Sticking draw valves?

[servus]

I still haven't replaced any blow valves yet, and my Symphony 48 still -usually - plays okay. But now I just bought myself another Sympony 48, used, as a backup. Good price. Super condition, nice tone...except for the fact that sometimes a couple of draw notes have been sticking, either popping or going silent altogether. I've plunked the reeds. That helps, but then it happens again! Does that mean I'm going to have to remove the reedplate?! If so, will the instrument still be airtight when I put it back together? Or is there an easier fix?

              PJ

[Age]

Don't be scared, bro. Removing reedplates is really no biggie. I would take the plates off and manually clean those inside valves. This would also give you a chance to check the reed-end gaps (just for giggles)

[servus]

Thanks for the encouragement. You might have to say a prayer though. Seydel advises removing reedplates as seldom as possible to keep the instrument airtight...and airtight it is!

[brorat]

Hi PJ. Removing reed plates shouldn’t impact air tightness if done correctly. Here are a couple of my own quirks when removing/replacing them:

Lay out a tea towel on a flat surface. Use that to place your harmonica on.
Take off cover plates.
Remove small screws holding reed plates. I lay the screws on the towel in the position where they were in plate. I try to put the screws back in the same hole they came out of. Can help prevent cross threading.
When you replace the screws, don’t tighten them fully until all are back in place. Then, I start with the center screw and work to the outside alternating from side to side. This helps put even force on the reed plate so they fit snuggly and maintain air tightness. You want to have the screws nice and snug but don’t over tighten. When all screws are in place, check the tightness of each one last time using the same inside out pattern.
They should be fine!
The towel helps to keep parts from rolling onto the floor where your old eyes will never find them😱

By the way…make sure you replace plates with the correct side out!  Made that silly mistake once!

Good luck!

[servus]

Thanks Doug, that seems to be the way to go. Nice to have clear instructions. Before I jump into the cold water (and now I know I'm wearing a lifevest) I may still wait a wee bit. The harmonica had not been played (by the former owner) for a while and then, according to him, very little. I wonder if it just needs a little playing for its insides to calm down. If gentle persuasion doesn't work, plan B will be to spread the towel on the table, hold my breath and unscrew and reassemble from center to edge, alternating sides. Will report.

Enjoy your family events!

PJ

[Ed McCullough]

Coffee towels also work well, though they don't have the same ballyhoo as the tea towels.
You might also cover the entire tabletop with a large bath towel and put your tea towel or coffee towel on top of that. If you drop some parts they won't bounce off the table and get lost if the table is covered with a  towel. Turkish towels are very good, but the grand mummers of towels are deep wale Kamchatka towels.

[brorat]

Coffee towels also work well, even though they don't have the same ballyhoo as the tea towels.
You might also cover the entire tabletop with a large bath towel and put your tea towel or your bath towel on top of that. If you drop some parts they won't bounce off the table and get lost if the table is covered with a bath towel. It really doesn't matter if the large towel is a Turkish towel or a horse towel.

I wanted to say "use a dish rag", but thought I'd sound too country!  Maybe I went a bit too far!

[Age]

Dish rag, wash rag? Ninety percent of us know what you're sayin', bro.

[servus]

I think I kinda understood too. I usually put the harmonica into a plastic serving container with high side walls- something tupperware-like. Nothing escapes that prison. At any rate, something is not working on the low draw F. It works, then it clicks, then it clogs, then it works. Maybe the problem will...just...disappear...like...that...
 

[Age]

I think your Symphony prolly just needs a new home, bro. Just sent over here and I'll "struggle" with it.
(always wanted a Symphony)  Bwuoaahahahahahaha!😈

Seriously, maybe we can talk about it on the Zoomer on Thursday

[servus]

Sounds good. I guess I'm just stuck on that draw F - even though I could substitute it with the blow- button in - F right above.