Can you play a comb?

Subject: Folklore: Can you play a comb?
From: GUEST,lloyd65
Date: 05 Dec 03 - 10:25 PM

A 90 year old friend keeps asking if I can play a comb. She said her dad played one. When I visit the Nursing home with my guitar she says thats nice, but if only I could hear a comb again.

So, I'm asking how do you play a comb?

Subject: RE: Folklore: Can you play a comb?
From: Mark Clark
Date: 05 Dec 03 - 10:45 PM

Fold a piece of tissue paper over an Ace hard rubber pocket comb, hold it gently against your lips and hum. It's the original kazoo.

      - Mark

Subject: RE: Folklore: Can you play a comb?
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 06 Dec 03 - 07:03 AM

Oldstyle hard shiny Bronco brand toilet paper (unused!) on a steel toothed comb works best IMHO.

RtS

Subject: RE: Folklore: Can you play a comb?
From: John P
Date: 06 Dec 03 - 08:25 AM

Try waxed paper, too.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Can you play a comb?
From: Jeanie
Date: 06 Dec 03 - 08:39 AM

I'll second that, Roger ! Bronco or Izal "bog standard" toilet paper and most definitely a steel comb. (Steel combs were, in 'my day' anyway, a must-have teenage fashion accessory). Being brought up in a household that had gone over to the luxury of Andrex "toilet tissue", I used to raid the loos at school - they had individual sheets, just the right size, didn't even have to tear it from a roll. My friend and I also used to collect the paper from "public conveniences" too. Ordinary tissue paper or grease-proof paper and plastic combs just don't provide the same effect. Nor do 'proper' kazoos.

Lloyd - I hope the old lady enjoys your comb and paper concert - and I hope you suggest you do a duet ??

- jeanie

Subject: RE: Folklore: Can you play a comb?
From: Jeanie
Date: 06 Dec 03 - 08:50 AM

The other thing that has just occurred to me: as well as comb-and-paper, we did used to play combs as well just by plucking the teeth of them. If it is a fairly large comb with teeth of graduated thickness, you can get an effective accompaniment. If it isn't comb-and-paper, then maybe this is what the old lady is talking about.

- jeanie (Whose own dad played tunes on his teeth with the stem of his pipe with one hand, and tapped his tobacco tin with the other. When I'm an old lady in a home, I'll ask some poor unsuspecting young visitor if I can hear that sound again !)

Subject: RE: Folklore: Can you play a comb?
From: reggie miles
Date: 06 Dec 03 - 10:54 AM

Yes, the effect from a thin resonant paper like tracing paper, held or fastened against the teeth of a comb while humming is probably the first budget kazoo. Maybe it preceded the kazoo and was the inspiration for the creation of kazoos. <-(sp kazooes?) I have always found playing the comb to be extremely ticklish on my lips. That may also have been one of the reasons for the development of the kazoo. By keeping the vibrating membrane away from your lips, as a kazoo does, there's less of a chance one would burst out laughing in the middle of a "serious piece" because of the tickling effect on your lips from playing the comb.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Can you play a comb?
From: Gurney
Date: 06 Dec 03 - 04:41 PM

Then there are the sort of combs that are tapered, short (higher pitched?) teeth at one end. You should be able to get some sort of tune there, with a long fingernail and good spectacles....

Subject: RE: Folklore: Can you play a comb?
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Dec 03 - 04:44 PM

I've found that regular coy paper works well too - especially if that's all that's around. I still play the comb since I carry one with me every day.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Can you play a comb?
From: GUEST,Don't need a comb anymore!
Date: 06 Dec 03 - 05:48 PM

The kazoo's origin is southern, at least in the legend that is taken as fact. In the 1840's, an African-American, Alabama Vest, designed an instrument with similarites to the voice disguiser called a mirliton that was used by some African tribal doctors. A clockmaster of Vest's aquaintance, Thaddeus von Clegg, created a model based on Vest's work that was exhibited at the Georgia State Fair in 1852. The novelty attracted the attention of a toy manufacturer, who bought the right to market the unique instrument as the "Down South Submarine." The name kazoo was not yet used.

