Harping Again

[Down Up Dick]

Played a little minor harp last night. I sure like the minor scaled ones. Maybe I’m a bit depressed — Ha!

 

[Oldscruggsfan]

I helped a member who was having a harmonica problem a coupla days ago.

Then yesterday I played one of my harps just to see if I could still draw and blow bend and if I could remember how to play. And, doggone, it pretty much all came back! Well, I thought about how much I usta enjoy the harp all afternoon.

So today I had another good time looking at my old harp books, and I‘ve decided I’m gonna start playing my harps again.

I was really into them before. I usta fix and clean and retune ‘em, and the learning of new stuff never ends. They are also good for people with breathing problems.

I’m gonna give ‘em another go and see if I still enjoy ‘em.

You mentioned cleaning. 2 questions. (1) Do you remove the shiny covers to expose the reeds? (2) I read online to use a mix of lukewarm water and 5% hydrogen peroxide. Does that sound right to you?

I helped a member who was having a harmonica problem a coupla days ago.

Then yesterday I played one of my harps just to see if I could still draw and blow bend and if I could remember how to play. And, doggone, it pretty much all came back! Well, I thought about how much I usta enjoy the harp all afternoon.

So today I had another good time looking at my old harp books, and I‘ve decided I’m gonna start playing my harps again.

I was really into them before. I usta fix and clean and retune ‘em, and the learning of new stuff never ends. They are also good for people with breathing problems.

I’m gonna give ‘em another go and see if I still enjoy ‘em

 

[Down Up Dick]

You mentioned cleaning. 2 questions. (1) Do you remove the shiny covers to expose the reeds? (2) I read online to use a mix of lukewarm water and 5% hydrogen peroxide. Does that sound right to you?

I guess it depends on how dirty they are. I usually slap the spit outta ‘em and wipe ‘em off with a rag. I have used a Q-tip to carefully wipe the holes out, but, if you bend the reeds, you may be in big trouble. One can take ‘em all apart and wipe ’em out with a soft brush, but be sure to remember which is the top and bottom plate. I never used anything but water. Sometimes I just usta run ‘em under a faucet and slap ‘em out on a pants leg.

I always (if I remember) swish my mouth out with water before I play.

 

[Oldscruggsfan]

I guess it depends on how dirty they are. I usually slap the spit outta ‘em and wipe ‘em off with a rag. I have used a Q-tip to carefully wipe the holes out, but, if you bend the reeds, you may be in big trouble. One can take ‘em all apart and wipe ’em out with a soft brush, but be sure to remember which is the top and bottom plate. I never used anything but water. Sometimes I just usta run ‘em under a faucet and slap ‘em out on a pants leg.

I always (if I remember) to swish my mouth out with water before I play.

Thanks, Dick. Your final sentence brings to mind Mr. Joel’s wonderful Piano Man lyric, “…and the microphone smells like a beer”.

 

[Down Up Dick]

Yeah, I was gonna add or whatever yer drinkin’ after “mouth out with water”.

 

[rustydusty]

I'm in the "run warm water through it then smack it on your leg" camp.
I like to rinse my mouth with a little dark rum before I play! (Helps kill germs...)🤪

 

[Down Up Dick]

Wow! rustydusty, you’ve got a lotta harps. What kinda music do you like to play? Do you have any minor tuned ones? I have four that I retuned myself. It was interesting and fun to do. I mostly play folk and gospel and classical, and I usually play by ear. I usta be really into harps, but I’m busy with a lotta other stuff now, so I don’t play them as much.

 

[rustydusty]

For the last 12 years or so I've been playing in a "contemporary Christian band" doing all kinds of stuff including a "Celtic service", a "blues gospel" service, a " bluegrass" service, and everything in between. We also do secular gigs with classic rock ,southern rock and progressive country, for clubs and festivals. Next week we are doing a benefit fund raising concert for a "Christian summer camp" on Sunday.

 

[Down Up Dick]

Rusty, who are you in the picture? You sure gotta lotta harps — any minors?

 

[rustydusty]

I'm the guy in the white hat, behind the guitar neck. I'm sitting down because I was recovering from back surgery. I usually play minor keys in "third position" on a major keyed tremolo harmonica. For instance, Am on a C harp, Em on a G harp etc. I do have Gm, Am, and F#m harmonicas though... I am also in my white hat in my avatar. ( I bought the hat while on a trip to Santa Marta Colombia ...)

 

[Down Up Dick]

I'm the guy in the white hat, behind the guitar neck. I'm sitting down because I was recovering from back surgery. I usually play minor keys in "third position" on a major keyed tremolo harmonica. For instance, Am on a C harp, Em on a G harp etc. I do have Gm, Am, and F#m harmonicas though... I am also in my white hat in my avatar. ( I bought the hat while on a trip to Santa Marta Colombia ...)

Good picture, rusty. You’re a good lookin man, I especially like your right forearm.

 

[Down Up Dick]

Well, I got a gift from my daughter today. It’s a brandy new Hohner Harp in C. Good deal, as my Golden Mel in C has been acting up. We had a few harsh words recently. Maybe this is a peace offering. I guess I’ll hafta make up. I been bought.

 

[Oldscruggsfan]

Well, I got a gift from my daughter today. It’s a brandy new Hohner Harp in C. Good deal, as my Golden Mel in C has been acting up. We had a few harsh words recently. Maybe this is a peace offering. I guess I’ll hafta make up. I been bought.

