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Tunning off or on the comb (pros and cons)

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Mon, 05/15/2023 - 02:58
Angel Georgiev
Angel Georgiev's picture
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Joined: 01/19/2020

Hello Kinya,

 

I have had quite some headaches lately by trying to octave tune my harps so I need your wisdom.

It is mostly the blow plate I need an advice for because it has the reeds facinf inwards while on the comb.

Initialy I have been using a "french tunner" to octave tune the blow reeds + a lense blowes so that I clear all the excess moisture in between tunning and playing the octave.

 

However after I mount the plate on the harp and after a few minutes of playing some reed would change the tunning and the octave will start "pulsing" again so I'd have to dissassemble it and retune it all over again.

 

Finally I have decided to start tunning the blow plate while mounted on the comb.

 

I find it less frustrating having to dissmount the plate every time for tunning and it seems to work better for me because the plate is closer to the "field conditions" while mounted.

 

However I see 2 downsides to this and I wanted to discuss with you if that's really an issue.

 

1. I need to file the reeds from the bottom side. Would you see that as an issue?

2. It is difficult or close to impossible to get ridd of the excess moisture in between resting the octaves, but even then I seem to better achieve the octave not detuning later on, so I dont know if the moisture is a big issue. What do you think about that?

 

For the draw plate I am not so concerbed because none of the above factors presents an issue.

Would you have some advices to point the pros and cons of tunning the harps on the comb?

Thanks!

 

 

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Tue, 05/16/2023 - 18:57
#1
Harp Tech Kinya...
Harp Tech Kinya Pollard's picture
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Joined: 02/07/2010
Tuning

Hi Angel, don't dispair. BLOW reeds are fussy to tune. In fact, my 1st harmonica mentor, Rick Epping cautioned me "not to mess around too much with the Blow reeds ... do 2~3 passes (tuning), then let the metal rest". Sage advice.

Removing the aspiration/condensation/saliva build-up on BLOW reeds is super important. In fact, if you are serious about harmonica tuning, you must invest into a small CFM (quiet) air compressor

Generally speaking, before a gig, I will micro-tune harmonica reeds on an assembled harmonica.

In the HARPSMITH Workshop, however, I always disassemble the harmonica for tuning. In fact, my favorite method for tuning the BLOW reeds is to use the Comb as a "tuning table".

  • with 1" wide Painter's Blue Tape, apply a strip that covers the entire DRAW side of the comb. This will enable you to clamp the BLOW reed plate with your fingers and do your processes without the hassles of reattaching the reed plate screws
  • another benefit is that without the DRAW reed plate you will focus 100% of the air into the BLOW reeds (you will be surprised with the increased volume!)
  • this method is quick and accurate (less futzing around), therefore it gives your BLOW reeds the rest it needs

As you alluded, because we are sucking on the DRAW reeds, the aspiration/condensation/saliva build-up is measurably less. This means you don't have the weight of the moisture to de-tune your reeds.

Check out my photo gallery for photos on tuning on assembled and dis-assembled harmonicas: 

https://harpsmith.com/products-%26-photos

Your HARPSMITH, Kinya

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