Re: [Harp-L] BYE BYE BIRD

[toungblock <toungblock@xxxxxxx>]

On Apr 13, 2009, at 4:10:44 PM, "Winslow Yerxa" <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

From:   "Winslow Yerxa" <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject:    Re: [Harp-L] BYE BYE BIRD
Date:   April 13, 2009 4:10:44 PM EDT
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx, Toungblock@xxxxxxx
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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that is so weard, called it an echo vamper and it was a single reed harp that didnt echo,it does look like a 12 hole 364. not a 14 hole.do you know the concert key ??