BluesAndBourbon
1 post
Jan 14, 2016
5:15 PM
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Hi all, new to forum but thought one of you guys might be able to answer my question. My wife found what she thought was an old harmonica her grandfather owned and wanted to give it to me as I've picked up playing recently.
When I looked at it, it had set of two holes (3 sets on one side, two sets on the other. ) On each set of two, one hole is for blow, and one hole was to draw. You cannot blow and draw in any one hole.
Each hole has the direction (blow or draw) in arrow format as well as the note the hole plays etched on top of the plates. It's length is smaller then a normal c harmonica and made in USA by WM Kratt Co.
It has to be atleast 30-40 years old as he passed in the late 80s.
Anyone have any idea what this may be? I was thinking it would have to be some type of tuner as you would have to flip the harmonica over to play certain notes?
Appreciate the help, as my only musical knowledge prior to picking up a harmonica a month ago was to know I loved listening to blues while sipping a good bourbon!
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Killa_Hertz
235 posts
Jan 14, 2016
5:26 PM
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Try posting a picture.
But it sounds like you are describing a pitch pipe. Sort of.
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"Trust Those Who Seek The Truth...
Doubt Those Who Say They Have Found It."
Just a lil' HaHa HooHoo on the 3/4 - 4/5!
Last Edited by Killa_Hertz on Jan 14, 2016 5:42 PM
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BluesAndBourbon
2 posts
Jan 14, 2016
5:31 PM
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Yea, I ment to ask if that was possible, how would I do that?
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BluesAndBourbon
3 posts
Jan 14, 2016
5:37 PM
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Actually now that I know it's called a pitch pipe, not a tuner I was able to find an image by googling "harmonica looking pitch pipe wm kratt co". Looks like it's an A-440
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Killa_Hertz
236 posts
Jan 14, 2016
5:52 PM
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Kinda neat lookin. Never seen one of them before. If you didnt know A440 is the pitch. So you CAN use it to tune something. But it's more for singing i imagine. Most harmonicas are tuned a little higher A442 or A443 somewhere in that neighborhood.
----------
"Trust Those Who Seek The Truth...
Doubt Those Who Say They Have Found It."
Just a lil' HaHa HooHoo on the 3/4 - 4/5!
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WinslowYerxa
1024 posts
Jan 14, 2016
6:51 PM
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This sounds like a pitch pipe for tuning guitars. They used to be quite common. Each pipe sounds the note of one of the guitar strings. You tune the string to match the pitch of the reed in the pipe. The top and bottom strings are both E, so you could get away with only five pipes instead of six.
Guitars are usually tuned (low to high) E A D G B E. Does that match the note names stamped on the pipes?
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Winslow
Check out my blog and other goodies at winslowyerxa.com
Harmonica For Dummies, Second Edition with tons of new stuff
Join us in 2016 for SPAH on the San Antonio River Walk!
Last Edited by WinslowYerxa on Jan 14, 2016 6:52 PM
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Gnarly
1608 posts
Jan 15, 2016
3:57 AM
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He said 5 holes, so it's probably for a banjo.
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STME58
1507 posts
Jan 15, 2016
2:58 PM
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I didn't know anyone ever tuned banjo! :-)
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JustFuya
830 posts
Jan 15, 2016
4:28 PM
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In an earlier life (kindergarten?) the teacher used this or something similar to set the key for a sing along. I got a pretty good chewing out for picking it up and attempting a song on it.
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WinslowYerxa
1026 posts
Jan 15, 2016
5:37 PM
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Careful! When the banjo jokes start, harmonica jokes can't be far behind . . .
===========
Winslow
Check out my blog and other goodies at winslowyerxa.com
Harmonica For Dummies, Second Edition with tons of new stuff
Join us in 2016 for SPAH on the San Antonio River Walk!
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STME58
1510 posts
Jan 15, 2016
9:59 PM
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There are darn few instruments a harmonica player can pick on! My first instrument is the trombone, which seems to be at the bottom of the orchestral pecking order. Perhaps that is why I gravitated to the harmonica when I chose an instrument outside the orchestra.
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Thievin' Heathen
660 posts
Jan 16, 2016
10:55 AM
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Someone tossed an old tuner into the box when they shipped me a recent Ebay purchase. It looks like one of those English police whistles except it has a variable lever with a plunger that goes into the whistle tube and the lever is calibrated in notes A thru G.
It had to be like trying to tune with a trombone or a slide tin whistle. We've got it good these days.
Last Edited by Thievin' Heathen on Jan 16, 2016 10:56 AM
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