Tune
Hi!!!
Can i change the tune of a harmonica in E to F ?
thanks,
Best Regards
Marko
Hey Marko
A couple of months ago I retuned an unused set of Hohner MS reedplates from B to Bb. Took me a whole evening and plenty of filing on the reeds. When I finished I was having big problems getting the reeds to sound at all with a Hohner Crossharp comb and cover plates and I gave up on the experiment thinking I must have ruined the plates with my inexperienced and overenthusiastic use of the file. A few weeks later, I realised that I had seriously messed up the gapping in the process by pushing my 'shim' too hard and too far towards the reed rivets whilst working the reeds. Spent another whole evening regapping the plates and I'm now really pleased with the results- A few tweaks here and there since then and I'm confidently using the Bb in a band situation as it sounds well tuned enough to me. This was my first effort at retuning beyond a single reed (the Al Wilson "on the road again" special!) and the process gave me a real sense of achievement in terms of working the reeds.
I've since gone on to improve a few Marine Bands with the usual mods- adding bolts for the nails, sealing the comb, rounding the tines etc (using available instruction via youtube) and feel I have a greater (more intimate?) understanding of the workings of the harp.
If you have the time and the inclination then I say give it a go. If not then Kinya's advice is probably the wisest and will, of course, leave your free time for practice!
Thanks for all the advice !!!! :)
Best Regards
Marko
Hey Marko,
Good to hear from you. Sounds like you are on vacation with lottttts of free time, because in order to convert your E harmonica into a F harmonica, you will be on the workbench for two or more hours.
The reason is that ALL twenty reeds on your E harmonica will require retuning. Each reed will need to be raised (tuned up) 1/2 step. For example, blow reed #1 (E) will have to be tuned to a F, and draw reed #2 (F#) will have to be tuned to a G, etc.
Also keep in mind, when raising the pitch of a reed, a significant amount of material is removed from the free end of the reed, potentially shortening the life of the reed. This is especially true for higher pitched harmonicas, due to their short and thin reeds.
By now you probably came to the same conclusion as many of our readers, it would be money well spent to purchase a F tuned harmonica ;o)
Regards, Kinya