Lee Oskar Harmonica Tool Kit and Instruction Manual

Customer Reviews

Broken File, Unusable Screwdriver. Unnecessary Kit!

2006-02-28
By the time I bought my 5th harmonica, my C harp was sounding pretty bad. I had tried to scrape all the gunk out of it, but finally spent the money on the harmonica kit. The instructions seem easy enough, but I have serious problems with this item. My Phillips head screwdriver (#1) didn't unscrew anything, one of the files broke when I tried to use it, and I can't seem to effect much of a change on any of my reeds besides snapping them off, which I've now done four times (ouch!). I have used this kit to switch out reeds, but beyond that the files, pick and everything else are completely dead to me. You can use your own #1 screwdriver, needlenose pliers to get your harp apart and back together again with the new reed.

It strips bolts!

2006-02-15
Buyer beware. The phillips #1 screwdriver they include (and tell you to use) stripped the bolts that fasten the reeds to the comb. Now I have a defunct harmonica that cannot be repaired.

Fix your harmonica problems. Tweak for optimal performance.

2005-12-05
Have you ever bought a brand new harmonica, and found that the high notes sounded squeaky or that you couldn't even get a note out of them? But of course, you couldn't get your money back due to health laws. And that big harmonica-testing bellows they have at Guitar Center was never any help. This kit can fix those problems, and more.

Like any good piece of machinery, musical instruments go through a lot of use and need some fixing or replacement once in a great while. Guitars need new strings and neck adjustments, drum heads need tightening, horns need internal cleaning, and yes, even harmonicas may need maintenance on occasion. If you play harmoica frequently, this is an ideal tool kit to have.

The kit comes with a booklet and a plastic case in which are the following tools: screwdriver, mini wrench, a "reed support tool" (which includes a square hole on one end for keeping a bolt in place), a "reed offset tool", two chisels and a file. The first three tools let you easily open the harmonica and screw it back closed when you're done. The reed offset tool lets you meticulously bend the metal reeds inside. There's a handy chart in the booklet that shows you how to diagnose reed problems (e.g. squeaking, no sound at all) and correct them with the tools. It's written very clearly. I think every musician should know a thing or two about their chosen instrument's physical construction and how sounds are produced. I've never had to use the chisels or file, but the book gives full instructions on how to use these for extreme situations, like when a lot of stuff is encrusted on the reeds (yeah kinda gross, I know) or you want to change the pitch dramatically.

I've been playing harmonica for a few years now, and after trying several brands I've coincidentally come to settle on Lee Oskar. I like their bright sound, relative ease in note bending, clear key marking, and they've been easy to find in the stores. I haven't had to order any replacement parts yet, but it's nice to know that I have that option. Lee Oskars are made so that you can easily order and replace whatever piece you want (reeds, comb, plates) without having to buy a whole new harmonica. Again, even the best cars have to get an oil change on occasion. But this system also allows one to get "creative", mixing and matching reed plates to get different scale-orientated harmonicas. The booklet gives some examples on how to do this.

Harmonicas may be cheap instruments, but you can't return them. So you might as well take care of them. If you want to get the most out of the harmonicas you have, this kit can be a worthy investment. Besides, how many other harmonica-tweaking kits are out there?