HarveyHarp
133 posts
Sep 28, 2010
12:49 PM
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Does anyone know how long ago they stopped putting nails in Special 20s. I started working on one for a local player, and was suprised to see the reed plates held on with nails. I have never seen one like that.
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MP
864 posts
Sep 28, 2010
12:57 PM
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Bob would know. i remember GMs had nails too. even for the covers.
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MP
hibachi cook for the yakuza
doctor of semiotics
superhero emeritus
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tookatooka
1759 posts
Sep 28, 2010
1:34 PM
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But the Special 20s have plastic combs.
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Last Edited by on Sep 28, 2010 1:41 PM
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TNFrank
264 posts
Sep 28, 2010
1:37 PM
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So do the GM's and mine from the mid-'70's had nails. I did read an artical on the online harp magazine that the MB's got screws in '05 if that's any help.
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Harmonicas:
Hohner Big River in Low F,G,A,Bb
Hohner Special 20 in Bb
Suzuki HarpMaster in C
Suzuki FolkMaster in D,E,F
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toddlgreene
1840 posts
Sep 28, 2010
1:43 PM
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I've got Sp20s I've owned since the early 90s-all screws. Those must be J Monque D's SP20s, huh, Harvey? With him, you can't be sure even what country they came from, nor how long they sat on a shelf. The man is well-traveled.
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Crescent City Harmonica Club
Todd L Greene, Co-Founder
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groyster1
526 posts
Sep 28, 2010
3:44 PM
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looked at all my special 20s all screws and they go back a long long way
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HarveyHarp
134 posts
Sep 28, 2010
3:50 PM
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You are right Todd, it is J Monque D's harp. I do remember him telling us that Paul Butterfield gave him a Special 20 in Europe years ago. Maybe that is the one. I wouldn't think that they would put nails in them just for the European Market, though.
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TNFrank
265 posts
Sep 28, 2010
4:13 PM
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Might have been an early Pre-Production model.
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Harmonicas:
Hohner Big River in Low F,G,A,Bb
Hohner Special 20 in Bb
Suzuki HarpMaster in C
Suzuki FolkMaster in D,E,F
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groyster1
527 posts
Sep 28, 2010
5:17 PM
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special 20s are mister reliable love um
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shanester
254 posts
Sep 28, 2010
5:52 PM
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I think I read Barbeque Bob say that in the very beginning of their production (1974?), they used press fit nails as opposed to screws in the plastic comb.
I have an old Golden Melody that I bought in the early 90's that has nails in a plastic comb as well
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Shane
1shanester
"Keep it coming now, keep it coming now,
Don't stop it no don't stop it no no don't stop it no don't stop it no no..."
- KC and the Sunshine Band
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HarveyHarp
135 posts
Sep 28, 2010
6:25 PM
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I know about the Golden Melody nails being replaced with screws. I think that happened sometime the 2000s. But I have never seen another Special 20 with nails. It seems to be a pretty good harp. Clearances are tight. I am trying to figure out whether to work on it, or leave it alone.
Where are you Bob?
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ricanefan
73 posts
Sep 28, 2010
7:15 PM
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I bought an SP20 in 1986 that's all screws...
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JohnnieHarp
55 posts
Sep 28, 2010
9:40 PM
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Sp20, ProHarp, GM all had nails circa 1982 when I bought several ... the nails holes on the plates line up/fit perfectly with screws and comb from a Hohner Piedmont harp ... just swap the plates onto a Piedmont comb (which is identical to the current Sp20 combs) ... carefully screw the screws into where the nails were in the plates ... set of seven Piedmonts plus a nice harp case for about $3 per harp ... then screw on the Sp20 covers ... done ...
Recall reading a post somewhere suggesting nails ended and screws began in the mid-90s ...
Buddha might remember when the change occurred with GMs as I believe he's played them forever ...
Last Edited by on Sep 28, 2010 9:43 PM
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HarveyHarp
136 posts
Sep 28, 2010
9:49 PM
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@Johnnie Replacing the nails with screws is not a problem. I was just wondering is it a rare harp that might have some value but if you had one in 1982 then it is not some oddball with any special value. The compo appears to be a little thicker, though that couid just be my imagination.
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barbequebob
1265 posts
Sep 29, 2010
10:26 AM
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1985/86 was when they finally converted from aluminum nails, then brass escutcheon pins and finally screws. Ditto with the GM's, tho they did go back to escutcheon pins for a couple of years before going to screws again. When both models were introduced in 1974, they both had those nails and if they weren't nailed correctly, they leaked much worse than MB's ever did.
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Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
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HarveyHarp
138 posts
Sep 29, 2010
12:00 PM
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Thanks Bob. I have Brass pins, so then it is an 85/86, which is nothing special. Good thing too, because I have already put in screws
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