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Ask Harp Tech Expert Kinya Pollard

Tips and techniques for Chromatic and Diatonic harmonica maintenance, setups, tuning and customization

tuning harmonicas

Posted Thu, 06/09/2016 - 23:17 by bordercollie
bordercollie's picture

Hi Kinya

A lot of my harmonicas are becoming somewhat flat in certain holes.

I will use cleartune or harp ninja to a get an approximate initial tune-up. Is there anything else that I should do or check before doing a quick retune?

 

Thanks

  • 1 comment

Retune Harmonica to A=432hz?

Posted Wed, 06/01/2016 - 02:18 by blueshoes
blueshoes's picture

Hi Kinya,

I was wondering if you happen to know of any customisers who can tune my harmonica to reference pitch A=432hz?

best regards,

 

  • 3 comments

Retune Harmonica to A=432hz?

Posted Wed, 06/01/2016 - 02:17 by blueshoes
blueshoes's picture

Hi Kinya,

I was wondering if you happen to know of any customisers who can tune my harmonica to reference pitch A=432hz?

best regards,

 

Retune Harmonica to A=432hz?

Posted Wed, 06/01/2016 - 02:17 by blueshoes
blueshoes's picture

Hi Kinya,

I was wondering if you happen to know of any customisers who can tune my harmonica to reference pitch A=432hz?

best regards,

 

  • 2 comments

new reeds for hohner marine band

Posted Fri, 05/20/2016 - 11:06 by naxgal@yahoo.gr
naxgal@yahoo.gr's picture

Hello,

i'm trying to find new reeds to repair my MB's.The donor harps that i have have finished their life!

Any help please???

 

Thanks

George

  • 3 comments

Converted Marine Band cover plate screws

Posted Fri, 05/20/2016 - 11:06 by lizardlips
lizardlips's picture

Hi Kinya,

I've been wondering why Marine Bands converted from nails to screws often only have two screws securing the coverplates? I can see some advantage in it making it easier to assemble/disassemble the harp in that it only requires dealing with two sets of screws/nuts rather than four. Some might argue it's an aesthetic thing and that it 'looks cool'... continue reading...

  • 4 comments

change in 5 draw sound

Posted Tue, 05/17/2016 - 11:34 by noam
noam's picture

hi,

i bought the "1896 marine band" in the key of A a few months ago and im playing it almost every day since then. few days ago the sound of the 5 draw has changed completly. now it sounds like the 4 draw. i wonder if theres something i can do about it myself. if so, how can i fix it?

thank you

  • 3 comments

Thanks for your gapping videos

Posted Sat, 05/07/2016 - 05:38 by JeremyHunt
JeremyHunt's picture

Thanks Kinya, your videos have really helped me out.

I thought that I was going really backwards with my learning. I thought I was in for months of relearning my technique to drop some bad habits.

Nope! Turns out that my 'A' harmonica was just really in a bad shape. No wonder I couldn't play certain songs in a soft, warm, relaxed manner. It wasn't the songs at all, just the harmonica they were played on. Getting 3 draw to sound at all required something akin to sucking honey through a straw. And I had nobody who could tell me that it wasn't normal. continue reading...

  • 3 comments

Draw reeds stick after blow bending

Posted Wed, 04/27/2016 - 14:28 by stevetech
stevetech's picture

Hi Kinya,

 

I'm working on "Blowin' The Blues" with all of its high octave blow bends.  When I practice the blow bend licks, I find that the draws, especially draw 8, stick on me.  They open if I draw very hard on the harp.

Do you think I need to adjust my harp, such as gap, or is it my technique that needs adjustment.

I'm relatively new to blow bends.

 

Thanks,

 

-Steve

  • 5 comments

donor harps for reeds

Posted Tue, 04/26/2016 - 13:34 by george79
george79's picture

Hello!!

i have a lot of Marine band deluxe and classic with reeds that need replace.I want to ask if there is some cheap harps (new) out there with same dimension reeds that i can use for parts.I have tried fron bluesharp but they are different size.Same with lee oscar's.

 

Thanks

George

  • 1 comment
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