Can I gap my new 270 Deluxw?
Hello,
I'm a beginner-intermediate diatonic player and recently am getting into chromatic. I bought a Hohner 12 Hole 270 Deluxe on Dave's recommendation, and it came yesterday. It's a beautiful instrument but the 2-draw is choking on me a bit. I can get it to play with a gentler attack but if I slap, which I love to do, it will pretty much choke each time.
I've gapped my diatonics with success and know that a choking reed is gapped to low. I'm just not sure if you can open up a chromatic and do the same thing, especially when it cost $235! What do you think?
If you can gap a diatonic, you can gap the draw reeds on a chromatic. Same process, and the draw reeds are easy to get to.
Just be gentle... Plink the reed after you try to raise it & see if it settles at a slightly higher place. If it does, then test by playing...
Richard Sleigh
You can gap it. but I suspect that you may want to work on technique as a first avenue of approach.
Because chromatics are valved, the blow reed can't act as a "shock absorber" for the draw reed on strong attacks. Same goes for draw reeds helping with blow attacks. Before you can play aggressively you need to learn just where that fine line is between strong attack and the chokeout point. Low-pitched reeds are more sensitive and can benefit from attention to technique, and also from a slightly higher gap.
If you're experienced with gapping, you should do fine. Just be careful not t damage the windsaver vavles on the neighboring reeds.