Hohner Echo 1494/28

[jbmorrow]

First of all, hello.

I joined this forum because I've started taking an interest in restoring old harmonicas. So far I've done a couple of diatonics, but I've recently come across a chromatic--a Hohner Echo 1494 / 28.

I'm not interested in value, but I'd like to get a better idea of when it was built. It still has the original cardboard box, so I figure it's from pre-1980s (when they started using plastic boxes, right?). However, there is no star in the logo on the back cover, so I'm guessing it's post-WWII.

Here's a link to some pictures: http://morrowjb.tumblr.com/private/62382782870/tumblr_mtrh6mxuKG1sfxjti

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

[SlideMeister]

As far as I know, the Hohner Echos are all diatonics. (No half notes and no button)

[Grizzly]

Age is right, as usual. Hohner has made a tremolo or an octave chromatic…let's see…never.

But even diatonics have half steps; in this case, from B to C and from F# to G. We'll leave the half notes (and quarter notes, eighth notes, etc.) to the player. 

Tom

[jbmorrow]

Well, well. I'll be [darned] . I was getting the chromatic mixed up with a diatonic with octave tuning.

Rookie status confirmed.

Thanks anyway, gentlemen. I'll let you know when I get my hands on an actual chromatic harp.

[John Broecker]

Hello, JBMorrow.

Your key of G Hohner Echo #1494/28 was made circa 1950s-'60s (a guess),
judging by the box. Your Echo has 2 double rows of 14 reeds each row
(28 reeds, and starts on B as it's lowest pitched reed (left side).

It is 4.5" long, and it's an octave harp, with the lower pitched reeds on the
top horizontal row, and the higher pitched reeds on the bottom horizontal row.

It was made from circa mid 1930s to the present day, in it's present form,
unchanged, except for the bottom metal cover (plated brass), which has
no star in the hands & circles trademark.

The hands & circles Hohner trademark has had no star in the center of
the circle(s) since 1937, when the German government ordered Hohner
and other German harmonica companies to remove the hexagon star
from the companies' logos.

So, your Echo was made sometime after 1937. If you read the medallions
on both sides of the hands & circles logo, cities and years are listed.
Your harmonica was made after the most recent medallion year.

A few Hohner Grand Prix Trade Fairs and Exhibitions awards:

Ulm, 1871; Wien (Vienna), 1873; Philadelphia, 1876; Stuttgart, 1881;
Chicago, 1893; Paris, 1900; Villagen, 1907; Philadelphia, 1926;
Geneva, 1927; Paris, 1927; Chicago, 1933-'34; Paris, 1936-'37.

Best Regards

John Broecker

[Gustavo Casado]

 
John is a "walking encyclopedia"...

Thanks for the information.

Gustavo.