Bassballs

Yeah! I know! After finding the Holy Grail (Boomerang DeLuxe) that was meant to be my final purchase. As with any addiction it ain’t easy to give up. This temptation was too much. A fair lump of a harmonica for a price less than a new diatonic was offered with this Hohner Bass Chromatica No. 265.

To buy one new will set you back close to $3000 Australian! This double decker (also known as the E Bass), all blow instrument has the flats/sharps (piano’s black keys) on the top deck and the natural tones (white keys) on the lower deck. It starts on ‘E’ and spans a full two octaves. The 264 model, a smaller and slightly ‘cheaper’ model, is sometimes known as the ‘G’ Bass. Later, perhaps 1950 (at least in Germany), there was a 268 model an extended Bass.

Having used a pocket bass recently on my Ruffled Feathers single, my interest was piqued in obtaining the real McCoy.

Speaking of McCoy, of the Charlie kind, he and Tommy ‘Hollywood’ Morgan are the two most likely culprits playing the instrument on any modern popular music (modern for my vintage).

It is my humble belief, too that this instrument is undervalued in the recording process. And of course I was also interested in the lineage of this amazing instrument. Pat ‘Guru’ Missin informed HRR that there had been no fanfare for the orchestral instruments in the usual journals and there was no patent or DRGM.

Not discouraged I delved into the limited literature of said instrument.

My initial research presented a reference in The Music Trade Review of October 24, 1925 of the Stern Harmonica Orchestra of Berlin, who were using primarily Hohner Octave Models with the exception of a few chromatic and bass harmonicas. The orchestra consisted of twenty five gifted men swapping between six hundred Hohner harmonicas. Perhaps they weren’t available to the general public?

In The Illustrated Sporting And Dramatic News (December 27, 1930) a pictorial of the Stern band portrays two members with a Bass harmonica.

Pat had made a significant finding regarding a Hohner catalogue previously dated 1934 that was more likely 1929. This suggested the 1935 catalogue where Bass Chromatics are displayed could be earlier too, although nothing stood out to date it precisely.

So where are we at? From the documentation available the Hohner 265 came out sometime between 1930 and 1935 – more likely closer to 1930.

That was before!

Eureka! Even Earlier!

Just days before publication a discovery whereby I could officially date the Bass models to as early as 1927. In a German Hohner Catalogue of that year there was a sketch of the 264 and a description of the 265. So maybe they were available in 1925?

My beast would be dated sometime after WWII with no star on the cover plate (and yes I know that’s not always the case). Earlier models had the star, a different box and a Bakelite mouthpiece (as above).

The man in the Stern (middle) photograph has a wooden left hand with a specially crafted mouth organ stand. The Stern Orchestra in 1930 had expanded to thirty two mouth organists and each player had twenty six mouth organs, which they swiftly interchanged during a performance.

A HRR reader had recently requested information on his father who was a famous mouth organist. This had me digging back into our archived newspapers. Well blow me down with a Bass harmonica, there’s a photograph of a man demonstrating the instrument at the annual meeting of the Victorian Mouth Organ Bands Association in 1934. All previous searches on the Bass Chromatic had produced nothing. Often the way it goes out on the road (and everybody knows that’s just the way it goes).

Bass Best Test 12

Of course the Bass harp was prominent in the harmonica groups and trios of the 30’s, 40’s and 50’s. It had also made its way on significant popular music from the sixties and later. Here is a list I’ve produced of the ‘test’ twelve tunes from that period featuring the Bass Harmonica, with yours truly carrying the drinks. I was the selector!

1. Beautiful Noise – Neil Diamond (Tommy Morgan) 
2. Who’s Gonna Feed Them Hogs – Tom T Hall (Charlie McCoy)
3. The Boxer – Simon & Garfunkel (Charlie McCoy)
4. Papa Hobo – Paul Simon (Charlie McCoy)
5. I Know There’s An Answer – The Beach Boys (Tommy Morgan)
6. Good Vibrations – The Beach Boys (Tommy Morgan)
7. Follow On – Paul Young (Tommy Morgan)
8. For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite – The Beatles (Mal Evans)
9. Fool On The Hill – The Beatles (John &/or George? Maybe Mal)
10. Your Kind Of Man – Bat McGrath & Don Potter (Mike Chimes)
11. I’d Not Let You Be – Glenn Cardier (Broderick Smith)
12. Ruffled Feathers – Ol’ Shep

There is a late edition to the squad and I am prepared to share the twelfth man duties with Marc Bolan. I see in the credits for the 1973, T Rex album ‘Tanx’ – Marc Bolan Bass Harmonica. I for the life of me couldn’t hear it on the album, but I reckon I could on the 1972 non album single Children Of A Revolution’s flip side Jitterbug Love. However, at times it did sound like a Jaw Harp. I inquired on the Guru’s ears for validation as there weren’t any credits for the single, “it definitely sounds like a bass harp. I think the jaw harp sound you are hearing is the tone of the bass reeds being “mouthed” in a similar fashion.”

