New Harmonica attacks Mustache!!!!!

Subject: New Harmonica attacks Mustache!!!!!
From: DonMeixner
Date: 28 Jan 03 - 08:49 PM

Any have a suggestion here? I needed a C# for recording tomorrow and all that was available is a Johnson Blues King. A bit like a Special 20 only cheap! Sounds pretty OK but it grabs the stash something wicked. Any had this problem and found the cure? Or should I just wait for Elderly to send a Golden Melody and in the meanwhile, suffer for my art.

Don

Subject: RE: New Harmonica attacks Mustache!!!!!
From: MMario
Date: 28 Jan 03 - 08:50 PM

I suppose the razor is out?

Subject: RE: New Harmonica attacks Mustache!!!!!
From: SINSULL
Date: 28 Jan 03 - 08:54 PM

Hot wax?

Subject: RE: New Harmonica attacks Mustache!!!!!
From: DonMeixner
Date: 28 Jan 03 - 08:57 PM

I've had this beard since 1970. Its older than some nations.

Subject: RE: New Harmonica attacks Mustache!!!!!
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 28 Jan 03 - 09:23 PM

All you really need to do is fill in that little crack where the housing and the reed plate are fitted together, right? I would try brushing some five-minute two-part epoxy into the crack.

Bruce

Subject: RE: New Harmonica attacks Mustache!!!!!
From: Rustic Rebel
Date: 29 Jan 03 - 12:42 AM

Duct tape.


Well, they say it works on everything!

Subject: RE: New Harmonica attacks Mustache!!!!!
From: GUEST,Davetnova
Date: 29 Jan 03 - 04:33 AM

This sounds like a Weapon of Moustache Destruction.

Subject: RE: New Harmonica attacks Mustache!!!!!
From: Dave Bryant
Date: 29 Jan 03 - 06:02 AM

If you do use the epoxy method, make sure it's set fully before you try and play it, or you might have to cut the whole tache off !

Incidently, there might be fleas to whom your tache IS a nation.

Subject: RE: New Harmonica attacks Mustache!!!!!
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 29 Jan 03 - 07:30 AM

Weapon of Moustache Destruction is going to pop up in my mind whenever someone says the other phrase, in the same way that a phrase from my favourite parody writer (born 'neath the burden of mediocrity) pops up whenever our Prime Minister speaks. Tho now he says nasty stuff, rather then dreary, finger waggling stuff.

Good luck with the harmonica.

sandra

Subject: RE: New Harmonica attacks Mustache!!!!!
From: GUEST,Lane Trippet
Date: 29 Jan 03 - 07:34 AM

Got you beat with the beard - had mine since 1967. And I still can't play a gob organ!

Subject: RE: New Harmonica attacks Mustache!!!!!
From: Les from Hull
Date: 29 Jan 03 - 03:50 PM

I think that this an occupational hazard. I've lost hair to most major makes of the old tin sandwich. You can't seal them up permanently or you couldn't clean them out. And then you would have to suffer that horrible moment on a harding sticking suck note when something unmentionable pings off the back of your throat and down your windpipe! But it's worth mentioning to other 'catters how much we suffer for our art.

Subject: RE: New Harmonica attacks Mustache!!!!!
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 29 Jan 03 - 05:21 PM

Try rubbing a candle across the crack to fill it in a little. (Also "lubricates" it slightly, so it doesn't grab as much.)

It's not a permanent fix, but should last until you've had time to rip out the few "flying hairs" that are troublesome.

Note that the wax on the outside will rub off pretty quickly, but it's the stuff that works into the crack below the surface that actually keeps the hair from getting caught.

John

Subject: RE: New Harmonica attacks Mustache!!!!!
From: Cluin
Date: 29 Jan 03 - 05:27 PM

Yeah, duct tape might work to keep the `stache out of the way. But it would certainly take some whiskers with it later, whether you pulled it off slowly or quickly.

Better apply it to the harp instead.

