Hi I was thinking about having a go at putting windsavers in a diatonic harp does any one know how to do this are there specific reeds you attach them to or can you do them all, any info would be very welcome
@Andy2 Andy have a look at Brendan Power Harmonica but I hate windsaver valves and play non-valve chromatics. If you do fit them in my opinion (a) you’ll regret it and (b) take them off Jay1
Ok thanks @Jay1 I was playing with the idea, I didn’t even know you can take them off. Useful to know thanks
@Andy2 Andy they are only stuck on Jay1
Hi Jay further to our conversation on Windsavers and Chromatics, I did what you suggested and took the Windsavers off my Lucky 13 and my Hohner Super chromatic and all I can say is thank you! My Lucky 13 sounds much better and the horrible buzzing on the 1st 3 reeds has disappeared and after a little bit of gapping they respond so much better. But the Super Chromatic? What a difference! I can bend and overblow now with zero effort, the reed that wouldn’t play is now perfect I re-gapped the entire beast, it’s now far more responsive (although still a little bit to do on that to get it perfect)
I’ve been playing along with backing tracks mostly slow blues to get the feel of it, and I can now play it with little problems. I started off just like you said playing it like I would a Diatonic, when I sussed out the positions etc, I then started playing with the slide and adding the incidental notes. I also watched some great footage of Rick Estrin playing a Chromatic harp and I spotted at certain points where he used the slide I was able to assimilate those ideas into my own playing. I’m fully intending to use this for blues, and blues with a jazz feel. I will very probably now get me one or two of those East Top harps you recommended too. I mean Ok it would be cool to learn all of the notes and positions but I’m pretty much a blues player so I will definitely be studying my favorite chromatic players and see what I can do. Thanks a million for this.
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@Andy2 , Glad it worked for you. I’m stuck with doing this legal case and if I get home in time I’ll be off to Goodwood to race my 1929 Austin 7 Brooklands and possibly a Brabham or a Dulon single seater if the Brabham is not ready. Might get a chance to jam, quite a few classic car racing nuts bring a variety of instruments. Let me know when you get your East:Top and which one you are going for. Jay1
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Will do the Wife and I are planning a trip to York, I’ve rented an apartment it’s called Transylvania House and it’s modeled after Dracula’s castle. We’re into Gothic things. I love old Universal and Hammer horror movies ( in fact my great uncle directed 4 famous Gothic movies) and my wife loves the romantic dark side of things. She’s a white witch so it appeals to her sensibilities.
So I may disappear for a bit. Enjoy racing your classics ( I’m into motorcycles myself but due to injuries and meds I can no longer do that) I hope your case goes well. And yes we’ll speak soon about all things Chromatic.
@Andy2, Enjoy York, for many years we kept a cottage at Whitby but didn’t get into the Goth thing. There used to be some good music around but haven’t been there for several years. I’m sure you’ll enjoy getting into chromatics and if I can be of any help just ask Jay1
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We will, we’re off Monday, just for a few days, the break will do us good. Have not really seen much in the way of bands around there, and we tend to go in the week when it’s quieter, we really don’t like traveling up with Hen and Stag do’s. We tend to avoid the city at weekends and find alternative places to go. Then we stay around the city in the week. I’ve always wanted to go to Whitby, my Wife has been there before she met me, but unfortunately due to 3 collapsed disks in her back she can’t do that. We’re planning to go abroad next year as prices in this country are becoming ridiculous.
As they say, “different strokes for different folks”.
I valve all my harps and have been doing so for 45 years now. Works much better for me than “overblowing/overdrawing”. I make my own valves and they don’t buzz. On occasion, a couple might stick because I didn’t properly dry the harp after playing. But a slight pluck with a toothpick on the valve before playing frees it.
Watch a video from PT Gazell and a few others that play them to see what they think. Anyway, best of luck with any approach you choose for “your” style of playing. It’s all good!
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I play lower tuned harps: so I half valve my harps because
- it makes them more airtight which gives lower tuned harps better response
- half valve blow bends are way easier to do to get the chromatic notes than overblows are on low tuned harps.
I’ve never been able to do a 1 overblow on a Low C, a half valve blow bend on 2 blow is very doable, and gives you the same pitch (the Eb)
The Brendan Power gasket valves are the easiest to install and uninstall and are a good starter for people who are not sure if they want to commit to valving or not, That said I find them finicky, sometimes they buzz; that may not bother some folks but it bothers me enough that I eventually switched to the PT Gazell valves.
The best windsavers for diatonic harps that I have used are the the “PT Gazell” valves from Seydel. They don’t buzz at all and they are very durable. You can install them with Seydel’s “valve glue”, which is basically rubber cement.
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I took the valves out of my super chromatic now it’s far easier to play, and I took the part valving out of my lucky 13 power bender because they buzzed terribly now that plays much better too
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Hi @dominico
I agree with you about the PT Gazell valves being the best. I have basically the same experience as you describe when using the Brendan Power valves.
My best results using valves have always been with lower tuned harps (key of A and lower) – probably I am not using the correct playing embouchure / technique with the higher key harps. I recently read that PT Gazell uses the U-tongue block embouchure, so perhaps I should go back to those higher key valved harps and try that method. 
Regards,
– Slim 
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