SlideMeister.com The Chromatic Oasis - "We're all chromatic, all the time"
Support SlideMeister
Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: Toots Hardbopper Cover Plates  (Read 564 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline bcohen

  • Fly On The Wall
  • Posts: 4
Toots Hardbopper Cover Plates
« on: July 02, 2012, 06:45:22 PM »
My cover plates and mouth piece are showing extreme signs of wear, the chrome has worn down the brass. It was customized by Bill Romel including a round hole mouthpiece and lucite comb. The instrument was beautiful. Now it looks old and sad. Any hints on what I can do to restore its luster?

-Bob
Logged

Offline kc_liaw

  • Chrome-Tributor
  • **
  • Posts: 473
Re: Toots Hardbopper Cover Plates
« Reply #1 on: July 02, 2012, 07:10:32 PM »
send to workshop to have it re-chrome.. chrome it with nickel.. or silver...

cheers..
 
Logged

Offline bcohen

  • Fly On The Wall
  • Posts: 4
Re: Toots Hardbopper Cover Plates
« Reply #2 on: July 03, 2012, 01:51:58 PM »
What kind of workshop?
Logged

Offline kc_liaw

  • Chrome-Tributor
  • **
  • Posts: 473
Re: Toots Hardbopper Cover Plates
« Reply #3 on: July 03, 2012, 04:15:42 PM »
Quote from: bcohen on July 03, 2012, 01:51:58 PM
What kind of workshop?

those workshop who speciaised in metal chroming.
Logged

Offline iowaplayer

  • Chrome-Tributor
  • **
  • Posts: 360
  • Trio Type
Re: Toots Hardbopper Cover Plates
« Reply #4 on: July 03, 2012, 09:19:20 PM »
nickel plating strikes again.  as far as i can tell, most harp makers use nickel and not chrome.

why not just plate the parts with chrome?  its more expensive, but it lasts for-freakin-ever!  i have a set of chrome plates on one of my chords that looks as good as they did the day i got them.

iowaplayer
Logged
The voices in my head may not be real, but they have lots of GREAT ideas!

Offline A.J.Fedor

  • SlideMeister Owner
  • Administrator
  • MonsterMeister
  • *
  • Posts: 10,816
  • The "Old SlideMeister"
    • A.J.Fedor
Re: Toots Hardbopper Cover Plates
« Reply #5 on: July 03, 2012, 09:51:34 PM »
I like chrome or stainless steel myself. I have a slight nickle allergy that acts up after about an hour; actually makes the old smooch muscles feel numb. Weird, eh?
Logged
The greatest satisfaction, is laying a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at you.

Offline Grizzly

  • MonsterMeister
  • ******
  • Posts: 9,185
  • aka Tom
    • Transcriptions
Re: Toots Hardbopper Cover Plates
« Reply #6 on: July 03, 2012, 10:53:04 PM »
I wonder if new covers and a mouthplate  from Hohner would be less expensive than having the old ones plated.

Tom
Logged
Famous I don't know about. It's hard to be famous and alive. I just want to play music every day and hear someone say, 'Thanks, that was great, here's some money, same time tomorrow, okay?' -- Terry Pratchett, Soul Music

Offline Bluesy

  • Comet Dye
  • BEST MUGSHOT WINNER 3-2013
  • Chrome-Meister
  • *
  • Posts: 1,665
  • We are what we believe we are. So chi sono.
Re: Toots Hardbopper Cover Plates
« Reply #7 on: July 04, 2012, 11:35:22 AM »
The covers and reed plates on the Toots series are not nickel-plated but actually chrome-plated, but frankly, the chrome plating is about as thick as the diameter of a Higgs boson!

TDC/
Logged
Talent hits a target no one else can hit. Genius hits a target no one else can see.

Offline Winslow Yerxa

  • Chrome-Minator
  • ***
  • Posts: 916
Re: Toots Hardbopper Cover Plates
« Reply #8 on: July 16, 2012, 06:59:18 AM »
hohershop.com is Hohner's US site for parts; I can't get it to come up t the moment. The European shop charges 36 Euros for covers and 30 for a mouthpiece, which seems pretty pricey. You could do better buying a junker 270 off Ebay and using it for parts.

I've never worn the plating off a harmonica, but I know some folks do. Acidic saliva is one possibility. Spraying on a coating of food-grade acrylic could protect the finish.

Another possibility is abrasion due to excessive pressure. If you experience skin chafing or aching lip muscles from playing, it might pay to play around with easing up on the face-toharp contact. Focus on getting an airtight seal and single notes wiht optimal placement rather than pressure.
Logged

Offline Bluesy

  • Comet Dye
  • BEST MUGSHOT WINNER 3-2013
  • Chrome-Meister
  • *
  • Posts: 1,665
  • We are what we believe we are. So chi sono.
Re: Toots Hardbopper Cover Plates
« Reply #9 on: July 16, 2012, 08:52:40 AM »
I got a close look at one of H. Meurkens 270's, and sections of the MP and the covers were worn down to the brass (and/or steel as the case may be)
I sort of like to think that, like Selmer saxophones, it's a praiseworthy badge of heavy usage. Why not cherish it like sax men do? It only means one thing; you've probably got a "Strad", and you are getting every last morsel of good out of it. A commendable achievement, seems to me. Plating has no musical value.

Tom/
Logged
Talent hits a target no one else can hit. Genius hits a target no one else can see.
Pages: [1]   Go Up