Re: Re: [Harp-L] commercial tuning practices

["Tim Moyer" <wmharps@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Joe and Cass Leone wrote:
> On Apr 16, 2008, at 10:17 AM, Tim Moyer wrote:
> > You might find this old Mr. Rogers clip interesting:
> > 
> > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Wmrz8BM-4M
>
> You may have noticed that the machinery is old old machinery.
> When the woman is putting the 2 reed plates on the red plastic 
> comb, the background piano is Johnny Costa.
> The little harmonica riff is on a D diatonic cross harped and 
> the 5th reed is RAISED.
> Dave Newell (Mr. McFeeley) is about 37 years old here.
> The year must be around 1975 Wow, sure brigs back memories.

It speaks volumes that they're in an *American* harmonica factory.  
The WM Kratt company stopped making harmonicas long ago, though they 
continued to make pitch pipes until the company sold in 2001, and the 
company that assumed Kratt apparently still makes them.  

Some information on WM Kratt here:
http://www.gradywilliamkerr.com/PitchPipes/PitchPipe.html

Interesting tidbit for anyone with kids: the Kratt Brothers, Chris 
and Martin, who do the PBS show Zoboomafoo, are the grandsons of the 
company founder.

-tim