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Forums :: Ask Harp Tech Expert Kinya Pollard

Why can't I find replacement reeds / reed plates?

2 replies [Last post]
Tue, 08/24/2021 - 19:19
wnolan2
wnolan2's picture
Offline
Joined: 08/21/2021

Hi,

 

I recently discovered that more 4 draw reed was broken on my Hohner Marine Band Harmonica.

I thought I could just replace the reeds, but after looking online it looks like replacement reeds (the "deluxe kind") https://www.hohnershop.com/marine-band-deluxe-reed-plates/ are more expensive $45 than just replacing the entire harmonica.

 

Is this accurate?

If I break a reed should I just buy a new harmonica and....why would you guess that I broke a reed in the first place?

 

Thanks

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Wed, 08/25/2021 - 22:11
#1
mmarquez
mmarquez's picture
Offline
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Joined: 08/07/2019
You can replace single reeds

The price you see is for the full reed plate (10 reeds attached to the plate). You can replace single reeds with time, patience, the appropriate tools and a replacement reed for the broken one.

Kinya has a lesson precisely on this: https://www.bluesharmonica.com/harp_tech_study_5_reed_replacement

Also, https://harp.andrewzajac.ca/GuitarStrings (and the second part linked from there) is another very detailed article (two articles, actually) on reed replacement and it contains some explanation of why reeds usually break (the reed is old and you're playing too hard are a couple of typical reasons).

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Thu, 09/02/2021 - 18:13
#2
Harp Tech Kinya...
Harp Tech Kinya Pollard's picture
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Expert
Joined: 02/07/2010
Hello Wnolan and thank you

Hello Wnolan and thank you Mmarquez.

Individual reeds for your Hohner Marine Band can be purchased from https://www.hohnershop.com/harmonica-reed-marine-band-and-progressive-series-set-of-5/

To date, I have replaced +1000 harmonica reeds, and many times I used perfectly good reeds from "donor" Hohner harmonicas. These are harmonicas that we usually relegate to the junk drawer or shoebox--harmonicas that have one to two faulty reeds, and therefore, rendered unplayable.

Many Hohner donor reeds can be found in other Hohner harmonica models and keys. For example, Hohner Marine Band 1896, Marine Band Deluxe, Marine Band Crossover, Special 20, Rocket, Rocket Amp, Golden Melody are all built with EXACTLY the same reeds, This is why the harmonicas listed above have "interchangeable" reeds.

Your Hohner Marine Band (I did not catch the MB key), let's say it was in the Key of A; the 4 DRAW reed = B. This exact reed (length, width and pitch) can be found in any of the above mentioned harmonicas; specifically,

  • Key Harmonica A/4 DRAW
  • Key Harmonica B/4 BLOW
  • Key Harmonica E/2 DRAW
  • Key Harmonica HighG/2 BLOW

As Mmarquez recommended, it would be good to review:

https://www.bluesharmonica.com/harp_tech_study_5_reed_replacement

Your Harpsmith, Kinya

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