G'day JimP,

I take it that this is the double-sided, curved lip-plate Hohner model 1499/80 that goes back as least as far as my first (circa 1958) catalogue. That one had a wooden body - and I would have thought that the later plastic-bodied Comet (also double-sided, curved lip-plate ... indicating Octave- [aka: "Organ"-] tuned, in two keys a fourth (?) apart replaced the Comet 1499/80, but you may have an old instrument.

I saw the plastic Comet going for close to AUD$200 a few years back, here in Sydney - and I haven't bought one for ages! I guess the older Echo - especially in a handy key set like A /D - would be a treasure worth restoring. With the Comets, I would have no worry about soaking them well in warm water (with occasional agitation), then draining, rinsing, shaking as free of water as possible and leaving to dry naturally. You can wash the wooden-bodied ones in water ... but I wouldn't let it soak for very long before quickly rinsing, shaking dry and drying in a moderately warm, ventilated spot. (I usually blow through the wooden-bodied ones straight after shaking out ... until I get evey reed sounding - if not dead to pitch!).

Regards,

Bob