Hi all.
As I get a little more experienced playing, I’ve built up a collection of some harps. I mostly like the Hohner rocket Amp but I have a Seydel 1814, which I wanted to try.
I have zero experience In changing the setup of a harp… never taken one apart - but this harp is extremely unresponsive. If you blow (at almost all volumes and registers) it takes a while to speak. So you could never play anything rhythmical on it.
I don’t know if it’s faulty or whether the setup needs changing.
Has anyone come across this and found a solution?
As a side question - is it worth learning to do minor mends myself or should I find a local harp tech ?
You can try gapping it. I bought a Session Steel in ‘A’, and the gapping was so bad it wouldn’t even sound!
It’s not too hard, it just takes some time. There are a lot of videos on the topic, just make sure you make very small adjustments and try the reedplate often to avoid damage.
100% worth learning to do.
It’s true the Seydel’s play different to hohners and it take a bit of oomph to get them moving but from your description it sounds like something’s not right.