Play it Louder!

In my harmonica search on eBay a baseball card featuring Phil Linz of the New York Yankees popped up. What had this to do with the people’s instrument? Initially I believed it was an incorrect listing, but there was a tale to be told.

The story goes something like this. Phil, who had only purchased his harmonica the day before, was sitting at the back of their tour bus when he decided to have a crack at Mary Had A Little Lamb. Yogi Berra the manager didn’t appreciate his playing and told him to shove it where the Sun don’t shine. Phil hadn’t heard what Yogi said, so he asked Mickey Mantle who was sitting nearby what Yogi had expressed. Mickey replied, “Play it louder.” A ruckus ensued with the harmonica ending on the deck. Allegedly Yogi slapped it out of Phil’s hand sending it flying into first baseman Joe Pepitone’s shin – no catch!

The New York reporters on the bus made a meal of the incident in their newspapers providing Phil with much fame. Hohner, always on the alert for promotional opportunities, contacted Phil whereby he signed a contract for $5000 to endorse their harmonicas. The Yankees had fined him $200 for the bus fracas.

Boston, who the Yankees played next, had their fans serenading them with harmonicas after the local radio station had encouraged them to do so.

I was, and still am, a big baseball fan. Way back in time circa 1973, I had decided to play baseball to help with my cricket skills. So I put my career as an Australian Rules footballer on hold for at least one season. The impetus for the change was reading that Ian Chappell, Test cricketer and a former State baseball player, attributed baseball for improving his cricket abilities. There was no local team (hardly any south of the Yarra), but with Dad’s help, and his contacts at the Fitzroy Cricket Club, I ventured north of the Yarra to play with the Fitzroy Baseball Club U/15 team.

I bought a blue leather glove from MSD (Melbourne Sports Depot) after switching the price sticker from a plain old brown leather glove. I do not condone my behaviour, but I couldn’t afford the blue glove. I had a few sleepless nights waiting for authorities to knock on the door. This would be my second and last transgression (okay thieving). My first was in State (Primary) School stealing a packet of lifesavers. From memory they were the ‘Cryst-O-Mint’ the clear blue/grey kind. They were the worst tasting (sensation), but the easiest to access at the bottom of the counter display (probably for a reason) at the Milk Bar conveniently located directly over the road from the education facility. The brazen theft was for a girl I was smitten with in grade five (Deidre A). En passant the best lifesavers by a mile were the speckled fruit tingles. Again I had the same sleepless nights. Although I couldn’t find the fortitude to give them to her (What was I thinking? – Kids!) we did go bareback horse riding once. Why am I telling you all this? Most people I know think that I’m crazy.

In that very year (playing with Fitzroy) I made the senior high school Baseball team. It wasn’t easy to find a squad of baseballers so little ol’ me in the junior school was recruited to join Ken Clark in Form Six (Year Twelve), a league pitcher. Together with seven others we reached the dizzy heights of school sport stardom competing in the All High Championships at Ross Straw Field. Not that the school could give a stuff! Never did!

Here’s a wee grab of Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs with a tune called Bassballs (1976). Why not?

Y’all Got Your Ears On

And time won’t wait for you to make
Decisions that lurk in the dark
While breaking each other’s hearts
And we’re just getting older
(Getting Older - Gary Louris)

First up; (located down under) is from the now seven piece band Vanilla Gorilla with their first single Exhale lifted from their forthcoming album, ‘Home’ (dropping later this month). They’ve been MIA for three years, but they’re back with a calypso reggae based tune that bounces along before taking a deep breath late into the tune and morphing into a frenzy of wailing blues burger from keyboardist Wylie Wilson (ironically mostly inhaling). Settling back into the reggae groove we deviate once more for the final climactic guitar wah wah solo. The song taps into being still and in awe of nature. The lads will be in Melbourne launching the album on Saturday the 12th April at the Brunswick Ballroom.

The second; (from up over) has a distinctly Tom Petty, Mary Jane’s Last Dance feel, especially with the first position harmonica riff – you couldn’t go wrong with that. The tune from Gary Louris is titled Getting Older. It bears its own vibe, is punctuated with a catchy piano melody and comes to rest with a delectable acoustic guitar change up. Head to Bandcamp to purchase a download of the single in the format of your choice. From the album ‘Dark Country’, which was due for release yesterday.

