Re: [Harp-L] Vest Pocket Harp / Piccolo Keys (was Don Brooks)

[Joseph Leone <3n037@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

As near as I can recall (and I could be wrong), there were actually 2 models in the sub compact harp range. The Piccolo and the Vest Pocket. Now the vest pocket may have started around standard B (maybe Bb), and went up to high A. BUT, there were a couple keys missing. Like Db, Eb, & F#. There were also a few minor keys. Maybe Cm, Fm?. Now the Vest Pocket only came in G and A high. 

I think the reason the Piccolos only went down as far as B? (maybe Bb) was because to get the reeds into the scaled down plates, there wouldn't have been  enough left to the plates once you cut the reed slots, otherwise they would have had to come up with shorter lower reeds with heavy weighted tips. I don't see why Hohner would have wanted to cut completely separate reeds JUST for a harp that only cost $15 (at that time). 

Size seems to have been around 7/8ths scale. Instead of .35 x 1.10 x 3.95", the small harps were about .30 x .90 x 3.4".  Strange as it seems, I didn't find a real problem with the holes. The slightly closer spacing never seemed to bother me. After all, there are those whom can play a Little Lady and do a creditable job with them and those spacings are utterly acute. 

MY Piccolo was an Eb. They didn't have that key. I cut it from a D. (Good for Bb jazz).  

smo-joe

On Jun 27, 2012, at 6:15 PM, Steve Baker wrote:

> Hohner used to make these models in high G, Ab and A as well as in regular C (and possibly other keys, but that's what I've seen myself). I bought high G and high A Piccolos after hearing Charlie McCoy's work on Steve Miller's "Number 5" album, which preceded his huge breakthrough with "The Joker". 
> 
> Years later I had the pleasure of playing a recording session in Hamburg with Charlie. One of the tunes was in Eb and I had no Ab harp to play in 2nd position, so Charlie kindly lent me his Vest Pocket Harp in high Ab. What a gentleman :-)
> 
> Steve Baker
> www.stevebaker.de
> www.european-music-workshops.com
> www.harmonica-masters.de
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