Harmonica reeds

[Butler]

Does anybody but me wonder why so many harmonica reeds are lying around? I think everyone with a metal detector finds at least one. Well, I would guess at least 80% +. A coin or ring I can see losing because they are so small, but a harmonica? Any theories?

 

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[GB1]

Does anybody but me wonder why so many harmonica reeds are lying around? I think everyone with a metal detector finds at least one. Well, I would guess at least 80% +. A coin or ring I can see losing because they are so small, but a harmonica? Any theories?

i wonder that too i find at least one every time i go.

 

[Truth]

You have to remember they were a major major part of entertainment, small pocket sized musical instrument and yes lost often. I was blessed enough to find one partially intact which I’ve rarely seen.

 

[Digger_O'Dell]

Yeah, I find them all over. Parks, street tear outs, farm fields, etc. Even found one near a popular beach, then realized there was an old shipwreck only about 300 feet out that could easily explain it.

 

[MrBlueSkyNM]

Interesting. Well, I think I got my first harmonica reed this week. Only a state away here in NM.

 

[TerryEastTexas]

Yes I find harmonica reeds, squeeze box reeds and jew's harps. I guess you put them together then you would have a small band.

 

[BullBat]

Basic entertainment, slim, easy to carry in a pocket, cheap models available so most everyone could have one...can you think of anything similar?

Okay, fast forward to present-day. Check the newspaper or Craigs List lost/found and tally up how many cell phones are lost daily in just your area. It’s all relative.

 

[devldog]

You have to remember they were a major major part of entertainment, small pocket sized musical instrument and yes lost often. I was blessed enough to find one partially intact which I’ve rarely seen. View attachment 1642258 View attachment 1642262

Very nice find. It is very rare that a partial harmonica is ever found, and you found one.

 

[devldog]

There were a lot of Harmonica Playin' Fools a way back. I believe it was Tar Heel Digging that had a video on a place they dubbed Harmonica Hill. They found quite a few harmonica reeds on this particular hill which was a part of a Civil War encampment.

 

[Truth]

Very nice find. It is very rare that a partial harmonica is ever found, and you found one.

Thank you devidog I got lucky

 

[A2coins]

I find a lot of em but haven't seen anyone playing one in forever lol

 

[Holyground]

Back in the olden days, they shot a lot of harmonica players if there were no piano players around. You never find piano keys, do you? See, I rest my case.

 

[jeff of pa]

Back in the olden days, they shot a lot of harmonica players if there were no piano players around. You never find piano keys, do you? See, I rest my case.

They went after the organ Players.


& yes , Back a Hundred Years ago, The Local Radio Station was
Still Non Existent.

& It would have been Pretty hard to Carry a gramophone everywhere.

So allot of People Entertained themselves.

of course there was also most likely allot of Jam Sessions
Before Sack Time in Camp sites.

I've dug a Couple Whole ones in Lake Mud,
But the moisture caused the Pieces to fall apart as I removed them
And rinsed them off.

 

[creskol]

As with anything with reeds, the reeds wear out rendering them useless. Organs, squeezeboxes, etc had replaceable reeds, so you find the ones that were discarded. Harmonicas on the other hand, had reed plates, and when their reeds wore out, most of the time the whole harmonica was discarded. Given their popularity and affordability after the Civil War on through WWI, it is no wonder so many were discarded for us to find!

 

[chub]

As with anything with reeds, the reeds wear out rendering them useless. Organs, squeezeboxes, etc had replaceable reeds, so you find the ones that were discarded. Harmonicas on the other hand, had reed plates, and when their reeds wore out, most of the time the whole harmonica was discarded. Given their popularity and affordability after the Civil War on through WWI, it is no wonder so many were discarded for us to find!

So are we finding the reeds where the rest of the harmonica rusted away? For some reason I thought people replaced the reeds? I got to the stage a while back where I discard them when I dig them.

Chub

 

[devldog]

Back in the olden days, they shot a lot of harmonica players if there were no piano players around. You never find piano keys, do you? See, I rest my case.

This causes one for some Deep Thought.........hmmmmm.

 

[pa-dirt_nc-sand]

They are all over W PA old homesteads and cellar hole sites. I probably find a full reed every week or two, sometimes find a handful in one outing. Always wondered why they are everywhere. Also find loads of old plated spoons and forks in the middle of nowhere in the woods. They drive me nuts...

 

[basssmann]

Don't forget, you play the harmonica a little, then pop it in your shirt pocket, go chop wood, bend over, lose harmonica... the rest is HISTORY..... lol

 

[Butler]

Basic entertainment, slim, easy to carry in a pocket, cheap models available so most everyone could have one...can you think of anything similar?

Okay, fast forward to present-day. Check the newspaper or Craigs List lost/found and tally up how many cell phones are lost daily in just your area. It’s all relative.

So, in a hundred years we (someone) will be digging up cell phone pcbs and trying to ID them on Tnet! "Geez, another IPhone! Still have a Blackberry on my bucket list!"

 

[Tpmetal]

They are all over W PA old homesteads and cellar hole sites. I probably find a full reed every week or two, sometimes find a handful in one outing. Always wondered why they are everywhere. Also find loads of old plated spoons and forks in the middle of nowhere in the woods. They drive me nuts...

Yeah I've found at least 100 plus harmonica reeds. In fact i have a hard time remembering more than a couple cellars that did not give at least a piece of one.