The Tremolo Fan Club Thread

[BigDogDaddyD]

Among my tremolos, I have an old Hohner paddle wheel 6-harp tremolo setup.  Being able to spin it to find a different note is fun and challenging. 

Best of both worlds... kinda sorta...  the Suzuki SCT-128 tremolo chromatic.  I enjoy playing classical on mine.  Only reason I got this one was it was used and super cheap.

I do love the tremolo sound.

[John Broecker]

I have a Hohner #53-4 Tremolo Quartet "paddlewheel" set. It's
4 Richter system harps, keys of C, D, F and G. The tremolo sound
is super, but I don't play it often. Each of the harps has 24 double
holes (48 reeds). In toto, that's 192 reeds for the Quartet.

Tremolo harps are "special effects" harps for me, compared to the
slide chromatics, diatonics, chord and bass harps. I also have Polish
-made; Russian-made; Japanese-made; Chinese-made; Brazilian-
made and German-made tremolos, in many shapes & sizes, and keys.

German-, Brazilian-, Polish- and Russian-made tremolos use mainly
Richter-system reed placement, with the lowest reed either "mi" or
"so" of the scale. Japanese- and Chinese-made tremolos are usually
Asian system reed placements.

Best Regards, Stay Healthy

JB

[beads]

Merry Christmas.

[Aluvsupreme]

Nice,Beads!          Brian

[J.R.]

I suffered a HAS attack yesterday and I bought a new one...

Actually, I had been thinking about buying a tremolo harmonica for some time. I have a Chinese Golden Cup tremolo (which was my first harmonica), and I wanted a second one.

Yesterday, I was walking my dog and we entered a music instruments shops. They had some Hohner Seductoras in C at about 50% of their usual price, so I could not resist the temptation. I think they probably bought them from another shop that closed some time ago.

The Seductora's range is quite small (only 1 and 1/2 scales), but I love how it sounds...

[beads]

I suffered a HAS attack yesterday and I bought a new one...

Actually, I had been thinking about buying a tremolo harmonica for some time. I have a Chinese Golden Cup tremolo (which was my first harmonica), and I wanted a second one.

Yesterday, I was walking my dog and we entered a music instruments shops. They had some Hohner Seductoras in C at about 50% of their usual price, so I could not resist the temptation. I think they probably bought them from another shop that closed some time ago.

The Seductora's range is quite small (only 1 and 1/2 scales), but I love how it sounds...

Hi J.R. Congratulations on the new harp.
I think that is an octave harp, not a tremolo. I could be wrong. I think it is like the Hohner Unsere Lieblinge but it is named differently for the South American market. They look similar. I have the Unsere Lieblinge in C and G and enjoy playing folk music on them. Mine have 16 notes, 32 holes, and the low end plays chords instead of a complete scale. Here is what mine sounds like:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZpHMdrzhfA&list=PLJ1G4oHit4xhsBkYVTganjO7Dd-TiJDHU

[J.R.]

I suffered a HAS attack yesterday and I bought a new one...

Actually, I had been thinking about buying a tremolo harmonica for some time. I have a Chinese Golden Cup tremolo (which was my first harmonica), and I wanted a second one.

Yesterday, I was walking my dog and we entered a music instruments shops. They had some Hohner Seductoras in C at about 50% of their usual price, so I could not resist the temptation. I think they probably bought them from another shop that closed some time ago.

The Seductora's range is quite small (only 1 and 1/2 scales), but I love how it sounds...

Hi J.R. Congratulations on the new harp.
I think that is an octave harp, not a tremolo. I could be wrong. I think it is like the Hohner Unsere Lieblinge but it is named differently for the South American market. They look similar. I have the Unsere Lieblinge in C and G and enjoy playing folk music on them. Mine have 16 notes, 32 holes, and the low end plays chords instead of a complete scale. Here is what mine sounds like:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZpHMdrzhfA&list=PLJ1G4oHit4xhsBkYVTganjO7Dd-TiJDHU

You are probably right... but it has two rows of holes and it sounds beautifully.

[Danny G]

Nice ! Happy New Harmonica

[John Broecker]

Hello, J.R.

Here's historical information about your
Golden Cup and Seductora harmonicas.

HOHNER #6890 SEDUCTORA
As far back as 1902, maybe earlier,
the Seductora octave-tuned harps
were listed in the Catalogo Ilustrado
de Armonicas de Boca (Spanish
language catalog). It's a guess that
the Seductoras were made up to 1955.

They have a concave-shaped mouthpiece,
and look like the Hohner Unsere Lieblinge
and ECHO octave harmonicas. Most Hohner
octave diatonic harps have the curved
mouthpiece.

The top horizontal row of reeds is tuned
an octave (8 scale notes) below the
bottom horizontal row's pitches.

