Ask Harp Tech Expert Kinya Pollard

Good evening and a Happy Eastern,

I am a beginner and have bought several models of harps to try.

One of them being the Hohner Rocket. I must say i like it a lot but i heard that it is not good for beginners.

1. Is it true that the rocket is not good for beginners and if yes then why?

2. I also bought the Rocket AMP but it felt not very airtight and not as responsive as the normal rocket model. Is it defect or does the AMP feel different from the normal Rocket? continue reading...

It is always good to have a drill press at home . It might come in handy but  I also need to have one

to make holes on my marine band for screws also I might need to use it for suzuki harmonica reed replacement

however I am not sure what to buy , For the type of my work it does not make sense that I put a lot of money on it

How much is good enough for drill press ?

Any link or recommendation ?

Thanks in advance

I just got done watching your "Tuning past the edge," MasterHarp video again and it got me to pondering something I'd read recently. To compensate for an assmbled harp and normal breath force the writer opined that tuning +8 cents on the 1 draw would end up with the reed being in tune. I'm sorry I don't remember where I read that. What is your opinion of the +8 theory?

thanks......Mike

Kinya, would the 6-piece mini drive pin and center punch set (85933) from Micro-Mark, be suitable for reed replacement

Greetings Kinya;

 I was wondering which model#, or size, of Wiha slotted screwdriver, you use for the 0-80 screws for reed replacement?

I'm going to order a couple tools directly from the Willi Hahn Corporation, (Wiha USA), website, and I'd like to include that particular screwdriver in my order.

Thank you

Hi Kinya;

  How often would you recommend cleaning harps in an ultrasonic bath with Euro Sonic?

Hi, I'm about to tune a C-harp using a software tuner named 'Da Tuner'. 

You can set an A-ref on the tuner by listening to the A-note, as +4 on a A-harp. This works fine for me.

But how do I set the A-ref on a C-harp, or any other harp than a A?

Thanks Ga

In keeping with the Wihi brand, what model slotted, such as for use on Special 20 coverplate bolts, gets the most use on your bench. Even thought the Wiha site currently has a sale on some of their screwdriver sets as well as some other tools, I didn't really want to purchase an entire set if I was just going to be using one slotted and one phillips for the majority of my needs.

Hi Kinya;

 When I become accomplished enough to play out, I aspire to play in an acoustic guitar/harp duo, ala Sonny & Brownie, possibly using a Shure SM-58 wiith a Peavey KB-2 keyboard amp that has a built in XLR jack, when a little more volume is needed. I have no desire to play traditional amplified harp in a typical band setting. Would I still calibrate my tuner to 442 hz?  I'm really just curious.

I've looked around a bit and haven't been able to find any thunderbird tunings. I got a new one the other day and It was horribly out of tune. -26 to +23  and everything in between. It must have been the first harp tuned on Monday morning following Octoberfest. It sure does take a lot of strokes to move that 1 blow. That was the -26. I put this one to 19 JI and now it is at least in tune with itself. How are they supposed to be tuned 

thanks......Mike