|
Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! >
The real story of W. Kratt
The real story of W. Kratt
Page:
1
ElkRiverHarmonicas
385 posts
Apr 21, 2010
7:20 PM
|
This is to answer a question in another thread about whether William Kratt worked for Hohner or not. It's a long answer, because the story isn't well known.
There is a story that Kratt was set up by former Hohner employees. Technically, it is sort of correct in some parallel universe, but not really. That story gives the impression that he learned everything from Hohner, then went and made his own harmonicas. Nothing could be further from the truth. Yes, Kratt did work for Hohner... as a kid, but that's it... he was a child laborer at the Hohner factory (which wasn't frowned on in those days).
When you look at some of the innovations he came up with, it's pretty obvious he was looking at the harmonica with a very fresh perspective. I've always stood in awe at some of the stuff he came up with. He may have made the first chromatic with a plastic comb, I'm certainly not aware of any earlier than his. He invented this cool little nail that would hold in plastic... and you can take off and replace the coverplates many, many times and the nails still hold in the plastic. The guy was an absolute genius...
Kratt grew up in Trossingen, Germany, then when he was a teenager, he moved to New Jersey to live with and work for his aunt, who had a restaurant where Thomas Edison ate. She had him washing dishes. He not only hated it, he sucked at it and it was obvious to everybody that he wasn't going to work out.
So, the aunt introduces him to Edison, who took a liking to the boy. He trains Kratt in machining and even gives Kratt all the machinist tools he needs. Kratt and Edison develop a close relationship and Kratt eventually became Edison's chief machinist (Edison had these labs and whatnot where they made working prototypes of stuff Edison thought up).
Kratt leaves, goes back to Germany. He starts his own harmonica company, which interesting enough he names the National Harmonica Company (note it's an English name and most harmonica makers named their companies after themselves). Hohner was very well known for buying up any competition who would sell, or forcing the ones who wouldn't out of business or forcing to sell. I believe the only reason Kratt went back to Germany was to sell out to Hohner and take that money to start up the Kratt company in America he wanted to set up all along. That's what he did anyway, sold out to Hohner first chance he got, took the money back to the U.S., founded the Kratt company, and made this circular pitchpipe he invented. The Kratt compan still makes it.
He didn't make harmonicas at that time, probably because he agreed to with the Hohner sale (I've not seen the contract, but I'm sure that was in it) and the pitchpipe was what he wanted to make anyway. He started making harmonicas during World War II, as far as I know, most of those went to the military. He kept making them until the 1970s. They still make the pitchpipes in New Jersey.
Dave
----------
www.harrisonharmonicas.com
www.elkriverharmonicas.com
Last Edited by on Apr 22, 2010 3:43 AM
|
nacoran
1741 posts
Apr 21, 2010
7:47 PM
|
Cool. I love harp history.
----------
Nate
Facebook
|
Hobostubs Ashlock
666 posts
Apr 21, 2010
8:06 PM
|
i allways wondered how the WW2 G.I.'s got harps back then sence well you know.
|
ElkRiverHarmonicas
386 posts
Apr 21, 2010
8:25 PM
|
Even then, there was a limited number, since most of the brass in the U.S. went for 30.06 shell casings. That's where FInn Mangus (also of NJ) came in with the all-plastic harmonica, not sure if he actually made any during the war, or if it ended before he started making them, but that was Finn's idea.
----------
www.elkriverharmonicas.com
|
MP
182 posts
Apr 21, 2010
8:40 PM
|
great story dave.
there's a rumour goin' 'round you are working for harrison harmonicas now. is it true?
|
nacoran
1742 posts
Apr 21, 2010
9:14 PM
|
The Magnus actually looks pretty cool. Who needs brass?
----------
Nate
Facebook
|
ElkRiverHarmonicas
387 posts
Apr 22, 2010
3:26 AM
|
True, MP.
Cap'n, I don't think that's a Third Reich harmonica like they claim, it's from the Second Reich. That's a World War I soldier's harmonica, which is even cooler.
----------
www.harrisonharmonicas.com
www.elkriverharmonicas.com
|
barbequebob
741 posts
Apr 22, 2010
9:32 AM
|
Thanks for posting this, Dave.
----------
Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
|
ElkRiverHarmonicas
394 posts
Apr 23, 2010
5:44 PM
|
You are welcome Bob.
----------
www.harrisonharmonicas.com
www.elkriverharmonicas.com
|
Post a Message
|