Subject: RE: New Harmonica attacks Mustache!!!!!
From: GUEST,Bloke in the Corner
Date: 29 Jan 03 - 06:49 PM

Only ever use Lee Oskar harps, they're just better made than Hohner diatonics, no space for hair entrapment - also they sound better and last loads longer. AND the plastic comb doesn't snag your lip the way wooden combs can. AND the seal's better for blues playing. AND you can buy replacement reed plates quite cheap. Pity they don't seem to make chromatics...
Good luck with the Blues King... Who makes them

Subject: RE: New Harmonica attacks Mustache!!!!!
From: Les from Hull
Date: 29 Jan 03 - 07:33 PM

That's true, Bloke! They're much better, but I've even lost hair to them.

Subject: RE: New Harmonica attacks Mustache!!!!!
From: katlaughing
Date: 29 Jan 03 - 10:59 PM

Don, Night Owl says she thinks this might be a job for Spaw's Amish Aussie Pitchfork Moustache Tuner!

Subject: RE: New Harmonica attacks Mustache!!!!!
From: DonMeixner
Date: 29 Jan 03 - 11:58 PM

The Johnston Blues King! $9.50 at a Hardware near you. You get what you pay for.

Don

It really sounds very good. My one complaints is the exfoliator that is built in.

Subject: RE: New Harmonica attacks Mustache!!!!!
From: JedMarum
Date: 30 Jan 03 - 08:58 AM

Lee Oskars are wonderful harmonicas. I love their sound. They're expensive, but last, they sound great for ever, you take 'em apart and clean or fix 'em and put 'em back together. I just love 'em.

I do loose hair to 'em once in a while (probably because of the rack rather then the harp) - but that's a small price to pay. Besides, it usually adds a bit of humor and an "eeeww!" from the audience when I explain the hazards of mustache hairs in my harmonica.

Subject: RE: New Harmonica attacks Mustache!!!!!
From: Gareth
Date: 30 Jan 03 - 09:41 AM

Hmmm !!! Now if we can persude Saddam Hussain to take up the Harmonica !!!

Gareth

Subject: RE: New Harmonica attacks Mustache!!!!!
From: Wilfried Schaum
Date: 31 Jan 03 - 02:59 AM

Hi, gallant sufferer!

I have my mustache since 1962 and play the harmonica sometimes, just for fun. I had the problem mentioned only once, then never more. I trimmed my mustache, it just ends above the upper lip. My wife prefers this style, too, instead of the overlapping version: a wonderful side effect is that it tickles better when kissing (you know, a kiss without a beard is like a soup without salt).
Another possibility is to change from harmonica to treble recorder (there are some very small ones).

Wilfried

Subject: RE: New Harmonica attacks Mustache!!!!!
From: GUEST,docwooley
Date: 23 May 10 - 04:44 PM

I have a full beard. From time to time, I have caught mustache hairs in Hohners, Suzukis, and Lee Oskars. I have never been attacked by one of my Delta Frosts.

Subject: RE: New Harmonica attacks Mustache!!!!!
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 24 May 10 - 01:42 AM

many decades ago, Bob Bolton trimmed his moustache so he could play harmonica, and still wears it that way.

sandra

Subject: RE: New Harmonica attacks Mustache!!!!!
From: 3'Shift
Date: 11 Jun 10 - 04:58 AM

Must be we all have some very idiosyncratic moustaches. I used to get this maybe once in 6 mo. on my Hohners, but now I'm using some Lee Oskars it's once-any-night-I-play. It had occurred to me to try something like that idea with the wax on the crack at the end of the guard-plate, trouble is by the time I get home I've forgotten about it.

In the meantime I will just enhance my growing reputation as very sensitive aesthetically - every now & again I just freeze, as if transfixed by the beauty of it all, tears run down my cheeks, I'm obviously deeply moved...

