Sonny Terry's harmonicas 2

[@dsiebenheller]

I saw Terry & McGee in about 1978 in a deconsecrated church in backwoods North Carolina. I was about 5 feet away. He had a fishing vest on, with all of the harps organized. I wish I had known I was going to take up the harp 40 years later! I'm glad you got one of his; you can do it justice.

[@georgerism]

great post.....at one time I gave up on marine bands and changed to sp20s and golden melodies,,,,,,,but now they are my go to harps for blues jams......and I have many vintage marine bands tuned to 7JI or blues tuning

[@sunjamrblues]

Very cool! I was one of a very few Americans living in Wellington, New Zealand, in the early 1970s. Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee gave a concert to a small audience in Wellington, and he and Brownie ended up over at my house later in the evening. Sadly, I didn't know how to play harmonica at that time, so it was a lost opportunity for me.

[@joemazmo7981]

Good vid Mr Gussow. Thanks for taking the time; it's much appreciated.

[@chuckratcliff]

Great video. What a particularly wonderful surprise that you have one of Sonny's harps.

[@harboranimal]

Loved your documentary, Adam and Satan! Loved Sonny & Brownie too.

[@waltseher7115]

Don't forget, Sonny held the harmonica in his right hand too. So that might explain the wear

[@allenevans7979]

Hey Adam great channel love the lessons I think Sonny Terry done all the harp work on the movie crossroads with Ralph and Steve via

[@Jonathan12111]

Great to see some new videos. Good luck with the new channel!

[@gussowsclassicbluesharmoni2726]

+Jonathan12111 : Thanks!

[@a.m.phaneuf6164]

From old film it looks like the high end is to his left. As you say, upside down. To me it looks like that’s thumb wear, on his harp, where it would be if he held harp in-reverse of standard/“normal” way you hold the instrument. I didn’t really get what u said about a flatter tuning on his harps…did u say Hohner set his harps that way ?? Future content maybe: preference of marine band over blues-harp..if that is the case w/ you.

[@BoazKimMusic]

Hi Adam, thanks for sharing this! It sounds like Sonny's harp is a little worn out, as you said, which would effect tuning. Plus for being an older harmonica the tuning has shifted from oxidation. I found that the older Marine Bands (unsealed comb with yellow and black paint vs the current Marine Bands (brown sealed combs) have the same tonal qualities that you've mentioned due to the raw wood exposed in the tines. Do you have another Marine band with the yellow paint to do another comparison?

[@ideality9677]

Sell me one pls, he is one of my idols

[@jimisi7424]

Wow! Nice...

[@AndrewKomarharp]

cool harp))

[@mxm190]

subscribed to original channel, checking out your new channel lets see what you got going on here..... :-)

[@jimisi7424]

just go just gotta suck up that dried spit! Hell, it’s sonnys dried spit after all!