High End Reed Tuning Issues
Kinya,I am tuning up a few of my harmonicas and everything is going fine until I get to the 8-10 reeds. On 2 different A harmonicas I have had this happen to at least one reed on each the draw and blow plate. These are embossed and gapped already (probably have to redo some of the gapping after - My issue is this - I am tuning the 8 blow reed (just an example) and I am just about there - SO CLOSE. I go to make the final adjustment and bam - now it is wildly out of tune / or won't play - so then i open up the gap a little and now it is just wildly out of tune - maybe 50+ cents lower in pitch. I'm using nice files and filing parallel to the length of the reed and there's no way i am filing it down to the point where it's about to snap. This is very light work. What exactly is going on here? Am I getting dust in the slot or something?
Thanks!
Relax my friend, you are doing nothing wrong.
Keep in mind, the higher you climb up the reed plate, the less material you have to work with. The smaller reeds, 8-10 are extremely fussy. I typically wait until I re-assemble the harmonica--with cover plates, then use the Richard Sleigh draw scraper and breath to "dial in" the higher pitches.
NOTE: Don't stress too much about the higher pitched reeds, most players find they can tune "on the fly" with their playing technique and bring the reed into tune during a performance (particularly blow bends). You'll get--maybe two opportunities on the bench to work with the higher pitched reed, then you will have to let them "be", and rest for about 24 hours.
Your Harpsmith, Kinya