Subject: RE: New Harmonica attacks Mustache!!!!!
From: Tootler
Date: 11 Jun 10 - 11:54 AM

Quite recently I had a note go 'dead' on a brand new harmonica. Very frustrating as nothing I did at the time would persuade it to play again. When I got home, I opened it up and there was a hair from my moustache caught in the reed. I gently removed it, put the harmonica back together again and Presto! a perfect working harmonica.

Subject: RE: New Harmonica attacks Mustache!!!!!
From: PHJim
Date: 11 Jun 10 - 12:23 PM

I used to play a lot with young kids and would use a limberjack (clog doll) while playing a fiddle tune on the harp in a rack. I would pretend (didn't always have to pretend) to get my moustache caught in the rack as an excuse to ask one of the kids to operate the limberjack so I could get rid of the rack.

Subject: RE: New Harmonica attacks Mustache!!!!!
From: GUEST,Jonny Sunshine
Date: 11 Jun 10 - 06:22 PM

No harmonica is completely safe if you have a moustache. Chromatics are even worse as you have the danger of catching a hair in the slide...

Subject: RE: New Harmonica attacks Mustache!!!!!
From: GUEST,John C
Date: 08 Jun 11 - 01:03 PM

Hohners used to kink the bends in the plates like on the pro harp. I called them at 1-888-784-8571and they say they don't get complaints on mustache hair. CALL THEM AND REQUEST THEM TO FIX THE PROBLEM.
Thank you John C

Subject: RE: New Harmonica attacks Mustache!!!!!
From: Gurney
Date: 09 Jun 11 - 01:29 AM

Like Wilfried and Sandra said. Hold the scissors vertically.
Of fill the gap.

Subject: RE: New Harmonica attacks Mustache!!!!!
From: reggie miles
Date: 09 Jun 11 - 04:25 AM

As to the above stated praises for Lee Oskar harps, by GUEST,Bloke in the Corner and JedMarum, from way back in 2003, I have to respond. While many folks enjoy what I can do with a ten hole, I don't consider myself anywhere near a master of the art. I don't know what style of harmonica music you play but I've managed to suck a reed clean out of one of Lee Oskar's reed plates. No, I'm not making this up!

That tells me that his products are not up to my specs regarding performance and endurance. I like Lee as a person and enjoy his playing but I've never found his brand of harp to be particularly long lasting or having the kind of sound and action that I enjoy working with as I accompany myself while playing bottleneck slide Blues on my homemade resophonic 'Nobro' guitar. We all have our preferences for the type and style of playing that we enjoy exploring.

I've pulled quite a few reeds flat via my first choice for harmonicas, Hohner's Special 20s, and I've tearfully lost a few moustache hairs in mid solo, until I started trimming my hairs back but I've never managed to suck a reed clean off one of Hohner's reed plates. I don't mind gettin' teary eyed over of a bit of hairy entrapment but gettin' choked up by a reed stuck in yer throat is a different matter entirely.

Subject: RE: New Harmonica attacks Mustache!!!!!
From: GUEST,DonMeixner
Date: 09 Jun 11 - 08:18 AM

It's always fun to see a thread come home. I never solved the exfoliation problem other than to buy a new Golden Melody, my harp of choice. I play every time I play a Golden Melody "D" harmonica that is now 22 years old. Sounds sweeter than a new one I got for Christmas this past year.

The Johnson and Johnson is in the box and still gets used.

Don

Subject: RE: New Harmonica attacks Mustache!!!!!
From: GUEST,Blow Hard
Date: 15 Jul 11 - 06:00 PM

Hohner told me the have had no complaints. Let's give them a couple. Some put the wrong phone number for Hohner. It's 1 800 446 6010. Those pro 20's cut my lip and they say what do you want me to do. I tell them bend the ends like the old harps. The pro and the blues are a little better with the bent ends. I can't believe any German would be proud of the new harps. Must be 100 Ahabs in the basement.

CALL CALL CALL 1-800-446-6010. Let's hone there A Blow Hole