Your Seductora has 24 double vertical
mouthpiece holes, 48 reeds total, with
1.5 octaves' major scale range. The
Seductora uses the Richter system of
reed placement, allowing chords to be
played in the lowest range.

Seductoras were made in 3 models:
#6890-24 double reeds, 7" long (your model).
#6891-28 double reeds, 9 inches (?) long.
#6892-32 double reeds, 11 inches (?) long.

GOLDEN CUP HARMONICAS
This information is from 2014, and might
be out-of-date.

Golden Cup and Leo Shi harmonicas are
made by:

Jiangyin Seasound Musical Instruments Co., Ltd.
#1531 Zhencheng Rd. Shenggang Town,
Jiangyin, Jiangsu, China, 21443

Golden Cup currently sells tremolos, octaves, diatonics
and slide chromatics. The company was founded in 1979,
as Jiangyin Quiling Musical Instrument Co.

The octave and tremolo harps' reed placement
is Asian system, different than the German and
Brazilian brands.

Unsecure Website:
www.golden-cup.com/index.html

Email:
haiyunmusical@gmail.com

The company's motto is:

Where there is music,
there are intoxicated people.

Best Regards, Stay Healthy

JB

[J.R.]

Thanks a lot, John!

[John Broecker]

You are welcome, J.R.

Best Regards, Stay Healthy

JB

[HUGO]

SUZUKI TREMOLOS CMPR'D:  BARITONE SBH-21  &  SCT-128 TREMOLO CHROMATIC

 I wonder if anyone can weigh in on how similar these two Suzuki Tremolos are.

I absolutely love the tone and response of the Baritone SBH-21. I didn't care for its' "Asian Tuning" though, preferring instead the Solo or, "Orchestra" tuning of Chromatic Harmonicas.

 The SCT-128 features Solo tuning. Listening to audio clips on Suzukis' website I can't tell how similar it might be to the Baritone. The SCT-128 is so expensive that I thought it wise to first run it past the TFCT.

Thank you

HUGO

[Keith]

There are some post on here somewhere about the SCX128, & they didn't seem to be liked very much, by those who bought one, worth trying to find them/those posts.

I thought it might be good too, but after reading about it, decided not to waste money on it. I decided to try playing C/C# tremolos chromatically instead; I still haven't managed, but haven't tried very hard, (I tend to stick with my Orchestra tuned chromatics, when I do play).

P.S. You might like to consider Seydel Fanfare S - they are normal solo tuned tremolos.

[beads]

SUZUKI TREMOLOS CMPR'D:  BARITONE SBH-21  &  SCT-128 TREMOLO CHROMATIC

 I wonder if anyone can weigh in on how similar these two Suzuki Tremolos are.

I absolutely love the tone and response of the Baritone SBH-21. I didn't care for its' "Asian Tuning" though, preferring instead the Solo or, "Orchestra" tuning of Chromatic Harmonicas.

 The SCT-128 features Solo tuning. Listening to audio clips on Suzukis' website I can't tell how similar it might be to the Baritone. The SCT-128 is so expensive that I thought it wise to first run it past the TFCT.

Thank you

HUGO

I have found it is not difficult to switch between Asian tuned tremolo and solo tuned chromatic. Actually easier than switching between blues harp and chromatic.
Never played a chromatic tremolo, it never interested me. I consider them 2 different tools for different styles of playing.

[John Broecker]

The tremolo harmonica was invented by an
employee of the Wilhelm Thie company,
of Vienna, Austria, circa 1870?

The Vienna System, also known as the
tremolo harmonica, is one of six standard
comb systems used today.

The other standard comb systems include the solo
system (Knittlinger), used mostly on standard slide
chromatics; the chromatic (Berlin) system, mostly
on standard no-slide, single reed chromatics; the
Richter (Haidau)system of standard blues harps;
and the Asian (Shanghai)system of oriental-made
harmonicas, a variation of the Vienna system.

THE TREMOLO HARMONICA & OCTAVE HARMONICA

Circa early 1870s (?), an un-named employee of the
Wilhelm Thie company in Vienna, Austria, invented
the tremolo harp (according to Wilhelm Koch, son
of harmonica maker Andreas Koch):

"It is a Sunday, the Thie workshop is overloaded...a
harp tuner has to do Sunday work. Wilhelm is repairing
his tools. He hears a tone...like the violin of Strauss...
coming from the tuner's room. Wilhelm hurries to the
tuner's room. He asks the tuner, 'what have you done?'

"Tired of doing Sunday work, the tuner is doing silly tricks,
tuning a top harmonica reed plate slightly lower in pitch,
than the identically-pitched bottom reed plate, generating
a sweet tone, called a celeste, a soft, wavy tone.

