Ask Harp Tech Expert Kinya Pollard

Copied from a recent Richard Sleigh blog, 

After more than two decades of flipping between the terms embossing and burnishing, I finally resorted to looking the words up in a dictionary. I was shocked at how wrong the term embossing is and how right the term burnishing is.

I am making a new tool that makes reed / slot work a lot more easy and accurate than ever before and I wanted a name for it that was, well, accurate. I’m calling it the Reed / Slot Burnishing Tool. continue reading...

Hello Kinya, continue reading...

dear Mr Pollard

I would like to know if its possible to replace a broken reed on my suzuki manji by a suzuki bluesmaster reed if I prepare correctly the manji hole or the dimension of the reed is not the same ?

I see a little video on youtube about that with Brandon Power and I want to confirm with you before I start this operation.

Thank you

I am very new to the harp.  I started with a very cheap Hohner (if you can call it a Hohner, it was made in China).  I quickly upgraded to a Special 20 and love it. continue reading...

Hi Kinya thanks for the information on reed waxing. I ended up taking the draw reed plate and put it in hot simmering water. I reed a article that Todd Parrot wrote. Were someone left there harmonicas in a hot car and the wax melted and then cooled down. And Todd Parrot suggest hot simmering water or heat gun. And the hot simmering water melted the wax off. And I was able to re-wax the reeds again. This time getting it right. But he also mention using chapstick as a way of waxing the reeds. continue reading...

Hello Harp Techs,

I'm constantly surprised at how many customers and students are gobstruck after I play back the recordings I made of them playing the same riff on the same harmonica--with different coverplates. continue reading...

Hi Kinya I have been experimenting with reed waxing. I have experiment with two MS big river harps. So that I don't mess up my Golden Melody Harps. I have experimented with orthodontic wax and bees wax with mineral oil. And I have watched Richard sleigh videos. continue reading...

Deer Mr. Pollard

Im a new crossover user And I want to be sure to clean this gear correctly. I dont have the ultrasonic cleaner for the moment. Can I put the reed plate inside a bottle with a 50/50 alchool solution and shake it ? (Not the bamboo comb :) I can finish with brush thoot. it is a good idea? 

Thank you

Hi Kinya continue reading...

I retuned a harp to Paddy Tuning with your help! You can check out the tune I recorded with the harp below.

Here's the link, it's in the "Share" section of BluesHarmonica.com. Thanks for your help!

http://www.bluesharmonica.com/share/recordings/si_bheag_si_mhor