Re: [Harp-L] Re: Steve play'n Burt...

[Winslow Yerxa <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx>]

The thick aluminum reedplates were only produced in the post-WWII period when brass was scarce, and not in the 1960s or '70s. The 280 that Stevie is playing is cross-tuned (you can see the slider clearly at 3:45) and has the plastic comb with the faux-wood grain that was current from the mid-1950s through approximately 1980. The aluminum reedplates that Ive' seen were always on wood combs and straight-tuned.


Could Stevie have had the thick aluminum plates from new old stock re-reeded (or re-tuned) from straight to cross, re-drilled for the brad fasteners that replaced nails on the plastic combs, and installed on a 64 body current to the period (1970s). Possible, but why? Those plates were leaky and were simply not as good as even the 64s from from the 1970s.

Also, the reedplates in the clip do not appear to be as thick as the aluminum reedplates, which were really fat. (I know; I own one of the aluminum-plate models and comparison with the harmonica in the video indicates that Stevie's plates are too thin to be the aluminum ones.)

Winslow

 
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________________________________
 From: Michael Easton <diachrome@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx 
Sent: Saturday, May 26, 2012 4:55 AM
Subject: [Harp-L] Re: Steve play'n Burt...
 
It could be one of the 64's wtih aluminum reed plates. The plates were plated to look like brass and
they were thick.  I own one that was factory tuned to Cm.

There is a video that came up after that. "That's What Friends are For."
Stevie is playing a custom 64 with a metal comb. The cover plates don't look stock.
Short profile and no tabs.

Mike


On May 25, 2012, at 10:11 PM, harp-l-request@xxxxxxxxxx wrote:

> Message: 8
> Date: Fri, 25 May 2012 15:15:11 -0700 (PDT)
> From: Emile Damico <oatss_oatflakes@xxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Stevie Wonder play'n Burt B...better thatn WH 64
>     vs    suziki
> To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
> Cc: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
> Message-ID:
>     <1337984111.16833.YahooMailClassic@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
> 
> Your right it leaves the suzuki in the dust.
> You can't get that 64 any more. It looks like one of the
> old ones that had the double think plate. Not two plates together but one
> single thick plate. I've only seen one recently.
> 
> 
> --- On Thu, 5/24/12, eben ross <ebenross@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> 
>> From: eben ross <ebenross@xxxxxxxxx>
>> Subject: [Harp-L] Stevie Wonder play'n Burt B...better thatn WH 64 vs suziki
>> To: "harp harp-l" <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
>> Date: Thursday, May 24, 2012, 9:26 PM
>> Wading through the drivel is a bore
>> jump to 1:29...
>> .http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZyB8PPDDAA
>> 
>>  ....I like the 64 Hohner...much better...but the younger
>> man puts a lot into it...
>> the simpering audience in both videos ...is
>> unenterprising.
> 

Take Care
Mike
www.harmonicarepair.net