The Bluesharp Workshops
Disclaimer
We accept no responsibility or liability for any damage or possible consequences resulting from imitation of the techniques described here.
Rebuild a Hohner Marine Band classic
General regarding Customizing
The works showed in this workshop are only a small part of what we actually do with the
>>>Harponline Marine Band classic Custom.
The tonal characteristics will not change compared to the standard stock instrument.
This workshop shows, how to improve a Marine Band classic with simple tools.
Thanks to this changes that the harmonica is easy to take apart for maintenance and feels better on the lips.
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 Illus.01 |
In Illus. 01 you can see the tools needed:
In addition:
A vertical drill and a spanning device without metal surface is evident too |
Step 02 |
Remove the covernails |
Illus.02
 Illus.02a
Illus.02b
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Insert the blate between the reedplate and the cover.
The knife has to be totally flat, no wavy blade.
Tilt the blade from the outside.
The cover starts to separate from the reedplates.
If you push the cover back gently, the nails will remain ouside the holes.
Put the blade under the nails heads and extract both nails out.
Repeat this work with the nails on the other cover but on the same side of the harp.
The other side of the covers will stay nailed.
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Step 03 |
Drill the covers |
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Illus. 03a:
drill bit 2.2mm |
Illus. 03b:
Span the harp |
Illus. 03c:
Covers are still nailed at the right side |
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Illus.3d:
The old nail holes are a perfect guide for the drill
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Illus.3e:
Drill straight through |
Illus. 03f
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The Marine Band is hold by hand, the outer edge is gently fixed in the vice.
This work can also be done with our >>>vice |
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Important: |
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Illus.3g:
If the harp is only to fix 5 times (2 coverscrews) you only have to drill the holes in front .
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Illus.3h:
If the harp is to fix 7 times (4 coverscrews) you have to drill all cover nail holes . |
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Step 04 |
Fix from one side |
 Illus.4a |
 Illus.4b |
 Illus.4c |
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The drilled harmonica covers will now become fixed with the screw(s) and nut(s)
The whole operation must now be repeated from the beginning for the other side of the harp. |
Step 05 |
Remove the reedplate nails |
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The covers are now fixed with screws and can be dismantled.
Once you removed the covers, you should be able to see the plate nails.
We will use the outer four nails holes as a drilling guide for of the new holes needed for srews used to fix the reedplates. |
Illus.5a:
The outer nails
(not needed later anymore) |
Illus.5b:
The inner nails
(will become plate screws) |
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Illus.5c:
With the blade try to cover the maximum possible area between plate and comb. |
Illus.5d:
Tilt the blade. |
Illus.5e:
Now the nails become free. |
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Remove only the three nails in the middle.
Repeat the operation at the opposite plate
The four outer nails, that are still present (do NOT remove them).
They are needed in order to keep the reedplates well fixed to the comb. They need to be re-inserted in the reeedplates/comb as shown |
| Illus.5f |
Illus.5g |
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Illus.5h |
Illus.5i |
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Step 06 |
Reedplates drilling |
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Illus.6a:
Span the 1,7mm drill bit |
Illus.6b:
Span the harmonica that way, that the lower plate looks up
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Illus.6c:
The three holes in the middle... |
Illus.6d:
...of the drawplate are used as a schablone. |
Illus.6e:
The whole package becomes drilled three times
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We will complete the drilling of the entire harp. The three existing holes on the lower reedplate (draw side) are used as a template.
Caution:
If you plan to use >>>Allen screw M2 x10 as a tap, use a >>>1.7mm drill bit
If you prefer to use a >>> M2.0 tap, you have to use>>>1.6mm drill bit. |
Step 07 |
Pakage span the other way round |
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Step 08a |
Tapping |
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Illus.8a:
Insert screw M12 x 10 VA from upside down |
Illus.8b:
The screw is self tapping
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Possibility 1:
Tapping using a screw:
(drilled with 1.7mm minimum)
Use constant force while turning the screw.
If it works too hard it may cause the screw to break. |
Step 08b |
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Illus.8c | Possibility 2:
With a M2.0 tap
(must be drilled with a 1.6mm drill bit) |
Step 09 |
Remove the remaining nails |
 Illus.09a |
The four outer nails, that are still present will now be removed. |
Illus.9b |
Step 10 |
Deburring the comb |
Illus.10a |
The comb of the Marine Band classic was not deburred in serial instuments made before spring 2007. After that date, Hohner changed the coating process a little bit which improves now the shape of the frond end of the comb bridges. Probably this is the reason, people in Germany called this instrument also a 'mouth slicer' before.
In order to be able to play such an instrument without bad injuries, we can break the edges on the moutpiece side.
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Illus.10b |
Illus.10c |
Illus.10d |
The picture shows an example of how it can look like.
You can do a lot more to the comb if it is necessary. With fine sanding paper, wax the comb or work on the surface in different ways. |
Illus.10f |
With the
>>>Harponline Marine Band Classic Custom,
we are milling the edges round with a special machine. However, this is not so easily possibly, therefore we described the method using a file above. You can also buy our >>>Harponline Comb Acryl Marine Band
Don't limit your fantasy! |
Step 12 |
Ready |
Illus.13 |
Illus.7f
Illus.7g
Illus.7h
Illus.11d
