RE: [Harp-L] re:was harp as a toy now set up

["James Sterett" <jsterett@xxxxxxxxx>]

Pierre wrote:
"I kind of doubt the old Chicago players tweaked harps."

Eric wrote:
" I would not count them out yet."

I would tend to agree, Eric.  I'm no blues scholar, but some musicians
from that time, and long before, were certainly innovators...  Big Bill
Broonzy with his double bass strings on his guitar for example.  And who
came up with open tunings?  I know Yank Rachel used some funky mandolin
tunings to play in E.   THey even invented instruments, the git-bow, and
got music out of household items, the washboard.  I would have to
venture a guess that for those harmonica players, a few little nails and
rivets were not going to get in the way of "checking under the hood."

J. 

>>> "Eric Neumann" <eneumann@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> 6/20/2005 12:43:39 PM >>>
Pierre wrote:
"I kind of doubt the old Chicago players tweaked harps."

Maybe not - but I would not count them out yet. I think that it's
because of lists like this one, and communities revolving around
playing
the harmonica well, that have probably made this seem more of a
contemporary practice.

I found out through this list, that Jerry Murad used to repair and
adjust his onw harps. Heck even Smo Jo clipped his 5 reed back when
bread didn't come sliced in a package.

Let alone the fact that a lot of the Old Chicago players used to out
right lie, and mislead everyone regarding their gear, technique,
background, et cetera. I just think it is in fact possible that early,
early harp players that were being recorded may well have made
adjustments to their harps.

I ask, when was the first time you tore a harp apart trying to fix a
bad
reed... maybe not even knowing what to look for... I've seen used
harps
on ebay for instance where the covers were attached with bailing wire
after somebody looked under the covers for some reason.

To me, I would feel it's likely that any old recording harp player
that
traveled a lot to do gigs, eat, have some drinkin money, may, or may
not
have had the five bucks to spend on a new harp after figuring out how
to
fix one.

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