Monday, December 19, 2011

The Hohner Super Chromonica 270 Chromatic

Coming from a tremolo background and egged on by a cheap chromatic harp, the Hohner Super Chromonica 270 Chromatic, Super 270 for short, harmonica easily becomes a highly coveted instrument for its widely acclaimed distinct melodious tone. 

Laid side by side with the Hohner Echo Celeste, its shortness can throw off the uninitiated because what it lacks in size, it shows off in its muscle. The 12 holes actually produce four notes each, making the Super 270 a 48 notes instrument. In other words, it is a 3-octave harp with the full notes of the scale, i.e., including the sharps and flats, available in each octave.



Notes Chart .  Here are the notes forming the tuning chart of the Super 270:




To say that the Super 270 is a 12-hole instrument is a mistatement because as can be seen in the above pictures the mouthpiece has two rows of 12 holes each.  The slider mechanism makes it possible to play both rows containing each of the 24 holes that hold two notes each, a blow and a draw.  This makes the Super 270  a 48-note harmonica, hence its complete description is Hohner Super Chromonica 270/48 Chromatic.  The top row is activated with slider in "out" position, or at rest, while the lower 12 holes are activated by pushing the slider in.  All the sharp and flat notes are produced with the "slider in" operation, while major notes are produced with the  "slider out" operation. 


Regular Maintenance.  The effect of liquid and saliva on the longevity of the Super 270 is much more pronounced compared to other makes of harmonica.  This is because the comb of the Super 270 is wood, and wood is susceptible to warping if liquid is absorbed or if exposed to extreme temperatures.  As a precaution the Super 270 and every harmonica for that matter is usually tapped several times against the palm of the hand after every use to take the saliva out.


But even with this precaution there is a need for a  regular cleaning of the Super 270.  The parts where the mouth comes in contact with and where saliva will accumulate, i.e.,  the mouthpiece and the slider assembly, should be pulled out regularly and washed thoroughly with soap and water.   


Here is a video showing  how I clean my Super 270:





Here is the semi-disassembled view of the Super 270:




The Comb Assembly.  Note in the above picture that the comb assembly is shown intact.  Actually, there is really no compelling reason to take apart the comb assembly for cleaning purposes because the parts forming the assembly - the reeds, the windsavers and the wooden comb - do not need regular cleaning. The windsavers are the white strips of plastic material, as differentiated from the strips of brass metal called the reeds, which produce the notes. The windsavers act like open and close valves such that if a blow reed in a hole is being activated the draw reed is closed so air leak is minimized, if not prevented.

While the windsavers are glued to the reeds plate,  the reeds are riveted.  Thus, these parts are very delicate and are the key to the acceptable level of performance of the Super 270, and is better left alone untouched.  This is perhaps one of the reasons why the comb assembly is held together by nails and not by screws, in order to discourage untrained hands from making unnecessary access and in the process disturb the proper functioning of these delicate parts.

The use of the nails is peculiar to the Super 270.  Its comb is wood and the reeds plate are attached to the comb with nails. This wooden comb is claimed by some enthusiasts the reason behind the mellowed sound of the Super 270.  However, the wood makes maintenance and repair of the reeds and windsavers a very difficult operation. But it does not explain why the latest models coming out of the Hohner factory are now equipped with synthetic combs and the reeds plates are attached with fastening screws.

The problem with wooden comb and fastening nails is the inconvenience, if not extreme difficulty, in pulling out the nails.  And once pulled, the nails will, of course, lose some degree of hold on the wood.  Thus in many cases, once the nails are pulled out, these are discarded and replaced with screws. In fact, the upgraded version of the Super 270, the Deluxe Super Chromonica 270, has plastic for its comb and the reeds plates are held by fastening screws.

In reassembly, it is important to make sure that the slider is properly fitted into the housing created by the match-fit of the back plate and the plate cover.  The back plate has six flanges that match the six lugs of the back plate.  These flanges and lugs must be wedded together to create an even space between the cover and the back plate which serves as the housing for  the slider to operate.  An incorrect matching could damage the slider due to obstruction in its operation.

Here is a video demonstrating how I reassemble my Super 270.




Taking apart the comb assembly.  In exceptional cases such as when the comb or the inner reeds and  windsavers need to be accessed for repairs or replacement, there is no option but to take the comb assembly apart.  The most important consideration in doing this disassembly procedure is making sure the reeds plate is not bent or twisted as the nails are pulled out.

A special technique using a single edge blade alternated by a box cutter blade is the method I follow in loosening up the nail and preparing it for removal by a plier.  Using a thicker blade pen knife is not recommended because it can bend or warp the reeds plate and cause it to malfunction.

video showing how I take out the nails can be viewed in this posting: How not to repair a cracked comb 

Replacing nails with screws.  Here is a picture of  a comb assembly of the Super 270 which I have taken apart, showing the tiny screws that have replaced the nailswhich have been discarded:



Thread-through design.  Fastening screws that thread to the opposite plate of the Super 270 is also an alternative.  In fact, the better alternative,  and is used in new models of most harmonicas.  The superiority of the thread-through design lies in having the wooden comb pressed from both sides, instead of being pulled, as in the case of separate screws driven on opposite sides of the comb.  


