I do have a Marine Band with masking tape holding on the cover plates. I once droped a harp while on an elevated stage in Celina Ohio. It fell through a gap in the platform and bounced out of sight. I thought about putting some bubble gum on the end of a stick and fishing around for it. Decided that may distract from the performance.
You have a Frankenstein collection. I have a Godzilla collection (some Japanese & Chinese & Brazilian models thrown in with the German-Frankenstein models).
I have over 300 harps, in all types and most major brands, with a few less-known brands. It's definitely out of control. I have enough harps for 6 people.
Some have been modified by customizers (I've had wood combs replaced with acrylic or plastic combs). I've designed a few (new note placements), and had them made by Seydel.
At least a third of the Godzilla inventory was given to me. Many Hohner octave harps (Comet 2-sided and Auto-valves), tremolo harps (Hohner 4-keyed "paddlewheel" tremolo with handles and hinges, Seydel Mountain Harps-2-sided); 3 Hohner Chordomonica II harps (with 2 sliders each harp); a Suzuki Alto Single (no-slide chromatic harp, range of a tenor-tuned chromatic slide harp); a Victory brand slide chromatic (Chinese); a Yamaha 14-chord harp. Those are the ones that I can remember. Just the non-Richter type.
In the diatonic 10-hole Richter-type harps, people have given Lee Oskars in all tunings (Major, Melody Maker, Harmonic Minor, Natural Minor). Hohner natural minor Marine Bands, Hohner Country-Tuned, Huang Jazz Harps, Huang Musette Twin-Packs (tremolos) and Huang Catherdral Concert Twin Packs (octave harps). Also Seydel Blues Session double low F and F#; Seydel Favorite and Favorite Black harps, etc.
I just can't refuse a gift. One free harp was found on a stage in Milwaukee. It's a Hohner Marine Band diatonic 10-hole harp in A, with extremely bent covers. Normally, I don't like to play someone else's harp, but this one was obviously lost. It played well, but the covers were bent out of shape, and taped on the reed plates with scotch tape. Did you lose a Marine Band in A in Milwaukee? Just kidding.
People have sold used harps at ridiculous prices. I always clean and disinfect used harps before I play them, and repair them if needed. I bought an extended bass harp (2.5 octaves); 6 different-tuned Hohner 270s; a Hohner Polyphonia #4-Vineta, a Hohner Polyphonia #8 three-deck chord harp; A Hohner Chromatica #263; and 4 Hohner 280s; all for the grand total of $150.
Many antique harmonicas were given: a 1927 vintage Hohner Sax (finger-keyed diatonic, looks like a saxophone; A Hohner Trumpet Call re-issue (Auto Valve Harp with horns out the audience side); the list goes on.
A Hohner 270 slide chromatic that was the property of Larry Adler was given to me by his brother, Jerry, along with dozens of Hohner Larry Adler and Jerry Adler mini-harps. All were passed to members of the Milwaukee Harmonica Club.
Why do people choose me? I don't know. I'm an average harp player of no fame. The major manufacturers have donated harmonicas to the Milwaukee Harmonica Club when I was president (1996-2006). The harps have been given to the club members.
You can get free harps and promotional items from the manufacturers, also. If you have an idea for a seminar, or to teach young people, seniors, invalids, hospital respiratory patients, or inner-city youths, or to start a harmonica club, write to each major harmonica manufacturer (a letter works better than phone or e-mail), stating your plan. Be sure to send a thank you letter to the donors with the event's program.
I've never had any luck getting free items from Hering. But Hohner, Huang, Suzuki, Seydel and Lee Oskar have all been generous. Some sent not only free harmonicas, but also free catalogs, stickers, baseball caps, T-shirts, soft harp cases, and the Suzuki company sent 2 blues harmonica dolls that play a blues tune and dance.
A harmonica friend had three things to say to me about all of the harmonica donations.
He said, "you can start worrying when they stop sending free harps." (They haven't stopped yet.)
Another time, he said,"No matter how many harmonicas you have, you can only play one at a time." (But, if you give the harps to others, many players can play at one time.)
Still another time he said,"You can have 3,000 harmonicas or you can have 3 harmonicas, but you will always sound the same." (That is true. In my case, I don't know if that's a good thing.)
Jerry Adler once told me that in his 60+ years as a professional harmonica player, he never bought a harmonica. All of his harps were given to him by Hohner, to try out and critique. He would try them when they arrived, and send a report back to Hohner.
When he asked Hohner if they wanted the harps back, they told him no. They couldn't sell them as new harps after they had been played on. He said that he had a collection of over 3,000 Hohner 270 chromatics. He donated most of them to the Veteran's Hospital, and kept a few for himnself.
When I first started to play the harp, I didn't know there was a differance in the quality of the little rascals. Sounds silly now, but as a raw beginner I didn't think about it much. I was happy to toot out a tune or two and go on my way. Then there was the bright shiney 12 harp set I saw in a music store window. Had a velvet case. The black interior sure made those chrome harp covers glisten, Wow all 12! Had to have that. Then I went through a period of harp "collection". I bought some harps just because I thought the box looked cool. That started about four years ago and I backed away from all of that, and kind of setteled in on the special 20's. Yeah, Yeah' I know they are not THE best harp out there. But I kind of got used to the way they feel in my mouth and started replacing some of the odball stuff with them when I can. Turns out, the best thing about the full set of Johnsons I bought was the case they came in, I still use it. Twelve door stops and a really sturdy case. Some of the off-brand harps have a really mellow sound with smooth consistant tone, and I still enjoy playing them. Can't bring myself to throw any of them out, packrat I guess. I guess I could trade them to some kids in the neighborhood for a pocketknife with a broken blade or something of like value. Thought it would be interisting to hear how some other players came up with the collection they have.