A half-century later, in 1902, Harry Richardson applied for a patent for a similar instrument called a kazoo. Around 1916, with the backing of Emil Sorg and Michael McIntyre, Richardson shifted some of the manufacturing capacity in his sheet metal shop to kazoo; they joined a product line that, at the time, included dog beds, tackle boxes, and furnace parts.

McIntyre eventually became the sole owner of what became known as the Original American Kazoo Company. But, according to Berghash, the firm changed hands six times and was failing in 1895, when Brimms bought it. Brimms's now-kazoo-inclusive toy division (other divisions produce such items as denture repair kits) has been called KazooCo ever since.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Can you play a comb?
From: Mr Red
Date: 07 Dec 03 - 05:59 AM

Comb? Just the thing for an 'Air or the parting number.....

I'll get my coat (& kazoo)

Subject: RE: Folklore: Can you play a comb?
From: Splott Man
Date: 08 Dec 03 - 04:11 AM

If you haven'y got any bog paper, then folding money will do. The higher the denomination, the more impressive to onlookers.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Can you play a comb?
From: Hovering Bob
Date: 08 Dec 03 - 04:17 AM

I used to play the comb and paper and later the Kazoo, but I've yet to find one that plays in tune!

Subject: RE: Folklore: Can you play a comb?
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Dec 03 - 07:19 AM

Subject: RE: Folklore: Can you play a comb?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 08 Dec 03 - 11:07 PM

Hovering Bob

Tip - try to HUM in tune... :-)

Robin

Subject: RE: Folklore: Can you play a comb?
From: Chris in Wheaton
Date: 09 Dec 03 - 12:19 PM

The Red Hot Jazz site has info on the Mound City Blue Blowers. I believe the leader, Red McKenzie, played the comb. They used to have some recordings there. I wonder why somebody hasn't tried to recreate this group.
I also recollect the group had connections to the Austin High Gang. Check it out.
Chris

Subject: RE: Folklore: Can you play a comb?
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 09 Dec 03 - 12:28 PM

A submarine, in 1852? Truly ahead of its time!

Subject: RE: Folklore: Can you play a comb?
From: GUEST,MMario
Date: 09 Dec 03 - 12:37 PM

Not really - submarines go back into the 1500's and were first used in Navel combat in the 1770's; The original Nautilus was built in the 1790's

Subject: RE: Folklore: Can you play a comb?
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 10 Dec 03 - 04:18 AM

Navel combat? "Back to back, belly to belly ..."

But those early submersible craft either looked like a covered boat or a huge walnut, didn't they? And not many people would have seen one. I'd have though "musical cigar" would have been a better name. I'll get in my time machine and tell him!

Steve

Subject: RE: Folklore: Can you play a comb?
From: GUEST,Pete Betts
Date: 10 Dec 03 - 02:47 PM

My Dad could - loads of people know that!
For a real crisp sound - the best medium was Izal Bog paper, and, also as some of you older M/C's know, Izal ( also known as super slip ) was relatively unabsorbent - so it didn't dampen easily on your lips .

Subject: RE: Folklore: Can you play a comb?
From: PoppaGator
Date: 10 Dec 03 - 04:21 PM

It occurs to me that suitable paper for comb-playing is a disappearing commodity, at least here in the states.

That scratchy waxy toilet paper still found in some public toilets eat of the Pond is virtually unknown to American under age forty. Even wax paper is less commonly available than it was years ago, having been replaced by plastic bags, saran wrap, etc. Cellophane will work, although it won't hold a crease as nicely as wax paper; it can still be found as packaging for some things, although it too is becoming increasingly rare.

Good-quality bond paper, thin and relatively stiff, might be the best medium immeidately available for an impromptu comb solo. It'll work until it gets wet, then quickly fail. The various kinds of waxed paper taht used to be so much more ubiquitous were much more moisture-resitant.

21st century combists need to keep a dry, if not a stiff, upper lip!

Subject: RE: Folklore: Can you play a comb?
From: PoppaGator
Date: 10 Dec 03 - 04:22 PM

(meant to preview before posting -- that should be "east" of the Pond, not "eat.")

Subject: RE: Folklore: Can you play a comb?
From: Burke
Date: 10 Dec 03 - 05:51 PM

Most of us buy plastic wraps instead of waxed paper, but it is still available & needed for candy making. I have a roll at home.