I’m always willing to be bought off with any music-related item and my family is well aware. Nothing to be ashamed of, my friend😄

 

[Down Up Dick]

My new harp sounds okay and plays well. I think I’ll have another spat with my daughter.

 

[rustydusty]

Make sure, after the "spat", you mention what key harp you need!
On the other hand, I just picked up a "Seydel Soloist Pro 12" last week in the key of G. I find that the harp sounds okay (just okay) and it's hard to play fast melodies on. Pretty disappointing as this harmonica was not cheap! And no, I would not recommend this to a friend...

 

[Renaissance-Man]

I've got quite a harmonica collection too, but it's one of several instruments that our dogs don't like.

 

[Down Up Dick]

Make sure, after the "spat", you mention what key harp you need!
On the other hand, I just picked up a "Seydel Soloist Pro 12" last week in the key of G. I find that the harp sounds okay (just okay) and it's hard to play fast melodies on. Pretty disappointing as this harmonica was not cheap! And no, I would not recommend this to a friend...

Most of my harps are Hohners. I went through a patch of buying one of each of some others but I seldom play any of ‘em. I’m definately a Hohner man.

I was shaken when they sold out to China. I’m glad they’re back in Germany again. I like ‘em because they’re easy to work on and retune (change tuning) and clean. They almost always sound good and bend easily. I haven’t bought a new one in a long time, and all of mine still sound good.

 

[Jim Yates]

Here's a little quote from John Steinbeck's Grapes Of Wrath, Chapter 23:

A harmonica is easy to carry. Take it out of your hip pocket, knock it against your palm to shake out the dirt and pocket fuzz and bits of tobacco. Now it's ready. You can do anything with a harmonica: thin reedy single tone, or chords, or melody with rhythm chords. You can mold the music with curved hands, making it wail and cry like bagpipes, making it full and round like an organ, making it as sharp and bitter as the reed pipes of the hills. And you can play and put it back in your pocket. It is always with you, always in your pocket. And as you play, you learn new tricks, new ways to mold the tone with your hands, to pinch the tone with your lips, and no one teaches you. You feel around, sometimes alone in the shade at noon, sometimes in the tent door after supper when the women are washing up. Your foot taps gently on the ground. Your eyebrows rise and fall in rhythm. And if you lose it or break it, why, it's no great loss. You can buy another for a quarter.

You are unlikely to ever have bought and will certainly never buy another harmonica for a quarter, but I can recall Marine Bands for about two bucks in 1960. I don't carry one in my pocket all the time, but when I was hitch-hiking, I always had one or two to keep me company.
I still keep a couple of cheap Suzuki Folk Masters in my car. These are not great harps, but they aren't bad and they are inexpensive ($15.00 CDN)

 

[rustydusty]

John Steinbeck had it right on the money! I also hitchhiked around the country with a harmonica in my pocket. Always ready for a jam with traveling guitar players I would run across. While in "boot camp" in the Navy, I was told by our company commander that I could keep the harmonica with me if I could play "Anchors Aweigh". I got to keep it and he set me up to try out for the Navy band. (They didn't need a harmonica player)... I still keep one in each of our cars.

 

[Down Up Dick]

Here's a little quote from John Steinbeck's Grapes Of Wrath, Chapter 23:

A harmonica is easy to carry. Take it out of your hip pocket, knock it against your palm to shake out the dirt and pocket fuzz and bits of tobacco. Now it's ready. You can do anything with a harmonica: thin reedy single tone, or chords, or melody with rhythm chords. You can mold the music with curved hands, making it wail and cry like bagpipes, making it full and round like an organ, making it as sharp and bitter as the reed pipes of the hills. And you can play and put it back in your pocket. It is always with you, always in your pocket. And as you play, you learn new tricks, new ways to mold the tone with your hands, to pinch the tone with your lips, and no one teaches you. You feel around, sometimes alone in the shade at noon, sometimes in the tent door after supper when the women are washing up. Your foot taps gently on the ground. Your eyebrows rise and fall in rhythm. And if you lose it or break it, why, it's no great loss. You can buy another for a quarter.

You are unlikely to ever have bought and will certainly never buy another harmonica for a quarter, but I can recall Marine Bands for about two bucks in 1960. I don't carry one in my pocket all the time, but when I was hitch-hiking, I always had one or two to keep me company.
I still keep a couple of cheap Suzuki Folk Masters in my car. These are not great harps, but they aren't bad and they are inexpensive ($15.00 CDN)

I have a copy of the paragraph that you posted hanging on my music room wall. I usta be an avid fan of John Steinbeck. I’ve read all of his novels and stories except one or two that were oughta print and the King Arthur one which I started and quit. My wife and I had a short tour of his house in Salinas CA. His library is right across the street. We watched some of The Grapes of Wrath just recently, and a coupla nights ago we watched East of Eden. I got rid of his novels to keep myself from reading them again, but I still have a book of his short stories. I read Of Mice and Men again just a while back.

I have a Suzuki Folk Master (Bb) in my harp case too. It still shines and plays good.

My all time favorite harp is the Hohner’s Old Standby. Mine’s pretty well used. The comb has shrunk a lot, but it still plays okay. I bought it in a music store a long time ago, and I liked it so much that I went back to get more, but they were all gone. I later bought a Chinese one, but now I don’t even know where the worthless thing is.