"Wilhelm gives the tuner a coin, saying, 'go to a pub,
a concert, drink for the well-being of our business.'
Wilhelm works overnight, making a tremolo (double
reed) comb, each reed in it's own chamber.

The first published listing of Thie tremolo harmonicas
known to this author, was in the Moses Slater 1874
products catalog. Within years, the other major harp
makers copied the Thie tremolos. Later, octave-tuned
harmonicas were added, using the same tremolo comb
system.

Best Regards, Stay Healthy

JB
 

[SlideMeister]

The Tremolo and AutoValve (whatever those are) are big with the Amish out here in roadappleville.

[John Broecker]

The Hohner Auto-Valve Harp was made by Hohner,
Trossingen, Germany, from 1903-circa 4-5 years ago
(a guess), when it was discontinued in production.

It's like an octave-tuned Marine Band.

It uses the 10-hole Knittlinger comb, like the standard
10-hole slide chromatic harmonica. But, the top horizontal
reed plate is tuned an octave below the bottom reed plate.

The reed placement is like the Hohner 10-hole Marine Band
harp, in the Richter system. But, the vertically-paired reeds
are tuned in octaves.  This results in more volume, and a fuller
sound than the single-reed (per note) Marine Band.

Best Regards, Stay Healthy

JB

[HUGO]

There are some post on here somewhere about the SCX128, & they didn't seem to be liked very much, by those who bought one, worth trying to find them/those posts.

I thought it might be good too, but after reading about it, decided not to waste money on it. I decided to try playing C/C# tremolos chromatically instead; I still haven't managed, but haven't tried very hard, (I tend to stick with my Orchestra tuned chromatics, when I do play).

P.S. You might like to consider Seydel Fanfare S - they are normal solo tuned tremolos.

Thanks for sharing Keith. 

 I did the C/C# Tremolos' as well (discovering along the way that Office Supply adhesive gum secures them in place for as long as you like) but I just can't adjust to their "Asian" tuning.

 My small, Seydel Mtn Harp (discontinued) is my current go-to Tremolo, only because of its' Solo tuning.

 I also have a Seydel Fanfare in C but never play it, as it's not my cup of tea.

 As stated in the "Effects" topic, I'm slanting more towards the EFX pedal for tonal variety these days.

- HUGO

[HUGO]

The tremolo harmonica was invented by an
employee of the Wilhelm Thie company,
of Vienna, Austria, circa 1870?

The Vienna System, also known as the
tremolo harmonica, is one of six standard
comb systems used today.

The other standard comb systems include the solo
system (Knittlinger), used mostly on standard slide
chromatics; the chromatic (Berlin) system, mostly
on standard no-slide, single reed chromatics; the
Richter (Haidau)system of standard blues harps;
and the Asian (Shanghai)system of oriental-made
harmonicas, a variation of the Vienna system.

THE TREMOLO HARMONICA & OCTAVE HARMONICA

Circa early 1870s (?), an un-named employee of the
Wilhelm Thie company in Vienna, Austria, invented
the tremolo harp (according to Wilhelm Koch, son
of harmonica maker Andreas Koch):

"It is a Sunday, the Thie workshop is overloaded...a
harp tuner has to do Sunday work. Wilhelm is repairing
his tools. He hears a tone...like the violin of Strauss...
coming from the tuner's room. Wilhelm hurries to the
tuner's room. He asks the tuner, 'what have you done?'

"Tired of doing Sunday work, the tuner is doing silly tricks,
tuning a top harmonica reed plate slightly lower in pitch,
than the identically-pitched bottom reed plate, generating
a sweet tone, called a celeste, a soft, wavy tone.

"Wilhelm gives the tuner a coin, saying, 'go to a pub,
a concert, drink for the well-being of our business.'
Wilhelm works overnight, making a tremolo (double
reed) comb, each reed in it's own chamber.

The first published listing of Thie tremolo harmonicas
known to this author, was in the Moses Slater 1874
products catalog. Within years, the other major harp
makers copied the Thie tremolos. Later, octave-tuned
harmonicas were added, using the same tremolo comb
system.

Best Regards, Stay Healthy

JB

Thank you for sharing John, very insightful. How often I've pondered this instruments' origin?

[BigDogDaddyD]

SUZUKI TREMOLOS CMPR'D:  BARITONE SBH-21  &  SCT-128 TREMOLO CHROMATIC

 I wonder if anyone can weigh in on how similar these two Suzuki Tremolos are.

I absolutely love the tone and response of the Baritone SBH-21. I didn't care for its' "Asian Tuning" though, preferring instead the Solo or, "Orchestra" tuning of Chromatic Harmonicas.

 The SCT-128 features Solo tuning. Listening to audio clips on Suzukis' website I can't tell how similar it might be to the Baritone. The SCT-128 is so expensive that I thought it wise to first run it past the TFCT.

