Re: [Harp-L] BYE BYE BIRD

[Winslow Yerxa <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx>]

I don't know how anyone could tell from listening whether Sonny Boy was playing the 12-hole version or the 14-hole, as he never used the top holes.

Some photos do show Sonny Boy playing a harp that looks like a 364 (shape of covers, red comb) with engraving that's consistent with the 12-hole Echo Vamper. Pat Missin has the following to say (at http://www.patmissin.com/ffaq/q11.html which also has pictures of the 10-Hole Echo Super Vamper):

"Up until the mid 1970s, the Hohner Marine Band was not available in
Europe and Australasia. Instead, we had the Echo Super Vamper. This was
in every way identical to the Marine Band, with the exception of the
engraving on the upper coverplate. There was also a 12-hole version
called simply the Echo Vamper and it was identical to the 12-hole
Marine Band 364, except once again for a slightly different engraving
on the upper cover.
It is interesting to note that many European harp players
believed that the reason American players sounded so good was because
they could get this legendary harp, the Marine Band. Despite being
reassured that the Echo Super Vamper was functionally identical, they
believed that there was something special, almost magical about the
Marine Band. 
In later years, a different rumour became established. Film of Rice
Miller (Sonny Boy Williamson II) showed him playing 12-hole harps with
the name "Echo Vamper" clearly visible (not surprising, as most his
filmed performances were made in Europe and if he had needed to buy any
new harps, he would have had to buy Echo Vampers instead of Marine
Bands) and younger harps players began to believe that part of the
secret of Sonny Boy's amazing tone was due to him playing these
unavailable harps! Of course, the magic is in the player, not the
instrument."
You can see a picture of the 12-Hole Echo Vamper here (about 1/3 of the way down the page):
http://www.g6pje.fsnet.co.uk/ECHO_TREMOLOS.html


Winslow Yerxa

Author, Harmonica For Dummies ISBN 978-0-470-33729-5

--- On Mon, 4/13/09, Toungblock@xxxxxxx <Toungblock@xxxxxxx> wrote:
From: Toungblock@xxxxxxx <Toungblock@xxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] BYE BYE BIRD
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Date: Monday, April 13, 2009, 4:27 AM

Most say sonny is using a 14 hole super echo vamper.whats true and whats 
not? didnt think hohner made   14 hole echo vamper.

tommy x    tomeharp@xxxxxxx


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