Customized Harmonicas by Chris Reynolds
Lee Oskar Modifications
The Lee
Oskar reed plates and cover plates must be modified slightly in order
to use a standard style brass comb on them. Because the cover plates
need to be set back from the edge of the reed plates slightly the cover
plate holes in the reed plate need to be drilled out with a #25 drill
bit. The when the cover plates are screwed onto the harp and set back
from the edge there is a slight overhang of the cover plates off the
back of the reed plates. This can easily be evened out with the reed
plates with a small file.
Here you can see the reedplate from the Lee Oskar. The two holes for the cover plate screws have been drilled out with a #25 drill bit.
For the next step you'll need to get some micropore tape. This is surgical tape and I get it in the pharmacy section of Wal-Mart.
Apply a strip of micropore tape to the inside surface of the cover plate at the front edge. Leave it sticking out like this for now.
Put the cover plates back on and push them back to where the front edge of the cover plate is about 1/16 of an inch back from the edge of the reed plate. Then take an exacto knife or razor blade and trim the micropore even with the front of the cover plate. This will fill any gaps and keep the harp from catching on a mustache or "biting" you while you're playing. This is also a cool trick you can do to any harp that has a tendancy to catch on your mustache. This is also the only thing you will need to do to modify the Special 20.
Here it is from the front after the micropore has been timmed off even with the cover plates.
After the harp has been reassembled and the micropore trimmed the cover plates will stick out very slightly in the back. I evened mine up with the reed plates using a small file. I also cut off the tabs that stuck down between the reed plates and the plastic comb on the Lee Oskar.
And then I did the same thing on the other end.
Well that's basically all there is to modifying the Lee Oskar harmonica for the new combs. Enjoy.
Here you can see the reedplate from the Lee Oskar. The two holes for the cover plate screws have been drilled out with a #25 drill bit.
For the next step you'll need to get some micropore tape. This is surgical tape and I get it in the pharmacy section of Wal-Mart.
Apply a strip of micropore tape to the inside surface of the cover plate at the front edge. Leave it sticking out like this for now.
Put the cover plates back on and push them back to where the front edge of the cover plate is about 1/16 of an inch back from the edge of the reed plate. Then take an exacto knife or razor blade and trim the micropore even with the front of the cover plate. This will fill any gaps and keep the harp from catching on a mustache or "biting" you while you're playing. This is also a cool trick you can do to any harp that has a tendancy to catch on your mustache. This is also the only thing you will need to do to modify the Special 20.
Here it is from the front after the micropore has been timmed off even with the cover plates.
After the harp has been reassembled and the micropore trimmed the cover plates will stick out very slightly in the back. I evened mine up with the reed plates using a small file. I also cut off the tabs that stuck down between the reed plates and the plastic comb on the Lee Oskar.
And then I did the same thing on the other end.
Well that's basically all there is to modifying the Lee Oskar harmonica for the new combs. Enjoy.
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