I always seem to see these pictures of old harmonicas with bells on them like a horn. Some have several small bells, some have one large one. Has anyone here ever played one of these? I've always been curious to know what it would sound like, and why they are not produced anymore (at least not to my knowledge). I guess if it did have any kind of practice application someone would probably be selling an attachment that you could put on a normal harp.
Hohner reissued some of those a while ago, no longer available I think. Here's a video review of the "Trumpet Call", which is the one with several small horns -
Hohner also reissued the "Echophone", which has a single lengthwise horn that functions sort of like a built-in resonator, something like the Suzuki Humming. That reissue also no longer available.
Last Edited by johnleewfan on Feb 13, 2018 7:01 PM
Player Larry Spalding brother of Dale Spalding bought a vintage model Echophone and showed it to me. It was in really good shape but we both agreed the resonator looked kinda cool but didn't help the sound at all. He said he thought he'd like to remove it and see what happens. I was horrified. I practically begged Larry to just leave the piece of Hohner history alone. I think he did since I'm the guy who usually works on his harps and it would be up to me to ruin it. :-)
Never saw an old or re-issue Trumpet Call up close and personal though. There is an early version in a photo without the horns on a Butterfield album cover. I think there was a poster of it inside the album too. ---------- Reasonably priced Reed Replacement and tech support on Hand Made Series Hohner Diatonic Harmonicas.
'Making the world a better place, one harmonica at a time. Click MP for more info. Aloha Mark .
Last Edited by MP on Feb 14, 2018 3:42 PM
While not exactly a horn harmonica, I saw a busker at Balboa park a few months back with a small bass drum with a bugle attached to the top so he could play it while beating the bass drum between his sung verses. Instead of a bugle mouthpiece, he had a kazoo taped to the horn. He was actually getting a credible trumpet like sound and far more chromatic than you can with a standard bugle mouthpiece.
1847. Never met Dale but I have a CD of his Larry gave me. Indeed another time. Love to hear story. ---------- Reasonably priced Reed Replacement and tech support on Hand Made Series Hohner Diatonic Harmonicas.
'Making the world a better place, one harmonica at a time. Click MP for more info. Aloha Mark .
I have a hohner harp made for Eastern European market, I don’t recall the name off the top, I’d have to go look. It doesn’t have trumpets as such but kinda the same idea. They are like short trumpets. I think they do nothing for the sound.
I think I wouldn't mind owning that brass marvel Brendan is pitching. It might be fun for Tex-Mex stuff and many other types of folk music. Blues is folk music and folk music is regional but now it's all over the world. ---------- Reasonably priced Reed Replacement and tech support on Hand Made Series Hohner Diatonic Harmonicas.
'Making the world a better place, one harmonica at a time. Click MP for more info. Aloha Mark .