Whether the wooden comb is affected by the pull exerted by the screws is difficult to ascertain, but I would go for the thread-through design because no pull pressure is applied on the wooden comb.  Rather, the comb is sandwiched between two plates and pressed from both sides, thus the design could actually help in preventing warping or misalignment of the wooden comb.

Here is an example of a thread-through design applied on the comb assembly of an Hohner 64 Chromonica Chromatic after replacing the nails with screws:




Note the screw head in the top picture and the thread end in the lower picture.  The same renovation cannot be done fully on a Super 270 because the head of the four screws that will be placed near the two cover bolt holes will put the cover plate out of flush.  Instead, tiny flat head screws can be used near the four cover bolt holes while thread-through screws can be used for the rest of the holes.





18 comments:

  1. esto esta excelente!!!
    muchas gracias!

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  2. Truth is, the Super Chromonica Deluxe is also based on a wood comb. I wish the Super Chromonica Deluxe were plastic; I had to discard the comb on one of my deluxes because the screws holes for the front slider assembly stripped and it was impossible to tighten the slider sufficiently on that side to generate a seal tight enough to prevent leakage.

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    1. That's easy to correct. Take a toothpick, not the bamboo type, but the balsa-like wood and insert the tip into the hole all the way down and cut it just a little lower than the surface of the comb. The hole will retread and you can screw back the mouthpiece.

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  3. Awsome! Do you have any recomendations for the Blues Harp MS??

    Thank you

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  4. Thank you. Sorry, I'm not familiar with Blues Harp MS. Is this chromatic. Sounds like diatonic.

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  5. Thank you for such details on the harmonicas. Hope to see you put up more videos and write up more articles on both your blog as well as You tube. I wanted to ask you a question: In the Chromonica 270 (in C), I notice that the draw in the 9th and the blow in the 10th note are a bit tough and not as easy to blow as the others. Is that a sign for me to open the harmonica and clean it up or does this happen with other harmonicas as well.

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    1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    2. Difficulty of playing the high notes is mostly due to too narrow a gap, although sometimes a wide gap can be mistaken as the cause of the problem. You may want to check it out by removing and cover. The 9th draw is easy to inspect because the reed is located on the reed facing externally. Get a blade and gently lift up the reed to widen the gap. The gap should be somewhere around 1/32" plus or minus. Do trial and error adjustment, blade to lift up and pin to push down, until you get the best playing response. The blow note, on the other hand, has its reed located inside so it's hard to see how the gap is. But do the same as in the draw reed. Use the pin to widen the gap. To narrow it, you have to reach it out from the mouthpiece hole and push the reed gently toward the outside. The reeds can break if too much pressure is applied on them, so be very cautious in working with reeds.

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  6. Hello - I recently acquired a Hohner 12-hole harmonica at a yardsale that looks almost identical to the one you have on this page. It says The Super Chromonica on the front, but I cannot see any further model identification. I would love to know what it is, and also, it is missing a cover plate fastening bolt, exactly as pictured on your chart above. If you could help me with either of these problems I would be most appreciative. Thank you for your time.

    —Karen G.

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    1. Sorry for this very late reply. I haven't visited this site for a long time. Anyway, the Super chromonica or the 270 model has not changed a lot. So, yours should have a wooden comb and plates are nailed. For the cover, you can use a replacement bolt and nut available from McMastercarr size 2mm x 15mm.

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  7. dear sir
    i have a same model, but A & b sound are not responding in lower octave ( 1st octave). how could i repair it. please inform mr.

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    Replies
    1. The A & B notes are the draw reeds located on the top plate (if the mouthpiece is facing you). The problem could be stuck windsaver (or valve). It may also be because the gap of the reed has narrowed too close to the plate. To correct it, you must free up the windsaver or widen the gap of the reed. Remove the cover to expose the 3rd and 4th reed of the top plate. Use a pin to raise the reed higher to widen the gap. Do this very cautiously because the reed could break if you put too much stress. Then do the windsaver. It is located on the inside of the plate. To reach it simply insert the pin under the reed and push the windsaver below it to free it up. Play the harmonica. If still the notes do not sound, repeat the process.

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    2. as your method i do it many times but still no responce those reed. but when i open the reed plate and checking those singlely then it proper respond. but what are the problem hapening when it fit with comb. i just depressed. because it is too prisey in india.and here are no repairing centre.

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  8. I fixed these on my own for my 270 deluxe . These issue can be easily as Vir Leynes suggested.

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  9. I fixed these on my own for my 270 deluxe . These issues can be easily as Vir Leynes suggested.

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  10. Vir,

    Thank you so much for the detailed article and video.

    ReplyDelete
  11. You have very good knowledge about hair care products write something on best skin care and hair care products at good price

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hi, I think your layout of the highest octave is not entirely correct, there is an si (B) missing on hole 12, I think you get that by pressing the slide and then blowing, you get the do (C) by pressing release the slide and blow back into hole 12

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