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As one whom has also tuned accordions. And even made reeds for them. I feel that it dependes on the home key of the harmonica. Cutting material from a reed is fraught with dangers. A tenor tuned, key of D, Eb, E, and 'maybe' F can take a lot more punishment than a higher key. Taking the tuning up too far on a F#, G, Ab, A, Bb, will leave you with reeds at the top end that you could almost read a news paper through. IF you try to go too far. Now as for the precious C? They are already as squeely as a baby piglett. So why even mess with em?As for tuning down? After a while, the stem or shaft of the reed starts to fight the vibratory forces if too much gunk is added. The resultant sound starts to get dull, with no carry, no sustain at all. Sorta 'morte'. smo-joe
Hi BeauKim Would you contact me at, rdlwolf@msn.com Roman
Hi Greg,In my experience you can tune down around a 3rd and 2nd no problem using solder. Joe Filisko and Richard Sleigh I think used to custom tune dia****** up to about a 4th. Last year I asked Richard if he used a lot of solder on the lowest available keys made and he said yes. Scraping from the root of the reed is good but I personally think too much is not great as you’ll weaken the reed too much. It could potentially strengthen the reed when you polish out the factory tuning marks (which I learned from Sleigh), but I think no more than a half step by scraping the base of the reed is okay.Edit: Filisko and Sleigh used to custom tune downwards to about a 4th using solder. Dennis Gruenling told me his custom low tuned harmonicas from the 90's (I think LBb, LA, Ab, and maybe LG) were done by them or just Sleigh.
Did not get it.Would youtry again? Thanks,Roman
Quote from: BeauKim on August 02, 2019, 12:56:11 PMHi Greg,In my experience you can tune down around a 3rd and 2nd no problem using solder. Joe Filisko and Richard Sleigh I think used to custom tune dia****** up to about a 4th. Last year I asked Richard if he used a lot of solder on the lowest available keys made and he said yes. Scraping from the root of the reed is good but I personally think too much is not great as you’ll weaken the reed too much. It could potentially strengthen the reed when you polish out the factory tuning marks (which I learned from Sleigh), but I think no more than a half step by scraping the base of the reed is okay.Edit: Filisko and Sleigh used to custom tune downwards to about a 4th using solder. Dennis Gruenling told me his custom low tuned harmonicas from the 90's (I think LBb, LA, Ab, and maybe LG) were done by them or just Sleigh. Thanks BeauKim, that's good information for me. The reed I replaced a couple of days ago was an A=440. The reeplacement came out at C below that (it's a lower reed out of a Hohner diatonic). So far I've got it up to F, so I'm testing this stuff in real time!
Thanks BeauKim, that's good information for me. The reed I replaced a couple of days ago was an A=440. The reeplacement came out at C below that (it's a lower reed out of a Hohner diatonic). So far I've got it up to F, so I'm testing this stuff in real time! Hi Greg,What harmonica model are you retuning? You’re going to be filing a lot of metal to raise that C reed up a perfect fourth. Why did you use that specific reed verses something closes to the pitch you’re aiming for?
I'd just buy the new key's reed plates, if your project is on a 12-hole harp. It would eliminate all of the hard work, and possible mistakes and possible destruction of an otherwise useable harmonica.10-, 14-, and 16-hole slide chromatics are usually sold only in the key of C. If that's where your project is set, hire aprofessional harmonica customizer, or hire a manufacturer(Seydel). Let them do the work.This is an opinion from a person unskilled in reed re-tuning.I would never attempt a project as difficult (for me) as yourproject.If you are a "tinkerer", a person who loves to work on customizingor creating new tunings, use a cheap slide harp to learn the techniques.Best of luck to you. Let us know how it works for you.Best RegardsJohn Broecker
Good to hear from another flat-slide player . My approach to retuning your G chromatic, would be like this. First I would flip the slide - I know this may be problematic as it may involve drilling another hole for the spring, but that can be done with some careful measurement. After that I would tune the G# scale down half a step to make it your G scale. Then I would tune the G scale down half a step so that it becomes a Gb scale. I would do this by adding weight to the reed, rather than removing any metal from the rivet end. And after all that you will have the flat slide G chromatic that you desire.
Quote from: streetlegal on August 06, 2019, 11:30:18 AMGood to hear from another flat-slide player . My approach to retuning your G chromatic, would be like this. First I would flip the slide - I know this may be problematic as it may involve drilling another hole for the spring, but that can be done with some careful measurement. After that I would tune the G# scale down half a step to make it your G scale. Then I would tune the G scale down half a step so that it becomes a Gb scale. I would do this by adding weight to the reed, rather than removing any metal from the rivet end. And after all that you will have the flat slide G chromatic that you desire.Have you performed a retuning this way? If you're adding material, then just doing one reed plate would be easier in my opinion than doing both. Edit: I agree that flipping the slide might have been an easier approach.
If I wanted a G/F# flat slide chromatic I would take the F# bottom plate off of an F Hering chromatic "combo" and pair it with the G top plate, comb, MP, and covers off of a G Hering chromatic. I would mount the plates on the comb and add the mouthpiece and covers. Done in 20 minutes with screwdrivers... no soldering. Doug S.
Quote from: BeauKim on August 06, 2019, 05:08:53 PMHave you performed a retuning this way? If you're adding material, then just doing one reed plate would be easier in my opinion than doing both. Edit: I agree that flipping the slide might have been an easier approach.Why flip the slide and tune both sets of reeds? That seems like a lot more work. And the Suzuki is crosstuned (ie. the F#/G reeds alternate between both reed plates) so wouldn't flipping a zigzag slide change the relationship between the reeds in slide in & slide out? I think this would work on a non-CX12 Hohner or the aforementioned Hering though.
Have you performed a retuning this way? If you're adding material, then just doing one reed plate would be easier in my opinion than doing both. Edit: I agree that flipping the slide might have been an easier approach.
I have done a number of these flat slide conversions on cross-tuned CX12 and even my 16 hole 280, which was an even bigger job. I would spread the work of the retune out over a week or more. Trying to do this kind of intense work all at once would probably drive me crazy - or crazier perhaps! My thinking on this is that it is better to have all of the reeds lowered than just half of them, for better uniformity within the instrument. But I have my own way of going about these things, just to please myself and I had an interest in tuning that I wanted to explore. And yes it is necessary to work out (on paper) your new cross-tuned layout for flatslide - it is a tricky business when you do this for the first time. The best route for a flat-slider might well be to order one of the custom chromatics from Seydel. I must say the Seydel Steel chromatics look like a good option - for those with more cash than time of course.
