cleaning and tuning reeds

[varney]

Hello again, Folks,

 

As I'm awaiting Dave Elliott's book to make it through the snowstorms I'm using the forum to help me along with trying to restore a lovely metal-ended Lachenal Anglo I recently acquired.

 

As my last query about leaking reed chambers got some very helpful replies I'm now going to try and start sorting out the tuning.

 

I've cobbled together a rudimentary tuning station which will hopefully serve the duration of this process, but before I even start tuning I'm thinking some of the reeds themselves have a fair amount of corrosion, dirt or both. What is the best method to tackle this and is it best to do so before tuning ( common sense would suggest it is.....)??

 

Is it advisable to then start tuning at the first reeds on the inside row and work out or do people select say a C and work through the scale?

 

Thanks,...

[Simon H]

However you do this, methodical is the key. Working sequntially by the button layout or by scale may impose an extra dimension to the process. By all means lay out your tuning sheets by scale or whatever, but better to work the reedpans sequentially one side at a time, one end at a time. If you do it by reedpan layout you will be working sequentially by the physical location of the reeds rather than chopping and changing and turning the reedpan over and over. Your tuning tables will provide you your reference. Remember to read each note you are going to tune inside the instrument and then tune the reed by difference from the measured note in the tuning assembly. So if the note you are tuning is 12 cents flat of D in the insrument, regardless of what it reads in the tuning assembly you need to sharpen it 12 cents. This may take it a long way from D in the rig but when it is assembled back in the instrument it should be close to right. I'd clean each reed as you come to it, as first part of its tuning process.

 

Make up tuning sheets with actual, difference from in tune, actual in tuning rig, and target and final measured in rig and instrument. And be very very methodical. Work round them all, put together, remeasure and go back to start and retune those you didn't quite get.

I use AP Tuner with a decent microphone on my Laptop PC with the mic on a little stand over the tuning rig. it has good display options so you can see the harmonics and variation of the notes.

 

That's how I've done a few myself. I'm sure the real experts will have some great advice on the delicate matter of filing reeds.

 

Simon

Edited December 21, 2009 by Simon H

[varney]

Thanks a million, Simon. That was really helpful and clarified something I read earlier from Dana about tuning by the same number of cents in the opposite direction between the reed in the chamber and when it's in the jig.

 

Before I even started, I cut new corner blocks to replace the missing ones ( as advised to me in a previous post ), and also lifted the edge of the bellows chamois and glued in some packing to close a gap. Tuned the left hand inner row as per instructions and on reassembly she plays as sweet as a lark. I think fixing the supports has helped as well as all the notes play richly instead of various chokes and warbles.

 

On with the tuning!!

 

PS How do you take off corrosion or dirt from the reed tongues?

[michael sam wild]

The best advice I had ( from Theo) was to get a fibre glass pen from Maplins electronics( made for circuit board cleaning) don't breath in any dust. Dave E mentions meths ( for cleaning not to ease frustration!)

All the best

Mike

[Theo]

The best advice I had ( from Theo) was to get a fibre glass pen from Maplins electronics( made for circuit board cleaning) don't breath in any dust. Dave E mentions meths ( for cleaning not to ease frustration!)

All the best

Mike

 

I've stopped using the fibergalss pen, becuase of the very unpleasant dust. Instead I us a polishing block, also from Maplins, or one of these sanding pens from Axminster tools. To clean the underside of the reed a small screwdriver makes an effective scraper. Whichever side you are working on the reed tongue must be supported.

[varney]

Thanks to you all for that....

 

I would have thought that sanding or scraping of any kind would be the wrong way to go as it might also take some surface material off the reed and thus affect its tuning, but I'm happy to follow the advice of experienced restorers.

 

AFter shifting the corrosion / dirt is there anything recommended to wipe the reed down? Alcohol?

[Theo]

Thanks to you all for that....

 

I would have thought that sanding or scraping of any kind would be the wrong way to go as it might also take some surface material off the reed and thus affect its tuning, but I'm happy to follow the advice of experienced restorers.

 

Cleaning is a preparatory step to tuning. If you are not intending to do a full re-tune there is not much to be gained by cleaning the reeds, unless they are so badly contaminated that they are unable to sound.

 

 

 

AFter shifting the corrosion / dirt is there anything recommended to wipe the reed down? Alcohol?

 

Its not necessary to use anything.

[David Barnert]

A reminder of two bits of advice that have appeared in these forums in the past about tuning reeds (both relating to the fact that it is easy to screw this task up):

 

• Let a professional do it.
  
• Try it first on a junk set of reeds to which you don't care what happens.
  

[Theo]

A reminder of two bits of advice that have appeared in these forums in the past about tuning reeds (both relating to the fact that it is easy to screw this task up):

 

• Let a professional do it.
  
• Try it first on a junk set of reeds to which you don't care what happens.
  

 

 

Agreed, a "lovely metal ended Lachenal" is not the the place to start learning to tune reeds, unless perhaps you are already skilled with small scale metalwork. There is no going back once you have taken metal off reeds.

[varney]

Thanks folks,

 

I have a 20 key lachenal anglo for the last few months which I've done a retune on already and got it pretty much bang on concert pitch. When I got the metal ended Lachenal I felt capable of getting it to A440, and after spending a lot of hours on it I've managed to do so. Some of the reeds do sound a little muffled while others sing out, but this was the case before I even started...

 

I know more experienced restorers and builders aren't too keen on amateurs tinkering on old instruments, but if we don't how are ever going to learn?