J-Sin
112 posts
Aug 16, 2012
6:57 AM
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From Bailey's biography by David C. Morton:
"For years he had preferred a Hohner Marine Band, one of the best-known standard brands; in later years, though, he became a little disenchanted with the brand: 'they don't make 'em like they used to. I used to buy 'em for a quarter and they'd play. Now you're lucky to ever find a good one. When I do find a good one, I usually have to rebuild it.'"
The book doesn't give any details on what he did to his harps. Any guesses?
Recent threads on this forum have suggested that customizing is something harp players have always done, but it hasn't surfaced until recently. Maybe it was considered something so nerdy and esoteric, that the musicians haven't seen it worth describing in interviews & bios...
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Reed To The Beat!
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The Gloth
678 posts
Aug 16, 2012
7:57 AM
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The strangest thing is to "rebuild" a "good one" : if it's good, why modifying it ?
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groyster1
1983 posts
Aug 16, 2012
10:38 AM
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In my deford bailey CD in an interview the only thing he mentions is soaking the harps to make the comb swell to seal off the leaks....he mentioned that one harp lasted 12 years and just now "played out"
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J-Sin
113 posts
Aug 16, 2012
11:00 AM
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@The Gloth: I think he means that if he can find a harp that's good in today's standards, he still has to modify it to make play like "old times harp", which supposedly meant even higher quality for him.
Anyway, that's how I read it.
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Reed To The Beat!
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jdblues
99 posts
Aug 16, 2012
12:12 PM
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I think it's also worth noting that Bailey primarily played unaccompanied. His harps might have lasted so many years not because they were superb instruments, but because he didn't need them to be in tune with anything but themselves.
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Cyco
23 posts
Aug 17, 2012
10:28 PM
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You can rebuild without customizing.You can costumize without rebuilding.
"There ar other little known tid-bits as well. Bailey preferred Hohner Marine Band Harmonicas, and at one time, was one of their biggest supporters. However, in later years, he would mention they had lost their consistency, and everyone he bought would have to be rebuilt, as they all played different. Bailey also learned a technique he called “blowing a dry breath”, which would allow him to play harmonica without getting it damp, or wet. Bailey had a unique ear and could actually tell a change in sound due to not only the humidity created by blowing into a harp, but also the humidity of the weather. He also had the knack to be able to tell immediately if someone else had played one of his harps. Sincerely, the man took playing the harmonica to the highest of levels, yet still remains somewhat unknown"
http://www.tdblues.com/?p=1195
Blows my theory out of the water.If he was buying new & rebuilding well..... maybe, I jus don't know.
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groyster1
1986 posts
Aug 18, 2012
5:46 PM
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@Cyco
he was a huge favorite on the grand ole opry until a new sponsor fired him because he would not change his music...my great aunt told the last time I saw her that they would stay up until midnight on saturday night to hear him close out the show...and still go to church sunday morning...she said I should keep practicing so I could play like him...I agreed that I do need to keep practicing,practicing,practicing...
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