Thank you

HUGO

  I can't speak to the Suzuki Baritone.  Have only seen it and heard it played online.  But I've had my SCT-128 for a few years now, and I love it.  I didn't pay their $1200.00 asking price.  I bought mine used and wounded (it had been dropped) off Ebay for about a 1/4 of the new price.  But it recovered well.  I like playing classical with it.  Performed with it in public for the first time this last Christmas, at the kids church Christmas play.  Got to play lead with an acoustic guitar backup on "What Child Is This."  Sound man added a little reverb and chorus, and it almost sounded like I knew what I was doing.  It was probably the "safest" crowd I've ever played...a bunch of family members cheering their kids on...in church.  If I could change anything on the SCT-128, I would octave tune it.  I like that sound over a standard tremolo.  I would probably like the Suzuki Baritone better as well octave tuned.  But I guess they both have their places.

  Speaking of octave tremolo chromatics, it's a shame Mr. Brendon Power quit selling his "OctaChrom" Octave Tremolo Chromatic kits.  His double comb design allowed you to connect two Hohner Super Chromonica 270's together to make an octave tuned tremolo chromatic.  And for much cheaper than the $1200.00 Suzuki wants.  I bought one of the "selectable kits", and now wish I'd bought several more.  It's one of my favorite chromatics.

  Youtube video:    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YklPHYumi0I

  He still mentions it at his website in the "discontinued section" :  https://www.brendan-power.com/harmonicas-twin.php

  Maybe if enough of us asked him nicely, he'd make some more for the fine members of the greatest chromatic harp website on the planet.

[John Broecker]

Hello, BigDogDD.

Thanks for the information on Brendan's
octave and tremolo slide harps. They are
very interesting products.

Since they are chromatic harps, this should
have been posted in the chromatic section.

I've been looking for a slide octave chromatic
for many years, and the only known octave
chromatic (known to me) were the standard
no-slide octave bass chromatics.

I have the Suzuki SCT-128 slide tremolo chromatic.
It's fun, and used for tremolo effect tunes that
have accidentals (notes not in the key scale) in
the melody.

And, I have the Power Slider Bass system added
to my Hohner octave bass. It makes difficult
tunes easier to play. But, the raised mouthpiece
results in a quieter tone, with less resonance.

Thanks for sharing.

Best Regards, Stay Healthy

JB

[HUGO]

SUZUKI TREMOLOS CMPR'D:  BARITONE SBH-21  &  SCT-128 TREMOLO CHROMATIC

 I wonder if anyone can weigh in on how similar these two Suzuki Tremolos are.

I absolutely love the tone and response of the Baritone SBH-21. I didn't care for its' "Asian Tuning" though, preferring instead the Solo or, "Orchestra" tuning of Chromatic Harmonicas.

 The SCT-128 features Solo tuning. Listening to audio clips on Suzukis' website I can't tell how similar it might be to the Baritone. The SCT-128 is so expensive that I thought it wise to first run it past the TFCT.

Thank you

HUGO

  I can't speak to the Suzuki Baritone.  Have only seen it and heard it played online.  But I've had my SCT-128 for a few years now, and I love it.  I didn't pay their $1200.00 asking price.  I bought mine used and wounded (it had been dropped) off Ebay for about a 1/4 of the new price.  But it recovered well.  I like playing classical with it.  Performed with it in public for the first time this last Christmas, at the kids church Christmas play.  Got to play lead with an acoustic guitar backup on "What Child Is This."  Sound man added a little reverb and chorus, and it almost sounded like I knew what I was doing.  It was probably the "safest" crowd I've ever played...a bunch of family members cheering their kids on...in church.  If I could change anything on the SCT-128, I would octave tune it.  I like that sound over a standard tremolo.  I would probably like the Suzuki Baritone better as well octave tuned.  But I guess they both have their places.

  Speaking of octave tremolo chromatics, it's a shame Mr. Brendon Power quit selling his "OctaChrom" Octave Tremolo Chromatic kits.  His double comb design allowed you to connect two Hohner Super Chromonica 270's together to make an octave tuned tremolo chromatic.  And for much cheaper than the $1200.00 Suzuki wants.  I bought one of the "selectable kits", and now wish I'd bought several more.  It's one of my favorite chromatics.

  Youtube video:    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YklPHYumi0I

  He still mentions it at his website in the "discontinued section" :  https://www.brendan-power.com/harmonicas-twin.php

  Maybe if enough of us asked him nicely, he'd make some more for the fine members of the greatest chromatic harp website on the planet.

Thanks for weighing in on your SCT-128 experience BDDD.
Interesting ideas from Mr. Power. I sometimes wonder; with all the irons he has in the fire, where he finds the time to sleep?