Re: [Harp-L] Harp Collection

[MundHarp@xxxxxxx]

leone@xxxxxxxx writes:

<<"WHO in hell has the most  
harmonicas".  >>



I counted mine the other day 
 
342 (Three Hundred and Forty Two) WORKING harmonicas, mostly  10  hole 
diatonics, but at least 30 chroms and half a dozen tremolos... Just now I  have 
about 6 out of tune, but all the others have been refurbished, mostly by  Tony 
Danneker, and are in A+++ playing condition.
A lifetime (so far) of harmonica playing. And I used to chuck them away  when 
they failed.
Oh well, with age SHOULD come wisdom!
 
But I just gig with a case of perhaps 30 diatonics, 2 in each key plus  a few 
low tunings and specials...and also about 15  Chromatics, a  "270" in EVERY 
major key, and a few spares...Oh yes and my favourite, one of the  first Doug 
Tate "Renaissance" Chromatic in "c" with NOS 1960's "Silver Concerto"  reed 
plates... That harp really sings!
 
I try to avoid special tunings though I do have a few. I find it real hard  
to jump from a chrom to a 10 hole diatonic... I'm TOTALLY lost if I pick up a  
"Paddy Richter" or "Spiral tuned" ...instrument.
 
However, I am truly BLESSED! I now have the instruments that will  do what I 
want them to do!
 
Comb material? I learnt a lot from my pal Vern Smith
Comb material has a minimal effect on tone.
 
But these days, I like a metal comb. NOT because it sounds better! It  
doesn't. It just PLAYS better
 
Back in the late 1960's when I was on the road all over Europe with "John  
Walden Workshop" blues band, and "John Walden's Blues Combine" I used 10 hole  & 
12 hole Echo Vampers... In the States known as "Marine Bands", the same  but 
with different lables.
 
THEY RIPPED MY LIPS TO BITS!
 
The "Pear" wood combs swelled and shrank.
 
Plastic combs and metal combs DON'T swell. Wood combs mostly (BUT NOT  
ALWAYS) DO swell.
 
Thank goodness that in the past 40 odd years harmonicas are SO MUCH  BETTER
 
A bad workman always blames his tools.
A good workman gets good tools!
 
So I try to get the best instruments that I can obtain.
 
These days I have more or less standardised on Hohner MS diatonic  
harmonicas, and 270 "Hohner Super Chromonica" chromatics.
 
OK, I prefer a metal comb, but I just love the "Blues Harp" cover  plates. I 
like a cover plate that "sings" in my hand.
 
Amen?
 
 
Kind regards,
John "Whiteboy" Walden
London
England