Blog posts

The French Tuner™

You don't need bulky, expensive and complicated equipment to tune your harmonica with great precision. The French Tuner™ helps you use your mouth and ears to quickly tune the blow reed plate of a diatonic harmonica. The French Tuner™ helps you eliminate beating and provide smooth chords.

Perfect tuning can only be achieved with both reed plates are attached to the comb and with a lot of attention to detail. But for most players, the French Tuner™ provides excellent results after just one pass. It's the quickest and easiest way to improve the tuning of the blow plate.

Its precision design allows the French Tuner to work on all major brands of 10-hole diatonic harmonicas including Seydel (which have wider spaced holes) and many 12-hole harps. It will not fit the larger Hohner 364 and 365 harmonicas but contact me if you are interested in a French Tuner that is custom made to fit these harmonicas.

Use this simple tuning method (click here) to start tuning now. You can tune your harmonica with very high precision using only a simple guitar tuner and your ears!

Click here for French tuner instructions with illustration:.

The French Tuner is not just for tuning! Use it to speed up other important tweaks:

- Use the French Tuner to help adjust reed profiles. The French Tuner will isolate a reed while the plate is off the comb and allow you to play the reed to assess and make fine-grained changes to reed shape. Pucker or tongue-block embouchure can be used to best help you adjust your reeds to your playing style.

- The French Tuner will help you with embossing. If you are a player who doesn't like the sound of a tightly embossed harmonica, make fine-grained adjustments to the slot while using your ears. Gradually emboss the slot until you reach the sweet spot where you get maximum responsiveness without making the tone too bright.

- The French Tuner is perfectly flat and can be used as a reference to improve air seal. Use the French Tuner and a source of bright light to look for uneven areas of the blow reed plate.

New option! Extended French Tuner™

Use the Extended French Tuner to precisely adjust the fifths and thirds.

Extended French Tuner

I have an ongoing process of quality improvement and I devote some time and resources for research and development on certain projects. I've enlisted the help of a number of players to do some testing. I need the input of different players to determine if a particular change to a comb design is indeed an improvement that can be measured.

In cases where the improvement is felt across the board, the change becomes part of my standard design.

In some cases, the change is subjective. Some may love it while others may hate it. In that case, I can offer the new feature as an option so that customers can get a truly customized comb, made to order with or without any desired design tweaks.

I recently had some testers compare two combs. Both were identical except for the hole spacing. The Hohner Rocket boasts wider spaced holes and I wanted to provide that experience without making the comb tines too thin.

Wide openings and standard openings

The tines are only thin at the opening and become a normal spaced channel to provide less compressible volume a little further down. This is to improve responsiveness. The hole openings are 40 per cent wider than standard Marine Band comb openings.

Feedback is trickling in and I am considering it carefully.

My next test will involve resonance chambers. I feel the consensus is that thinner combs offer better response because there is a smaller compressible volume between your lips and the reeds. But thicker combs offer a larger resonance chamber and some prefer the tone of a thicker comb. Here is not-too-thick comb with enlarged resonance chamber. The aim of this design is to get the sound of a thick comb with the responsiveness of a thin comb.

Comb with built-in resonance chambers

Comb with standard shaped tines

I will be looking for more testers in the near future. I need to finish getting feedback from the first test as well as tweak the "resonance chamber" design before I call for more testers. Stay tuned!

***Update 2016/05***

I have come to the conclusion that resonance chambers have no real benefit and some drawbacks, namely that they can interefere with the performance of some bends/overbends. The original, classic comb design with straight chambers provides the best, smoothest performance.

Although this doesn't result in any innovation, it does provide some helpful evidence as to what makes a harp play well. I believe this project was time well spent.

Acrylic is horrible on the environment to make in terms of the chemicals that are put into the air but it is sustainable once it is produced. It can be recycled or re-purposed. That being said, my community does not recycle acrylic. It goes into landfill.

So when I stumbled upon a small amount of discarded Plexiglass, I decided to give it a new home. After some tinkering, I found a way to produce some pretty nifty combs and French Tuners!

Once the sides are flat-sanded for air tightness and the tips finished to a smooth matte surface, they look like they are made of ice. Canadian-made ice combs for sale!

I am offering these combs at budget prices. They look terrific, offer quick response and sound great, but they don't offer the same juicy timbre as my Dark combs. They are most certainly a huge upgrade from stock combs and will add some punch to your harps.

If you want a comb that gets the job done at an economical price, this is the comb for you.

Limited quantities available. Click here to order. (Sold out!)

My wife says I look like a clapping seal.

Yes, I do.

A Marine Band 1896 harmonica is held together with nails. You can convert it to all-screw assembly. Fasten the reed plates to the comb without having to use nuts by using a tap to make threads into which you can turn a screw. This tap is for 1.6 mm screws.

A pilot hole for this tap can be drilled with a 3/64" drill bit - that's a commonly-available drill bit in the US and Canada.

