Harp Tuner tips

From the Work Bench of: Dick Sjöberg’s Master Harp

Harp Tuner Components: The Harp Tuner is available in two versions:

1. Hohner (7.5mm reed distance)

1. For tuning Hohner Special 20 Harmonicas (#560) a supplemental gasket will be included with your order

2. For Suzuki and Lee Oskar harmonicas order the Hohner Harp Tuner model

2. Seydel (8.0mm reed distance)

A single piece GASKET has been fabricated for both Hohner and Seydel. When a Hohner Harp Tuner is ordered, for example, your Harp Tuner will be mounted with the Hohner slots positioned to face you. In the event you wish to tune a Seydel, simply lift the index pins from their holes to release the gasket from the Hohner position. Next, rotate the gasket 180° and fasten the two index pins in the middle of the gasket. Now the Harp Tuner will facilitate tuning Seydel reed plates.

Please note that Seydel reed plates—on a Hohner specified Harp Tuner—will not line up precisely with the corresponding slider valves located at the lower and higher reeds. The gasket was designed to accommodate this issue, so the tuning process will not be impacted. Seydel Harp Tuner users will experience the same phenomenon when tuning Hohner reed plates.

CERAMIC FILES: Market name, “Super Stone” is available in various abrasive grits; including:

• 180g (rough and fast tuning)

• 400g

• 600g

• 800g

• 1200g (fine and precise tuning)

GUIDE (index) PINS Holes are pre-drilled through the gasket and top surface of the Harp Tuner. Make certain the pins are pushed all the way through the gasket and firmly positioned into the holes of the Harp Tuner. This will insure an air tight fit of both the gasket and reed plate.

BLACK SLIDER VALVES: There are two black slider valves. One located to the left of the white No. 1/10 slider valve, and the other located to the right of the white No. 10/1 slider valve. Both black slider valves connected directly to the vacuum chamber and affect all reeds at the same time. Its air intake is in the back of the slider when pulled out.

The functions of the black slider valves are to emulate a person who can regulate suction pressure by opening their nasal passages at the same as mouth breathing.

To understand this concept, it is helpful to imagine a vacuum cleaner with the slider valve located directly on the vacuum tube. When the suction pressure is too high and the carpet is being pulled into the vacuum cleaner nozzle, opening the slider valve will decrease the suction at the nozzle and release the carpet. All the while, allowing the vacuum cleaner to continue to move a large volume of air.

PROCEDURE: The best tuning results will be achieved when you tune the reference note at least 3 times—always allowing the reference reed to rest a few minutes before the next tuning session. This is CRUCIAL, in order to achieve our goal of tuning all the remaining reeds with “no beats”.

With the reed plate in position:

1. Pull out one of the black slider valves

2. Place the mouthpiece of the suction tube inside the side of your mouth. While using as much “stable and convincing” diaphragmatic (belly breathing as opposed to chest breathing) suction pressure as possible (it helps to visualize an accordion bellow). This will allow as much airflow as possible to pass over the reed.

Lower tuned harmonicas (denoted with the prefix “L”) are considered “heavy weights”, due to the weighted reeds. They will not tolerate excessive suction pressure. Too much suction pressure will cause the reed to fluctuate and your chromatic tuner will reveal a faulty reading. For lower tuned harmonicas, leave at least one black slider valve open during the tuning process.

Remember–we ALWAYS strive for tuning our reeds in pair– with our reference tone against the reed we want to tune. When setting up our reference notes in the middle register, one by one, we want at least one black slider to be open. Here the function of the black slider valve is to relieve the suction pressure on reed #1 (both blow and draw reed plates).