[Harp-L] air leaks

[Jonathan Roberson]

To be more specific about how to seals air leaks several years ago I read
online how to apply 3M micropore tape between the comb and reed plates. I
was under the assumption that this was one of the tweaks that harp
customizers use to improve a harps overall playing and sound. Just looking
for the "how to" so I could try my hand at it.

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[Tim Moyer]

Jonathan Roberson wrote:
> To be more specific about how to seals air leaks several years ago
I
> read online how to apply 3M micropore tape between the comb and
reed
> plates. I was under the assumption that this was one of the tweaks
> that harp customizers use to improve a harps overall playing and
> sound. Just looking for the "how to" so I could try my hand at it.

I wrote a piece that is hosted on Richard Hunter's harmonica website
with a procedure for applying micropore gaskets:
http://www.hunterharp.com/moyer1.html

Having said that, I no longer endorse the wholesale use of gaskets
in harmonicas to improve the seal. I've found that just as much
good can be done by simply removing and retensioning the screws, and
it reduces the risk of gunking up the harp. In most modern
harmonica designs, particularly those that use recessed reed plates
in plastic combs (e.g., Lee Oskar, Hohner Special 20), there is very
little leakage that takes place in a stock harmonica provided the
screws are evenly tensioned. Unfortunately, it's common in out-of-
the-box harmonica -- where the screws are tapped into the receiving
plate by a machine -- for the screws to be over-tight and uneven,
causing slight buckling of the plates, which allows leaks.

If you have five minutes, a screw driver and a toothpick, the best
thing you can do for your harps is to take them apart and put them
back together, focusing on getting the plate screw tensions uniform,
and use the toothpick to lower the stock gaps a little and also make
them more uniform. If you do this carefully, you can dramatically
improve the performance of your stock harp without a bunch of fancy
tools and tricks.

-tim