Other uses for this tap: The threads made by self-tapping screws in Hohner, Suzuki and Lee Oskar harmonicas are often stubborn; it can be difficult to get the screws back in once you take them out. This may lead to excessive force which can bend the reed plate or strip the thread. Use this tap to improve the factory threads for easy and safe reassembly.

To use this tap, I recommend you use a tap handle or pin vise. I can provide one if needed.

This pin vise can hold a single M2, M1.6 or M1.4 tap. Use two sets of pliers to tighten the collet so that you firmly hold the tap or drill bit in the pin vise. This will maximize the life of the tool.

Here's a YouTube video of how I convert a Marine Band from nails to screws. I use the tap in a pin vise at around the 4:30 mark.

A Marine Band 1896 harmonica is held together with nails. You can convert it to all-screw assembly. Fasten the reed plates to the comb without having to use nuts by using a tap to make threads into which you can turn a screw. This tap is for 2 mm screws.

A pilot hole for this tap can be drilled with a 1/16" drill bit - that's a commonly-available drill bit in the US and Canada.

Other uses for this tap: The threads made by self-tapping screws in Hohner, Suzuki and Lee Oskar harmonicas are often stubborn; it can be difficult to get the screws back in once you take them out. This may lead to excessive force which can bend the reed plate or strip the thread. Use this tap to improve the factory threads for easy and safe reassembly.

To use this tap, I recommend you use a tap handle or pin vise. I can provide one if needed.

This pin vise can hold a single M2, M1.6 or M1.4 tap. Use two sets of pliers to tighten the collet so that you firmly hold the tap or drill bit in the pin vise. This will maximize the life of the tool.

Here's a YouTube video of how I convert a Marine Band from nails to screws. I use the tap in a pin vise at around the 4:30 mark.

This is a quick and easy way to install a flat comb in to a Marine Band harmonica. The stock comb has dimples to make room for the ends of the rivets which hold the reeds. My combs provide more surface area to make an airtight seal with the reed plates and the rivet ends need to be flattened.

This is a harp in the key of G. The end result is a fantastic harmonica that is loud and responsive. I was happy with the instrument but was not satisfied with the 4 overblow due to the shape of the reeds (out-of-the-box profiles).

I spent a few minutes and did some re-shaping of the blow and draw reeds to make them more efficient. It's much more work than just gapping. But the end-result is a 4 blow that is not tight and plays normally with hard pressure as well as a solid - and bendable - 4 overblow.

Made to order.

Models currently available for immediate production include:

Original Hohner Meisterklasse (pre-MS)

Marine Band 365 (Convert to screws)

Marine Band 364 (Convert to screws)

365 SBS (Steve Baker Special) (only in standard thickness.) (Convert to screws)

Marine Band Soloist (vintage 12 hole - please specify "vintage")

Seydel Blues solist 12 (Seydel solist Pro 12)

Seydel Blues Solist (different than Solist Pro)

Vintage Huang

Seydel Big Six

Easttop diatonic 008K and 008S

Brendan Power's Lucky 13 harmonica

Hohner Vest Pocket Harp / Hohner Piccolo (Convert to screws)

Please specify the model below. If the model you would like does not appear, select "other" and you can let me know what you would like during the checkout process. Don't worry! I'll contact you if anything is not clear.

Would you like a comb that is not listed on this site? Contact me about making a comb for your model harmonica. No extra fee applied - combs for most "sandwich-style" harmonicas offered at regular prices.

Prototype or hybrid combs are possible. Are you thinking of piecing together a 13-hole harmonica? Or would you simply like to fit Manji Reedplates into a Golden Melody harp? Sounds like fun - I can modify my designs to suit your needs with no additional charge. You just pay the regular price per comb.

For harmonica models which are assembled with nails, here is a video showing a fast way to convert the nails to screws and install one of my combs:

More information and instructions for installing my combs are found on the Combs page.

Fits Lee Oskar harmonicas.

Note: For best overall performance, don't change the comb of a Lee Oskar harmonica. I recommend using the stock ABS comb and work to get better performance by using The Reed Plate Claws™ to straighten reed plates. I only offer Lee Oskar combs because some hobbyists like to experiment with the tonal qualities of switching from an ABS "recessed" comb to a solid surface "sandwich-type" comb.

Lee Oskar harmonica reed plates were designed to be used with a recessed comb. These reed plates do not have a groove into which the coverplate can lock in. Although you can install these reed plates onto a "sandwich-type" comb, you may experience a loss of airtightness if the coverplates become bent. You will find some useful tip on converting these harmonicas here. (Sandwich-type harmonica tips and tricks)

Keep one on your workbench:
- Use it to help with tuning. It's easier to get an airtight seal with the covers off using this comb.
- Use it to help you adjust reeds with the covers off.

More information and instructions for installing my combs are found on the Combs page.

Fits the following harps:
Suzuki Manji, Promaster, Suzuki Olive.

Also fits
- Dabell Contender
- Dabell Noble
- Suzuki HarpMaster, BluesMaster (*)
- Bushman Delta Frost(*)

The stock Manji comb is slightly smaller than the reed plates. My comb is a hair bigger than the plates so that the harp is more comfortable to hold.

