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Ask Harp Tech Expert Kinya Pollard

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

alternate tuning

Posted Sat, 04/16/2011 - 09:51 by austen11
austen11's picture

I have been getting a lot smoother with retuning all my old harps and looking to jump in to custom tuning but have no idea the the note layouts look or what techniques to use its all so confusing to me, if somebody could throw me some tips that would be awesome.
Some advice on setting my harps up for overdraws and overblows would be really helpful as well
Thanks

BluexLab

Posted Wed, 04/13/2011 - 20:36 by Jon M Harl
Jon M Harl's picture

Today I order the coolest Special 20 comb I've ever seen. The company that makes it is an Italian company called BluexLab. You can Google the name and they come up. On the sidebar of their site is the company that sells their products... Harplite. Check it out gang.

  • 6 comments

SP 20 comb

Posted Wed, 04/13/2011 - 19:24 by mx
mx's picture

Hi Kinya, have you ever played with shrinking the comb on SP 20's to tighten up the sealing edges ?

  • 6 comments

Cover Plate Gap

Posted Thu, 04/07/2011 - 19:26 by macnoland
macnoland's picture

I have two harmonica with a gap in the left corner of the coverplate.

Air is leaking out and i'm trying to find a way to block the hole.

Do you know a good way to "seal" the coverplate to the reedplate.

Thanks

  • 1 comment

Seydel session steel

Posted Thu, 04/07/2011 - 08:55 by RonnyB
RonnyB's picture

Hi Kinya what do you think of the new Seydel session steel harmonica.
Thanks Ron

  • 4 comments

Cleaning a harp with Micro pore tape?

Posted Mon, 04/04/2011 - 20:16 by melodiousthunk
melodiousthunk's picture

I was thinking about using some micro pore tape to make my special 20's even more airtight. I was just wondering if using this tape makes the harps harder to clean?
Thanks much!
-Ryan

  • 1 comment

SIZE Matters

Posted Sat, 04/02/2011 - 07:40 by Harp Tech Kinya...
Harp Tech Kinya Pollard's picture

Hello Everyone,
Sizing--also known as embossing, is the "secret sauce" that must be understood if you endeavor to make the ultimate harmonica. Check out the most recent issue of Mel Bay's Harmonica Sessions | Harmonica Workbench: http://harmonicasessions.com/?p=179
~Kinya

Tip of the Week

Posted Thu, 03/31/2011 - 19:09 by Harp Tech Kinya...
Harp Tech Kinya Pollard's picture

When setting your reed(s) profile (gapping), be mindful to shape the reed properly, so that the full length of the reed enters the slot evenly--like a hinged door. Keep checking (testing) each time you shape the reed, by viewing the reed from its side view as it enters the reed plate slot. You can use your your plinking tool, or fingernail to accomplish this. This will simulate the action of the reed as if you playing the harmonica.
~Kinya

hohner crossovers in the ultrasonic?

Posted Thu, 03/10/2011 - 18:17 by totaljim
totaljim's picture

Is it OK to put my Hohner Crossovers in the Ultrasonic Cleaner?

  • 4 comments

Cleaning solutions

Posted Sun, 03/06/2011 - 16:11 by Reverblow
Reverblow's picture

Kinya,
I first posted this on Winslow's forum in error. Sorry everyone.

I watched your video on tools and cleaning. I've located a few small ultrasonic cleaners on eBay. Can't find one in town. But I can't seem to locate anywhere, the cleaning solutions, The Mighty Mist spray bottle or the Eurosonic cleaning fluid. Any suggestions, or are there easier to find comparable products? Thanks

Rick

  • 4 comments
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