7LimitJI
431 posts
Mar 24, 2011
2:33 AM
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Have never seen one like this before with the rounded off ends.
Also no nail holes in the coverplate, but screws.
It looks pre war with the star
At first I thought it had been customised, but the ends look original
Anybody out there know about this?
It is a 10 hole diatonic.
I know the Echo Super Vampers were the European Marine Band
but they are usually rectangular.
Haven't received it yet and am looking fwd to trying it out.
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The Pentatonics Myspace
Youtube
"Why don't you leave some holes when you play, and maybe some music will fall out".
"It's music,not just complicated noise".
Last Edited by on Mar 24, 2011 8:24 AM
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toddlgreene
2794 posts
Mar 24, 2011
4:56 AM
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Wow...it's a beauty! Looks like a pre-custom custom with those rounded corners. I know squat about it, other than I would like to have one.
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Todd
Eudora and Deep Soul
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tookatooka
2250 posts
Mar 24, 2011
6:50 AM
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I had an Echo Super Vamper in C back in the 60's. Brian Jones used one with the Stones. Identical in every way including the box except mine was the regular rectangular shape. I can't remember whether the back was opened out like that though.
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Last Edited by on Mar 24, 2011 6:51 AM
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toddlgreene
2795 posts
Mar 24, 2011
7:04 AM
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I'm certainly no expert on these historic harps, but I did some Googling, and haven't found a single other example of one with rounded corners and screws in lieu of nails., and with the cover plate flanges crimped inward. Maybe it has been customized. Either way, it's nice.
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Todd
Eudora and Deep Soul
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chromaticblues
727 posts
Mar 24, 2011
7:07 AM
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I believe you are the proud owner of a custom harp. I'm not sure, but this is what I see. The bottom coverplate looks to be WW11 era. Thats good! The covers maybe original. Those are SP 20 screws are nuts. That may not be original. The ends are painted a different colour than the back of the comb. Thas probably not original either. I haven't researched it though. I maybe wrong! How does it play? It looks like some one did a nice job. I don't like the ends rounded off that much. It makes the harp feel smaller.
Does it make you feel like you hold your harp with your mic differently?
I know the rounded off thing is popular. I just don't like it personnaly
It is nice looking harp though!
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Philosofy
387 posts
Mar 24, 2011
7:28 AM
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Joe Filisko might know about it.
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7LimitJI
434 posts
Mar 24, 2011
8:29 AM
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The harp is coming from Canada and I don't have it yet.
I'll ask the seller if he knows its history.
It was sold in Alberta in 1956 for 75 cents.
The coverplates have no nail holes so either came from the factory like that or someone had access to new ones.
The nuts and bolts that hold it on look the same as the Echo Vamper which is the 12 hole version.
It also has rounded off coverplates as can be seen below.
The ends are the same colour as the front.
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The Pentatonics Myspace
Youtube
"Why don't you leave some holes when you play, and maybe some music will fall out".
"It's music,not just complicated noise".
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bonedog569
280 posts
Mar 24, 2011
9:42 AM
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Sonny Boy played them when he was touring Europe. I freeze framed a video clip - then googled around to figure out what the heck it was.
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HarpNinja
1265 posts
Mar 24, 2011
9:54 AM
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It is the European version of the Marine Band, correct? I'd imagine it has been modded if just for the shape...I think. The screws do throw me off, though.
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Mike
Quicksilver Custom Harmonicas
Updated 3/23/11
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7LimitJI
435 posts
Mar 24, 2011
4:04 PM
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The seller got back to me with its history.
It was bought for a 12 year old girl in 1956 and has been owned by her ever since.
It is exactly how it came out of the shop with no modifications.
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The Pentatonics Myspace
Youtube
"Why don't you leave some holes when you play, and maybe some music will fall out".
"It's music,not just complicated noise".
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7LimitJI
446 posts
Apr 03, 2011
10:02 AM
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Joe Filisko and Pat Missin both got back to me.
Seems its an early 1930's harp made for the Commonwealth market. Hence coming from Canada.
Joe has one that came via Canada too.
Mines the only other he's seen.
So its very rare :o)
The other thing is it has no slots in the end of the cover plates.
It's still in perfect tune and has hardly been played.
It has no sharp edged or corners. It is like a custom harp OOTB
It's very responsive, but I cannot get it to choke and is set up like one I've spent ages tweaking!
I now see why people like the early Hohner harps.
I'll be studying it to see what I can learn.
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The Pentatonics Myspace
Youtube
"Why don't you leave some holes when you play, and maybe some music will fall out".
"It's music,not just complicated noise".
Last Edited by on Apr 03, 2011 1:55 PM
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Oisin
770 posts
Apr 03, 2011
10:47 AM
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Hi 7LimitJI,
I have been collecting Echo Vampers and Super Vampers for about 6 or 7 years now and I bid on the one you won myself.I have to agree with you on the pre-war reed sets, they are great. It's amazing when you play an instrument from the 1920s or 30's and it still sounds as great as a tweaked SP20.
Even some of the post war harps up to the sixties I find have been quite good but I've bought some awful
ones from the seventies which needed a lot of work to play well.
My goal was to have a full set of echo vampers that I could play with and the only one I'm short of is a Db. I recently bought an Ab and Eb which I'd been searching for a long time and they were like new, still in the waxed paper and never played.
