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Author Topic: how do you re tune  (Read 7132 times)

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HallelujahAl

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Re: how do you re tune
« Reply #20 on: August 02, 2009, 06:09:44 PM »

Quote
Al - cut up lager cans!!!! Can't be yours
Wondered if someone would pick that up - yes, a friendly neighbour donated them -empty and rinsed out of course - no beer on my reeds no matter how free!
 ;)
AL
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Theo

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Re: how do you re tune
« Reply #21 on: August 02, 2009, 07:43:17 PM »

Here is a link to photos showing my tuning tools
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Theo Gibb - Gateshead UK

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LJC

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Re: how do you re tune
« Reply #22 on: August 02, 2009, 08:08:08 PM »

I've always had more success with using the plate supporting and lifting method as opposed to the hook, but by far the easiest way (I think) is to take the reed plates off from the block and put them on 'upside down' so that all the pull reeds are now on top - you can just tune as if they were the push reeds which is nice and straight forward. Just reverse the plates to the original position when you are done with the pull tuning.

If its a major over hall of a box its usually worth re-waxing around the plates. The old wax becomes really brittle and its hard to stick the plates on in the reverse position. Just clean all the old wax off (dusty job!) and replace with a small amount of fresh wax around the plate which is usually enough to hold it steady.

You wont be able to tune to another box, its just not feasible on many levels.
« Last Edit: August 02, 2009, 08:10:12 PM by LJC »
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sqwzboxstudent

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Re: how do you re tune
« Reply #23 on: August 02, 2009, 08:51:28 PM »

so how do you get the reeds out? they are waxed in!
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HallelujahAl

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Re: how do you re tune
« Reply #24 on: August 02, 2009, 09:11:28 PM »

Thanks Theo for really good pics and description of the process.
To get reeds out the wax needs to be re-heated. A basic soldering iron will do the job. It is even possible to take out the odd single reed here and there using a soldering iron - touch tune it and replace valves etc and then pop it back in by re-heating the existing wax. However, for a job lot you're going to have to remove old wax and apply new wax. Theo can supply wax I think?
AL
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Theo

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Re: how do you re tune
« Reply #25 on: August 02, 2009, 09:17:22 PM »

I've always had more success with using the plate supporting and lifting method as opposed to the hook, but by far the easiest way (I think) is to take the reed plates off from the block and put them on 'upside down' so that all the pull reeds are now on top - you can just tune as if they were the push reeds which is nice and straight forward. Just reverse the plates to the original position when you are done with the pull tuning.

If you want to do the best possible job you need to learn both techniques.  As I said earlier, you give yourself an awful lot of extra work doing it your way, and depending on how accurate you want the tuning to be you will notice the difference in pitch that happens when the reed is on the underside rather than the top. So you will likely need to swap each reedplate over several times before you get it right.
Quote
If its a major over hall of a box its usually worth re-waxing around the plates. The old wax becomes really brittle and its hard to stick the plates on in the reverse position. Just clean all the old wax off (dusty job!) and replace with a small amount of fresh wax around the plate which is usually enough to hold it steady.
  Of course if the wax needs replacing you have to take the reeds and wax off anyway, but in the lifetime of a box it will need tuning several times before it needs new wax.  And you still have the tuning issue outlined above.  In addition if the reed is not fully waxed when you tune it then air will leak around the edges of the reed and that too will affect the pitch of the reed by a small amount.
Quote

You wont be able to tune to another box, its just not feasible on many levels.

Perhaps not to another box, but the traditional method, before electronic tuners, was to have a set of standard reeds built into a tuning bench, and to tune to them.
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Theo Gibb - Gateshead UK

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Theo

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Re: how do you re tune
« Reply #26 on: August 02, 2009, 09:22:00 PM »

Thanks Theo for really good pics and description of the process.
To get reeds out the wax needs to be re-heated. A basic soldering iron will do the job. It is even possible to take out the odd single reed here and there using a soldering iron - touch tune it and replace valves etc and then pop it back in by re-heating the existing wax. However, for a job lot you're going to have to remove old wax and apply new wax. Theo can supply wax I think?
AL

I think its false economy to try to re-use the old wax, even for a single reed, unless its an emergency back-stage repair.

[/quote]
touch tune it and replace valves
[/quote]
Replace the valves if necessary before tuning. The presence of the valve also affects the pitch, so tuning should be done with valve in place.
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Theo Gibb - Gateshead UK

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HallelujahAl

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Re: how do you re tune
« Reply #27 on: August 03, 2009, 08:55:16 AM »

Quote
I think its false economy to try to re-use the old wax, even for a single reed, unless its an emergency back-stage repair.

Replace the valves if necessary before tuning. The presence of the valve also affects the pitch, so tuning should be done with valve in place.

yes - thanks for making sense of my ramblings!
AL
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Pete Dunk

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Re: how do you re tune
« Reply #28 on: August 03, 2009, 11:07:54 PM »

Here is a link to photos showing my tuning tools.
Fascinating stuff Theo, I didn't get to see the hook affair in your workshop. Perhaps I'll give that a go as all I seem to do with the German type of lifter is get it jammed - must practice more on a few old reed plates.

Does the German lifter work on hefty bass reeds with a lump of brass sweated onto the end?
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Theo

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Re: how do you re tune
« Reply #29 on: August 04, 2009, 08:57:07 AM »

Does the German lifter work on hefty bass reeds with a lump of brass sweated onto the end?

Sometimes, but I usually resort to poking something up through the vent to lift the reed enough to slip the support plate in.
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Theo Gibb - Gateshead UK

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