JimInMO
97 posts
Mar 26, 2011
9:07 AM
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I recently moved my dad to a nursing home close to me. He will be 91 next month. He has dementia and doesn't always know who I am or what he had for his last meal. But, he can still play the harmonica and remembers a lot of the old tunes. Down In The Valley, Cool Water, Tennessee Waltz, Streets Of Laredo, etc.. I gathered up all his old harps, about a dozen, and brought them home to clean up. Most had the 2,3 and 4 draw totally stopped up. I have been able to make his 3 SP20's work OK. I have been able to get the slide's unstuck on his 3 chromatic's, A Chrometta 8, Chrometa 12 and a 64 Chromica Pro. The 8 and 12 covers are rusted on the inside pretty bad and the 12 is missing a cover bolt and recessed nut. The 64 has some ugly over sized replacement screws in the mouth piece and the end is broken off the slide. Looks like one end of the comb has been repaired with bondo or something and is coming apart again. If anyone has some used replacement parts and correct screws for these I would be happy to pay fair price for them. I see that some parts are available from Hohner USA and will probably spend some real money on the 64.
What is a proper (non-toxic) method of removing corrosion from brass reeds? Some are way out of tune from the build-up of green crud. Might not be salvageable but want to try.
His only Marine Band is interesting. It is gold anodized or plated and the case has Limited ? un-readable ? 1896 - 1996 printed on the front edge. Price sticker on the back says $24.95 It hasn't been played much but after doing a brief blow-draw check on each hole my lips were stinging. Anybody know whats on the covers of this to make it gold colored? Never had that happen before.
It's pretty cool to watch the old guy play a tune with all the old ladies gathered around in their walker's and wheel chairs. They all clap when he's done and he just beams. A real ham!
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