How to Repair Broken Reeds on a Harmonica
- 1). Remove the bolt and nut screws holding the covers using a Phillips screwdriver or a putty knife.
- 2). Clean the covers using isopropyl (90 percent) alcohol.
- 3). Silver polish and shine the covers.
- 4). Etch a mark on the reed plate by the reed that does not move to avoid working on the wrong reed.
- 5). Remove the machine bolts from the reed plates.
- 6). Use a knife to pry up one nail at a time if your harmonica has a wooden comb. Do not bend the reed plates.
- 7). Tap the sharp end and use pliers to extract the nails if your harmonica has a plastic comb with nails.
- 8). Drill a hole in a 5-inch-by-5-inch, 1/4-inch-thick steel plate. Punch the reed rivet out into the drilled hole using a hammer, a punch (or a small nail) and a reed wrench. Save the rivets.
- 9). Extract the broken reed(s).
- 10
Try to match reed for reed. A longer reed can be used to replace the broken one. - 11
Fit the reed using fingernail clippers, then file it square. - 12
Replace the rivet, either by tapping it in using a nail and hammer or by squeezing the rivet into the hole using pliers to do so. - 13
Cut a small nail to work as a new rivet if necessary. To tighten it, tap or squeeze. - 14
Adjust the replaced reed and reattach the reed plates. - 15
Play your harmonica! Check the tuning. - 16
Replace the covers.