A late addition to new releases is from Northern Beaches outfit The Mezcaltones. City Lights is a moody, swampy cautionary allegory for north coast surfers heading to the city. There’s classic rhythmic huff and puff harmonica flavouring this ripper tune. Do yourself a service and give it a spin.

Leigh Sloggett Trio Sunday 9th February Westernport Hotel, San Remo

Our first pilgrimage of 2025 along the Bass Coast to San Remo for a late afternoon/evening gig at The Westernport Hotel. The winds were a blowin’ and the waves were a crashin’ and, in the front room of the hotel, the Leigh Slogget Trio was putting the smooth into groove. Leigh mixed his originals with fabulous reworkings of tunes from the past into three dynamic sets. Leigh’s superb guitar skills (including lap slide) were on display along with his smoky vocal backed up by Matt’s (Crump) shuffling beat and Chris’ (‘Pickle Juice’ Riseley) walking Double Bass (and harmonies too!). Highlights from the show include one of his most recent creations Every Time I Feel Lucky (I Lose), his spin on Bessie Smith’s Backwater Blues, his take on Leroy Carr’s How Long Blues and the epic slow burn, hypnotising groove of Fragile. Special mention needs to be made of their cover of Creedence’s Long As I Can See The Light. The sun hadn’t shone all day but, as if on cue after the first verse, the bay windows were flooded with sunlight. It was brief, but was it a sign?

Leigh has just dropped a cracker of a single Cassandra. Sadly it didn’t receive a guernsey at the gig. It’s a modern day version of Cassandra from Greek mythology, where the prophecies of modern day climate scientists are met with disbelief. A video accompanying the audio was filmed at Gunnamatta surf beach. The wild, dangerous sand break location resonates artistically with the tune. A second day of filming was required with producer Leigh taking the reins behind the camera. A man of many talents. Leigh provided an insight on the songwriting. “I wrote it back in 2009 but it wasn’t until 2021 when making the album ‘Wait for the Change’ that I decided to record the song. Due to its length and stylistic difference, Cassandra didn’t make it onto the album. So I decided to release it as a single.” Great decision Leigh. 👏🏻 Oh! Good work by you too Davy Miller.

Nice to see a true harmonica living legend being honoured by Seydel with a special edition harmonica. It’s a few dollarydoos. I suggest the best way for us in Oz to purchase is to drop a line to Mandoharp for a great deal. Tell ’em Shep sent you. The cap isn’t part of the harmonica package, they can be purchased separately.

Prop Harp (or not)

This ten year old boy is an accomplished harmonica player and he had to carry this large instrument through Spencer Street Station yesterday when he reached Melbourne from America. The boy is Gene Jimae and he will be seen at the Tivoli Theatre tomorrow night, where he will appear in a new revue. The harmonicas he plays range in size from 10 inches to 26 inches. (Sun News-Pictorial, Melbourne 10 November 1953)

It doesn’t appear in this grainy photograph that young Gene is carrying the Hohner 267 Chord harmonica, which is 23 inches in length and we know he played. Any harmonica would look big on Gene, but I’m thinking this might be a prop. There’s more on Gene in a few posts just throw his name in the search engine. I didn’t add this photo to The Big One post, because of its quality, but I did insert one of Charlie Musselwhite.

Bird Watching

I had this article brewing late last year. It was time. After hearing a somewhat obscure Mental As Anything tune on our local radio station I headed down a rabbit hole attempting to play Greedy’s harmonica riffs at speed. I eventually arrived at a more sedate Steve Williams solo. The links to the article have been rectified. Check it out here Bird 🦅.

Bad Ass Bass Player

I had a question from a bass player in the UK as to the make of Wayne Duncan’s (Daddy Cool) guitar. Yeah! Gray you! And he was right on the money – a Fender Jazz. Well used (and played) I would say.

Check it out (Maybe they’ll have a better understanding) -Gray’s Frail Autumn Project – well worth a read and a listen.

A link and an acknowledgment, please?

Recently on a harmonica collector’s site, a member reproduced a large portion of my Crackajack Mouth Organ research. Kindly it was taken down by the moderator. I’m happy for my research to be used, but it should be acknowledged. A link to the post would be have been a far better option in this instance.

Oh Shep you’ve done it again!

Speaking of Gene Jimae’s 267 Hohner Chord harmonica earlier, well I just couldn’t reject a special deal on one. More next month.

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