Chromatic Buzzes
Hello Winslow,
I hope you are keeping well.
I have a relatively new 12 hole chromatic that buzzes on the second and third holes when I first start playing, but it goes away after a few minutes of playing. Does that sound like the windsavers? Is there a quick fix beyond replacing the affected windsavers, or should I just live with it unless it becomes too annoying.
Thanks in advance.
Geoffrey.
Hi, Homer.
Windsaver valves can be annoying when they stick, pop, or buzz.
Players often warm up the harp for awhile before playng it to reduce valve chatter. And even then, they may chatter until they are warm and moist.
If the problem goes away after a few minutes of playing, I'd recommend simply tolerating the fact that your harp needs to warm up.
Valves do get dirty. Your first line of defense is to play with a clean mouth, free of any residues from food and drink. Even then, though, yur breath can carry in natural secretions from your respiratory system, in which case, you can clean the valves.
Fortunately, the valves that are mostly likely to need service are the outside valves -the ones that are mounted on the outside of the reedplates and directly accessible when you remove the covers. Sometimes the inside valves need attention, but to get at them requires dismounting the reedplates from the comb, which means a whole mess of screws to remove, and then re- install when it comes time to reassemble the harp.
Here's what I wrote about how to clean valves for for David's now-vanished Harmonicasessions.com e-zine a few years back:
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A clean valve will be less likely to stick and cause unwanted noises.
To clean a valve you need to clean both between the layers and the bottom layer that touches the reedplate.
Use a small strip of rough-surfaced paper that can hold moisture, such as paper bag material.
Wet it, then place it as far as you can under the valve or between the layers, apply light pressure from above with a finger, then pull the paper out from under the valve.
The surface of the paper will moisten and carry away any sticky residues.
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I should add that you should discard each paper strip after a single use, and start with a clean one for each valve or layer, otherwise you're just moving dirt from one place to another.
Replacing valves? Only if you absolutely need to - why go to the expense and hassle if you can avoid it?
Thanks, Winslow for the great answer and thanks Rob for your input as well.
I have been playing chromatic on and off for many years (mostly off), and this is the first time I have experienced this.
I will give the damp paper strips a try. Sounds like something I can handle. ;-)
The chromatic I have is one of the relatively new plastic body types that pops apart quite readily so access to the top windsavers is not difficult.
Other than this small windsaver annoyance, I am really enjoying playing this harmonica. It has a great tone and is quite air-tight.
Homer.
Which chromatic are you playing nowadays, Homer. There are many really good ones out now, and some of them amazingly inexpensive.
Hi KB,
I actually purchased the new Kongsheng KB12. As the name suggests, it's 12 hole, plastic bodied chromatic. I like it very much. Definitely has a darker tone compared to some of the more traditional metal body chromatics and the price is very competitive. It's kind of like the difference between a Special 20 tone and a Classic Marine Band wooden comb 10 hole tone. Brendan Power gives it a good revue on YouTube.
I now see that Easttop is offering a similar looking chromatic for a few dollars more.
Geoffrey.
Homer:
The Kongsheng KB-12 is "the" find of fhe season.
I found out about it via "Big Harp George" Bisharat. (www.bigharpgeorge.com) He'd bought one to keep in his glove compartment, and then discovered how nicely it played. So I bought one for MY glove compartment. And then bought a second one for home and gig bag. At the price (from Rockin' Ron's Music) it was hard to say no.
Granted, intonation isn't what I have on my more costly chromatics, but for blues, being just a tad "off" higher up in the register produces a nice "shimmer" when playing octaves.
George was so impressed that he's used the KB-12 for some of the work on his new holiday CD, "Big Harp George Does Christmas." Check it out!
(And with the low-low price, no one here has an excuse anymore for not taking up blues chromatic.)
Easttop has come out with its nearly idetnical ET12 now. I'm told that both are copies of an earlier CX-12 knockoff, the VA12. I have a KB12 in A and really like it.
Geoffrey:
No one has more great ideas and answers for chromatic than Winslow does. So I'll be watching this thread.
In the meantime, though, for how long have you been dealing with those cranky babies they call "chromatic"? E.g., are you warming your chromatic before playing it, and making sure it airs out before you put it away? (I use an inexpensive electric heating pad, on a small table in my practice room.) My guess is it's the usual issue with sticky windsavers. No need to replace them. Just bear in mind that they are really sensitive to your breath (I actually seem to have epoxy breath), temperature, weather, the stock market, NFL standings, whether you feed your cat before it's hungry, whether or not you're wearing Bermuda shorts ... I.e., who knows what goes on in the psychotic mind of windsavers?