[Harp-L] What kind of bass harmonica is this

jross38@xxxxx jross38@xxxxx
Sat Sep 24 18:27:25 EDT 2022


Watching the video in question:
“What kind of bass harmonica is on this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfiqW1WaGbw “
While it is a Suzuki bass harmonica, it appears to have been modified into a slider-bass likely with one of Brendan Power’s mouthpieces:

https://www.brendan-power.com/slider-bass.php

At @ 50 seconds you can hear a fluttering effect and see the player* moving his right hand back and forth quickly.  While it’s harder to hear in the bass range and the mix, this is a semitone trill as you would get on a chromatic and which is nigh impossible on a standard bass.  Later at  @2 minutes when he takes a solo you can clearly see a rounded mouthpiece on the harmonica rather than the traditional separate combs.

*The well named Ross Garren, though he puts the Ross in the wrong order.

Excellent playing, also, fits the music very well and with great rhythm.


Jonathan R. Ross


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