Ask Harp Tech Expert Kinya Pollard

Hi!!!
Can i change the tune of a harmonica in E to F ?
thanks,

Best Regards
Marko

Hello Harmonicats,
I am in the process of setting up an interview with Bends Harmonica endorsee, Mr. Gary Smith. Are there any particular questions or comments you may have regarding Bends Harmonica that you would like our membership to read about?

“Play the notes that people want to hear” © 2008

Kinya Pollard
The Harpsmith

I have noticed that some of my harps have an odd tin taste/feeling when I place my tongue on them. Like when you were a kid and placed your tongue on a 9volt battery.

Do you know how to get rid of it?

Dear mr. Pollard, recently I bought some manji harmonicas which I like, but I found it impossible to bend them tongue-blocked. I managed to tb-bend on my old marine-band harmonica's which are less airtight. I opened up my old marine-band in g and found out that the gaps were pretty wide. I set up a manji in g with wider gapping and suddenly I could bend the reeds on this. Is it common that it's easier to do this when you have wider gaps? What do you think about gapping in general?Joost Jansen 

Hi!!! :)

It is possible to build homemade winsavers for chromatic harmonica?
if it is possible what can i use for that?

thanks

Best Regards

Marko

Hi Kinya,

I've just picked up a near new Gold CX12 from eBay at a great price. It arrived tonight and I've noticed that on some of the reed slots the previous owner has elevated the windsavers using a thin piece of string. I'm not sure whether this has any purpose and assume it's safe to remove them? They appear to be only on holes 3, 5, 7 and 9 on the top reedplate and holes 6 and 8 on the bottom. I've tried to see if there's any difference in playing as a result and it appears that I can bend the holes 3 and 7 down a semitone. Is this a common customising technique do you know? continue reading...

Hi Kinya,

I've just picked up a near new Gold CX12 from eBay at a great price. It arrived tonight and I've noticed that on some of the reed slots the previous owner has elevated the windsavers using a thin piece of string. I'm not sure whether this has any purpose and assume it's safe to remove them? They appear to be only on holes 3, 5, 7 and 9 on the top reedplate and holes 6 and 8 on the bottom. I've tried to see if there's any difference in playing as a result and it appears that I can bend the holes 3 and 7 down a semitone. Is this a common customising technique do you know? continue reading...

Hello Stomp Pedal fans,
Lately I have been "sitting in" with a local favorite band called Shark Sandwich (aka Daddy-O), which performs regularly at San Jose's Fairmont Hotel. Set up and volume are issues I didn't want to wrestle with, so I decided to play through the PA. Of course it sounded crappy. continue reading...

Hello Everyone,
A couple of days ago I had Andy Just in my shop. In preparation for his month long European tour I decided to address his Suzuki Manji "sticking" reed issues. The reed slot tolerances of the Manji are extraordinary, making any Harp-Tech weep with envy. The downside for players; however, if you allow condensation and saliva to coagulate, you can expect your reeds to stick. continue reading...

Hello fellow Harp Techs

Readers and students know by now that I cobbled together much of my harp-tech tools and materials from Micro-Mark - the Small Tool Specialists.

www.micromark.com is holding their huge sale (save up to 60%). Do hesitate, now is the time to stock up!

"Play the notes people want to hear" (c) 2008

Kinya
The Harpsmith