Tips for Chromatic Harmonica Maintenance - Neil Adler

Neil Adler shows simple procedures for chromatic harmonica slide, valve and reed maintenance.

[@kzsotto7375]

A big help for us. Thanks Neil !

[@greasylimpet3323]

Thanks for your helpful advice. I haven't played for years but I'm trying to relearn the bit I knew and improve a lot!

[@rockykoast7065]

Brilliant! Not only cost-saving tips but sound practical help! Thanks!

[@MaiVox]

Greatly appreciate the video. I’m very new to the (chromatic) harmonica and that paper trick was exactly what I needed tonight! Thank you!

[@paradox398]

you solved the bumper mystery

[@LeoBercoff]

Dental tools! :) Such great for many maintenance things! Thanks!

[@stevendebruyn6515]

Thank you Neil, insightful.

[@banjomandan7199]

Outstanding teaching! Thank you!

[@IdahoRanchGirl]

Excellent instruction! Thank you. This should help me with my problem.

[@MellowMusicWithLantz]

Thanks❤

[@gastonpiget1034]

Thanks for all your tips. You really helped me. In the meantime, I figured out how to unclog the reed that didnt't work. It was easy in fact. I had had my eye on the reed on the top plate as the culprit. Instead it was a reed on the bottom plate. All's well that ends well. I like the Seydel Symphony 48. Really nice sound. I will send it in to Seydel to have the highest note converted to a G. One sticky problem. Like with most sliders, this one too sticks after playing. It's easy to unstick the slider by running the mouthpiece under warm water briefly. Sometimes, if I catch it on time, I just remove the slide. Any other tips?

[@I967]

Useful tips, thank you for sharing these. I bought an old Hohner Chrometta 10 that I will try to make functional again.

[@nadlerus]

NIce, dig in, but it's harder if the axe is worn out. A CX12 or SCX is easier, and magnifier light, is super helpful.

[@I967]

@@nadlerus Thank you. The Chrometta I acquired it is quite beaten up, with the plastic comb chipped in the corners. But the price was very right - about €7 ($9), including postage. I will use it to learn on and if I am successful in repairing it, that will be very nice. I can then learn to play it.

[@hoogreg]

Because my fingers don't work all that well, I've taken to removing the (SCX) reed plates & soaking them over night in a plastic bag with just enough Windex to cover the plates. This works pretty well and cleans up a lot of dirt, without having to manipulate the valves. A gentle rinse in water to get the remnants of Windex off, & it's done. So far no problems, but the Suzuki valves are stuck on very well. On my Seydel, the valves are poorly attached (wrong kind of glue, sez me), so I'd think twice about doing this.

[@nadlerus88]

If you choose to soak, be sure to let vent overnight before reassembly. Valves are water resistant, not waterproof.

[@mlalakela426]

Audio is so poor unable to understand. Ab how, thanks for sharing your experience with us.

[@louchan04]

thanks

[@brianhiggins4614]

I took my Chromica 270 apart to clean the slide, and now one of the screws does not torgue down, it just spins, would new bumper fix this, or do I have to get it worked on? If it can be fixed.

[@brianhiggins4614]

I shoved a shim in the hole of the comb, to get the screw to bite, but now I am having trouble lining up the 4 plates, or maybe it is just the other cap screw wont bite down. Yep, shim on that hole too, now I have it all lined up and fixed, it works like it should. I kept the old bumper, but 14 gauge wire insulation fits inside the original bumper, and it did not stand in the hole very well, so I went with the originals.Thank you for the video.

[@nadlerus88]

Old wood combs often get stripped by mouthpiece screws. Temporary fix whit small slices of toothpick in hole. A metal screw/barrel upgrade is available from John Cook Harmonicas.

[@brendantreanor2428]

Neil my button wont get any tension against the spring what do i do thank you

[@nadlerus88]

Either slide mechanism needs adjustment or spring needs replacement

[@nadlerus88]

Spring could be broken (common), jumped out of slide hole (uncommon). Try to take abart slide assembly and look for trouble. Send to repair person for easy fix.