I have been playing for about 5 years and now have a selection of Dead Harps.
It is always a draw reed and always either a 4 or 5 hole.

I used to buy mainly Lee Oskars because the music shop in town stocked the replacement reed sets. Not any longer. The shop has closed down.

I like Hohner Special 20's because these are easy to play, having a recessed reed plate. They are a bit rough cut and raucous, but more fun to play, than the Suzukis I have also been buying. That's what is referred to as character. I find the Suzukis very good but too refined (and just too expensive) if they have to be replaced often. The Lee Oskars were also good and I still have some odd ones left.

I guess I play too hard.

Talking of 'dead', this site also isn't all that lively these days.

Rockin Rons sells reed plates at a reasonable price. Ships them fast and free. That's were I get mine.
[rockinronsmusicsd.com]

OK. Thanks for the information. I looked around at the prices. The Suzuki MR350v was definitely worth repairing and I ordered replacement reed plates from a firm in England, because I can't get these locally . . .
[www.theharmonicacompany.com]

With the others, the cost savings are not so great, and in most cases, I have already got a complete new replacement.

Do you want to sell the dead harps? What all do you have? Message me or reply here, or do both.

The date shows I posted this on the 27th. And it's still the 26th. I'm a time traveler!!

I went and checked my time setting. I guess it changed somehow. I reset it. I'm back from the future.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/27/2015 05:33AM by railjumper.

Seydel's have stainless steel, not brass, reeds They last. Expensive. So are dead harps. Why don't they make a harp with individually replaceable reeds?

Seydel's have stainless steel, not brass, reeds They last. Expensive. So are dead harps. Why don't they make a harp with individually replaceable reeds?

Seydel's have stainless steel, not brass, reeds They last. Expensive. So are dead harps. Why don't they make a harp with individually replaceable reeds?

Individual reeds can be replaced. I've done a few. I figured, what the hell it was shot anyway with a bad reed. Couldn't hurt. They even sell individual reeds. I just use a reed out of an old reed plate. It's not real easy though. I install the new reed with a small nut and bolt. Pick a reed the correct size and as close to the original note as possible.
My first one I did years ago and it still works fine. It's an Eb, and I don't use it a lot though.
I made the mistake of using a reed out of a cheaper harp one time in a Special 20. It worked, but you can tell the difference, lower volume.
My main tool for the job is a Dremmel.

@Railjumper
Sorry about the late reply. I don't get on the Forum very often. In the meantime, and thanks in part to the advice here, I have fixed the harps where the replacement reed plates were significantly cheaper that the cost of a new harp (Suzuki and Lee Oskar). The rest I have disposed of.

Old harps should have extra time put on the surviving reeds to practice overblows and hard driving hits like the top end of "Whammer Jammer"

I would like to find some old abused yard sale harps to take out agressions on - or abuse what I have if I replace them with new