's done.

So in what order would you recommend me to do the customizations?

I am assking because I assume that one customization may distort the settings done by another, so I assume there are best practices as to the order that shall be followed.

Here are the adjustments I plan to do: continue reading...

Hi Kinya,

I wantd to ask your opinion on what is the best starter and intermidiate tool kits for the money for adjustments?

At this point Im interested in mainly gapping but would like a kit I can add on to.  However, if there is a kit that is more complete that would be a beter investment and would require less overlap of purchasing the same tools in the second kit i would be interested in that as well. 

Also, are different kits required for different manufactures?  I have a suzuki, seydels and hohners continue reading...

Hi Kinya, continue reading...