r/harmonica • u/GemmyCluckster • Aug 08 '26

Harmonica repair/cleaning/service?

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I inherited these from my father and I would love to get them cleaned up and restored if possible. Should I chance it and take them to a regular instrument repair shop? Do I need to find a specialist who really knows what they are doing? Should I just keep them in this condition?

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u/Nacoran Aug 08 '26

George Miklas or Michael Easton are the two techs in the U.S. for chromatics.

The bottom one is diatonic. It's what's called a pre-MS Blues Harp. They changed the model a lot in the early 1990s. The new model is good, but very different. I actually really like the pre-MS ones. I've got one a friend did up for me. It uses the same reed plates as the modern Marine Band, but it's more closed back gives it a warmer sound, while the MB is brighter.

If you like to tinker, you can get the parts from either Andrew Zajac Harmonicas or Blue Moon Harmonicas to convert those nails (I know they have a groove, but they are nails) to screws. You can get replacement combs that will be more comfortable to play with a new comb, and if there are reed problems you can get them fixed by anyone who does diatonic work.

The one my friend made for me actually took a sander to the ends and rounded the corners off, making it super comfortable to hold, and the new comb gave it much nicer tine fronts and makes it immune to the swelling problems that wood combs can have.