Re: Big Walter's Customized Harp

[Howard Chandler <chandler@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Could it be that he was playing one of the big red MB's?

Mojo Red wrote:

>Hey Bob,
>
>--- Bob Maglinte <bbqbob917@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>  
>
>>Hi Ken,
>>Having personally met and hung out with Big
>>Walter Horton, I seriously doubt that he had 
>>ever tweaked any of his harps at all, as he 
>>pretty much played them straight out of the box 
>>    
>>
><<snip>>
>
>Although I have no personal knowledge about Big
>Walter's harps, the view in that video is very
>clear. The back of the cover plates had been opened
>up so that nothing hung down. It revealed a nice
>open space, similar to the outward appearence of
>harps tweaked by today's customizers. 
>
>Perhaps Walter opened up that harp for that
>particular accoustic performance to get a little
>more volume, or perhaps he borrowed a harp from
>someone who had... but I saw what I saw. It was
>unlike the typical Marine Bands of that era or any
>other era of stock Marine Bands that I've ever
>seen. It's also possible that it might not have
>been a Marine Band at all... maybe it was something
>he purchased in Germany just for that gig. I dunno.
>
>The booklet that came with the DVD also included a
>closeup photo of some of Sonny Boy Williamson's
>Marine Band harps laid out on a towel which shows
>the typical cover plates of Marine Bands of that
>era... the rear lip of the cover plate hanging down
>perpendicular, partially obscuring the rear opening
>of the harps.
>
>I'll see if I can get a still shot made from the
>vid, and if I succeed, I'll send it to you offlist
>to see what you think.
>
>Harpin' in Coloado,
>--Ken M.
>
>=====
>"When you speak of Walter Horton, the first thing you think of is his tone, that big, fat tone."
>---Li'l Ronnie Owens
>
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