From: Chris Green Date: Tue, 14 Dec 1999 14:25:27 +0900 Subject: Adventures in Microporing
Part II in the "If This Greenhorn Can Do It, Anybody Can" series:
Feeling foolish once again, I decided last night to try sealing a couple of my Hering Blues with contraband Micropore (well, maybe not contraband, but they sure don't sell it at the local pharmacy).
Following the directions provided by Tim Moyer and Richard Hunter at Richard's web site, I used 1" Micropore (you really need 2" for the Hering Blues) and a pocket Swiss army knife to seal the inside of each reed plate. The first one took about 45 minutes, the second one about 30 minutes, and I expect if I did another hundred I might get within shooting range of Richard's "15-20 minutes while talking on the phone". Anyway, it wasn't brain surgery, even for someone with my conspicuous lack of mechanical skills.
Out of the box, these two harps were among the more responsive ones I've purchased. After sealing, though, they were born again. The first difference is that they are LOUD -- even quiet, relaxed breathing is enough to make them sing. Second, and better yet, is how easily and cleanly they bend when played softly. For someone who practices in a paper-walled Tokyo apartment, this is a Good Thing.
I'm sure all this is old hat for most of you out there, but if you haven't tried it yet, give it a shot -- it's a lot less painful than going to the dentist, and you might just be surprised at the results.