Have you tried the Song Band Vamper? They are also pre-war harp with metal inserts which surround the tines of the comb. They play beautifully and I've often wondered why Hohner didn't keep this design going as they are perfect for tongue blocking.
Anyway I hope you enjoy your new harp. I think in the not too distant future they will be worth a few quid.I saw a pre-war marine band for sale on ebay or $100 after one of the forum alerted us to it....and bidding's not finished yet!
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Oisin
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7LimitJI
447 posts
Apr 03, 2011
10:57 AM
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Hi Oisin,
I've seen pictures of the Song Bands, but never tried one.
Yes, I'm very impressed with how its been finished and gapped.
Hohner could learn a thing or two from its past and start hand finishing like this again.
I was planning on using it, but think I'll keep it as a "standard" by which to set my other harps to.
I've got a few early chromatic 64's as well that I have re-furbished.
They are impressive too as the reeds are generally set up very well.
Happy hunting!
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The Pentatonics Myspace
Youtube
"Why don't you leave some holes when you play, and maybe some music will fall out".
"It's music,not just complicated noise".
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Oisin
772 posts
Apr 03, 2011
11:54 AM
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This time next year we'll be millionaires!
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Oisin
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ElkRiverHarmonicas
622 posts
Apr 03, 2011
2:32 PM
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This harmonica was originally built on a Marine Band comb. Notice the paint. It's black on the back, like a Marine Band.
Now the rounded body diatonics sure enough existed. A lot of companies had a rounded model. Seydel had one in the 1923 catalog. The earliest I've yet to find a solid date for was an off-brand in the 1922 Montgomery Ward's Catalog. I'm sure they were around long before then.
I would like to hear and see more of this when you get it, I've never seen one except in catalogs. I would be interested to know if the sides have a glued on veneer.
This is the first Hohner I've seen like that.
Here are two that were dug at Civil War sites in Virginia. The reedplates are NOT Civil War war age, but they are old and rounded.
Can somebody tell me how to post a link here?
http://elkriverharmonicas.smfforfree3.com/index.php/topic,388.0.html
http://elkriverharmonicas.smfforfree3.com/index.php/topic,386.0.html
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"There are only two things money can't buy - true love and homegrown tomatoes." - Lewis Grizzard
Last Edited by on Apr 03, 2011 2:37 PM
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Albey
10 posts
Apr 03, 2011
5:09 PM
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@ElkRiverHarmonicas
"Can somebody tell me how to post a link here?"
Here is the link that explains how to post both links and pictures.
How To’s
Hopefully here are the pictures you were trying to post.
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Thanks,
Albey Scholl
The Shadows
Blind Willies Blues Club
Atlanta, GA
http://www.blindwilliesblues.com/
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ElkRiverHarmonicas
623 posts
Apr 03, 2011
9:05 PM
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Thanks. They are as you may notice, rounded tremolos or Octaves
I've never seen those, even in a catalog. Just these dug in Virginia. The coverplates apparently were zinc, so I think this was pre World War One
www.elkriverharmonicas.com
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"There are only two things money can't buy - true love and homegrown tomatoes." - Lewis Grizzard
Last Edited by on Apr 03, 2011 9:08 PM
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Ant138
875 posts
Apr 03, 2011
11:45 PM
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I have just bid on and won a Vintage Old Standby, at least i think its vintage as it has the star of David on it.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110667282842&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT
Any ideas how i would go around dating it?
Any clues that give its age away?
I have put this in another vintage harp thread but its not getting much traffic.
This is my first vintage harp and im not sure weather to send it away to be customised or weather to leave it how it is.
http://www.youtube.com/user/fiendant?feature=mhum
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7LimitJI
449 posts
Apr 04, 2011
12:52 AM
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@Ant
Have a look at the pictures here, and compare the lower cover plates.
Thats how I dated mine.
http://www.patmissin.com/ffaq/q38.html
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The Pentatonics Myspace
Youtube
"Why don't you leave some holes when you play, and maybe some music will fall out".
"It's music,not just complicated noise".
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7LimitJI
450 posts
Apr 04, 2011
1:21 AM
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@Dave
The ESV is built on a modified Marine Band comb.
The black paint on the back is about 3 times as thick as a current MB.
The sides are the same as the front with just varnish.
The reed plates have no nail holes for the cover plates.
The cover plates are stamped differently too.
The fold at the front that catches on a moustache is a much better design on this.
If you need any more info just ask.
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The Pentatonics Myspace
Youtube
"Why don't you leave some holes when you play, and maybe some music will fall out".
"It's music,not just complicated noise".
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Ant138
877 posts
Apr 04, 2011
9:36 AM
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@7Limitji, thanks for the info. I've not been on Pat's site before.
I'm hoping its an old - old Standby if you know what i mean:o), can't wait to get it now.
Great pics by the way
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http://www.youtube.com/user/fiendant?feature=mhum
Last Edited by on Apr 04, 2011 9:37 AM
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ElkRiverHarmonicas
624 posts
Apr 04, 2011
10:25 AM
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It may have even been made in North America or at least outside Hohner. I know that former Minnevitch Rascal Ben Burly, who had also worked in a Kratt factory, had some kind of operation where Hohner would send him flats of Marine Band parts, he, his wife and a couple of employees would tune and assemble, so there were some Marine Bands made in America. When you have cottage operations like that, there is so much flexibility, cool stuff can happen.
Dave
www.elkriverharmonicas.com
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"There are only two things money can't buy - true love and homegrown tomatoes." - Lewis Grizzard
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