A big factor stopping more players trying valves in their harmonicas is the fiddly process of fitting them: one-by-one, with glue. It's skilled work, and easy to get wrong. After nearly four decades of laboriously fitting individual valves to my own harps I finally came up with a better idea: the Gasket-Valve!
This is a one-piece unit with ALL the internal valves attached. Made of a thin resilient material, the Gasket-Valve fits between the comb and draw reedplate without any adhesive. Its precision design aligns all the valves perfectly to the reed slots, with the minimum valve footprint sitting on the reedplate. Combined with a slightly dimpled texture to reduce capillary attraction, this eliminates sticking, and reduces valve 'slap' noise to virtual inaudibility. Plus, because all the valves are part of the same piece of material, they lie flat by default.
We also offer an optional standard gasket for the upper blow reedplate, which cannot be sanded. This will ensure a perfect seal on the blow reedplate as well, adding to the improved seal gained from the Gasket-Valve part on the lower draw reedplate. Though sanding of the comb and lower reedplate is still advised, using the Gasket-Valve and upper gasket part together will significantly improve airtightness on a stock harp.
We also offer an optional standard gasket for the upper blow reedplate, which cannot be sanded. This will ensure a perfect seal on the blow reedplate as well, adding to the improved seal gained from the Gasket-Valve part on the lower draw reedplate. Though sanding of the comb and lower reedplate is still advised, using the Gasket-Valve and upper gasket part together will significantly improve airtightness on a stock harp. If you don't want valves but DO want gaskets on the upper and lower reedplates, you can order them alone. This option could suit players who like the traditional breathy un-valved sound of the harp, as well as overblow players (half-valving will give valved bending/expression but eliminate the ability to do overblows/overdraws). Installing gaskets will enhance the airtightness of a standard un-valved harp.
These tend to be the cheapest ones available, meaning that big numbers are sold each year! They’re often the first chromatic a player will own, and play quite well – especially the latest models. Now for the first time I'm giving owners of these low-cost valveless chroms the opportunity to hugely improve the performance of their instruments by adding my Gasket-Valves. Only 4 multi-valve parts, simple and fast to install without any glue: anyone can do it!
The un-valved chromatics I've designed my Gasket-Valves system for so far are the Easttop Forerunner (12 hole Solo Tuned long-stroke slide), plus the short-stroke 10-hole chromatics Easttop T1040 and Kmise 1040 (these two are actually identical, made by Easttop). All these models are very well made and amazing value for money, but being valveless are more ‘airy’ than standard fully valved chromatics. With the addition of my Gasket-Valves you'll be amazed at how the response and volume of your cheap valveless chromatic is transformed, making it play as well as a fully valved chromatic worth hundreds of dollars more. Hearing is believing - why not try for yourself?
" These valves are absolutely brilliant - so much easier to install and no glue to mess with. Brendan should get a Nobel Prize for this! " Tim R, USA
" Installed the valve gasket set into a Hohner Rocket - wow they are really good, no sticking squeaky valves, reduced flapping noise and has greatly improved my volume control up and down the harp especially playing Irish tunes up the top end - I am a valve convert.. They are so easy to install.....no problem at all. I've been playing my harp at different breaths, hard and soft fast and slow everyday since installing them and have not identified problems with the valves or the gaskets in any way what so ever - definitely recommend them. " Paul Sanders, Australia
" Amazing! At first, I said Wow! I mean that the gasket is very helpful to get more bigger sound! I tried it with double reedplates. I usually use embossed slots for some reasons. however, I believe it's quite different story to get big sound. This gasket is very effective if players wants more loud, airtight,and good bending notes including half valved bend. I like it!! " Khan Ousmi, Japan