HarpMaster, BluesMaster:

* Note: For best overall performance, don't change the comb of a HarpMaster or BluesMaster harmonica. I recommend using the stock ABS comb and work to get better performance by using The Reed Plate Claws™ to straighten reed plates. However, some hobbyists like to experiment with the tonal qualities of switching from an ABS "recessed" comb to a solid surface "sandwich-type" comb and these combs will work with a little help.

HarpMaster and BluesMaster harmonica reed plates were designed to be used with a recessed comb. These reed plates do not have a groove into which the coverplate can lock in. Although you can install these reed plates onto a "sandwich-type" comb, you may experience a loss of airtightness if the coverplates become bent. You will find some useful tip on converting these harmonicas here. (Sandwich-type harmonica tips and tricks)

Delta Frost:

Older versions of the Bushman Delta Frost used Harpmaster reed plates. The current reed plates are of lesser quality and are usually warped. Instead of trying to improve them with a comb upgrade, I suggest straightening the reed plates. Please see The F tool™.

More information and instructions for installing my combs are found on the Combs page.

Fits Seydel 1847, SOLIST PRO and FAVORITE

More information and instructions for installing my combs are found on the Combs page.

Fits the following harps:
Big River, Blues Harp, Crossharp, Proharp, MeisterKlasse.

Please note, Hohner assimilated a few harps into the MS line over the years:

- Are you looking for a comb for an original Meisterklasse (Pre-MS series)? I offer them, click here.
- Are you looking for a comb for a Blues Harp from the 70s and 80s? They were Marine Band bodies with non-vented covers. Assembled with nails, they can be converted to screws just like Marine Band 1896s. They use the same comb and the Marine Band. Instructions are provided on the Marine Band comb page.

More information and instructions for installing my combs are found on the Combs page.

Fits Hohner Golden Melody classic harmonicas. This is not meant for the Progressive type which has a different design.

More information and instructions for installing my combs are found on the Combs page.

Fits Hohner Special 20 and Rocket harmonicas.

Note: For best overall performance, don't change the comb of a Special 20 or Rocket harmonica. I recommend using the stock ABS comb and work to get better performance by using The Reed Plate Claws™ to straighten reed plates. I only offer Special 20 and Rocket combs because some hobbyists like to experiment with the tonal qualities of switching from an ABS "recessed" comb to a solid surface "sandwich-type" comb.

Special 20 and Rocket harmonica reed plates were designed to be used with a recessed comb. These reed plates do not have a groove into which the coverplate can lock in. Although you can install these reed plates onto a "sandwich-type" comb, you may experience a loss of airtightness if the coverplates become bent. You will find some useful tip on converting these harmonicas here. (Sandwich-type harmonica tips and tricks)

Keep one on your workbench:
- Use it to help with tuning. It's easier to get an airtight seal with the covers off using this comb.
- Use it to help you adjust reeds with the covers off.

More information and instructions for installing my combs are found on the Combs page.

Fits the following harps:

Marine Band Deluxe, Marine Band Crossover and Thunderbird. Also suits Marine Band 1896 harmonicas if you want to change the nails to screws. This includes:
- Marine Band 1896 (1950s to current *).
- Pre-war Marine Bands, including "mouse ear".
- Pre-MS Blues Harps
- Wooden-combed Old Standy.
- Pre-MS Meisterklasse

(*) Marine Band 1896 harmonicas manufactured around the end of the 1980s and beginning of 1990s had a slightly different nail hole pattern and you can chose to only use two screws to hold the plates to the comb or to do a little extra work to create a third hole in the plate. These harps offer much less potential than Hohner harmonicas made before or after this period. I suggest you lower your expectations when trying to upgrade these instruments. Please see this page for more details.

It has chamfered tips. An innovative design allows this comb to be used on any model 10-hole Marine Band harmonica.

Here's a video showing the process of converting a Marine Band 1896 harmonica from nails to screws and installing one of my combs:

More information and instructions for installing my combs are found on the Combs page.

I also offer conversion kits to change Marine Band 1896 from nails to stainless steel screws:

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Custom diatonic harmonicas, Hohner Affiliated Customizer.
I customize Hohner Marine Band, Rocket, Special 20, and Golden Melody harmonicas.
Andrew Zajac, Kingston Ontario, Canada.
I use a continuous quality improvement process. I use regular evaluation and incremental steps to strive for constant improvement.
Website, text, photos, videos, download documents, designs and products by Andrew Zajac are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
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Blog posts

French Tuner™

Research and development of optimized combs

Acrylic (Plexiglass) harmonica parts

Playing a harp while giving out advice

M1.6 Tap

M2 Tap

Video: Replace Marine Band nails with screws and install new comb

Other models including Marine Band 364, 365, pre-MS Meisterklasse, Seydel Big Six, Easttop 008

Lee Oskar

Suzuki

Seydel 1847

Hohner MS series

Golden Melody

Special 20/ Rocket

Marine Band

All blog posts