[Harp-L] Re: Radio 10-reed diatonic harmonica

[Helmuth2849@xxxxxxx]

Hello, Tom (Clearwater, Florida, USA).

 
Your Radio harmonica's wood comb has 12 holes, and only 10 reeds. 
 
It was made in the former Czechoslovakia, and probably has a set  of 5 
exhale reeds on the upper reed plate, and 5 inhale reeds on the lower reed  
plate. 
 
It may have been, as you've written, designed to be played  melodically 
(one note at a time), or chordally (multi-exhale or multi-inhale  notes played 
together), or both melodically and chordally, in a  self-accompaniment.
 
The key of the harmonica is unknown, but it might be like the  following no
te chart. Large letters are exhale reeds, small letters are inhale  reeds. 
The sign ( | ) is a vertical comb divider, the sign ( - )is an empty hole  
(no reed).
 
RADIO POPULAR DELICIA 12-hole diatonic harmonica, circa 1948-'89(?)
(This is a guess only. Check the tuning on your harp)
 
|| - | C | -  | E |  -  | G |  - |  -  |  C |  -  | E  |  - || (Exhale 
notes)
|| - | -  | d  | -  |  f  | -   |  a | b  | -  | d  |  -   |   - || (Inhale 
notes)
 
There is a horizontal comb divider, which separates the upper  horizontal 
row from the lower horizontal row of reeds. Each hole (except 1  and 12) has 
one reed. 
 
This double row comb setup, with only one reed per hole, blow reeds  on the 
upper plate and draw reeds on the lower plate,is commonly used on tremolo  
and octave harmonicas.
 
On tremolos and octave harps, two vertically stacked reeds are  played 
together, either blow or draw.
 
But, your Radio Poular Delicia harmonica is a diatonic harmonica, like a  
10-hole diatonic single reed per note blues harp.
 
It's a guess that it's of the era from 1948-'89, when Czechoslovakia  was 
under Soviet political influence. The Soviets "nationalized" many  
industries, including harmonica factories.
 
Parts for harmonicas were not always available, and tools were scarce, so  
the companies improvised out of necessity, and put single reed diatonic 
plates  on a double reed tremolo harmonica comb. That's only a guess. 
 
Best Regards
 
John Broecker