It was 9 years ago this month when I decided to get into playing Tuba. I purchased a very beat up Besson Sousaphone on flea-bay and it was missing the first valve. I posted something up about it here, on TubeNet and Harv sent me his phone number. I called and Harv ordered the valve, top, mouthpipe and bits for me at COST and told me to send him a check when I could. I was a total stranger to him and he went far out of his way to help me get the only horn I could afford at the time up and running. There are not too many folks out there who would go out of their way for no profit other than the satisfaction of helping a fellow musician and human. I will miss seeing Harv's listings on the auction site and mostly miss knowing that a real, caring person is no longer part of our Tuba community.
God bless you Harv and I'm sure you just hit the jackpot in Heaven!
Bill Vance
Martin-King 6/4 custom 4V BBb Tuba
Martin "Mammoth" 3V Sousa '27
Martin "Mammoth" 4V Sousa '29
Mirafone 186 BBb (being Oberlohed in Seattle)
imperialbari wrote:
Harv never spoke about any of his math calc systems, but there must have been some system, as his works do not look like done by trial & error corrections.
Klaus, amazingly, Harv's "calc system" was a piece of string cut to the appropriate length!!!! He had string cut to the length of each valve and each bugle for horns in each key. He had a great eye and could visualize what he wanted to make. And he had tons of patience! He never rushed anything. (I hate to give away trade secrets... )
k
This places Harv in a tradition I learned of when writing the company history booklet for the 2nd centennial of the Copenhagen brass company I. K. Gottfried. They stopped making brasses, but for lurs, when they ran out of materials in 1943 and didn’t resume production after WWII due to GDR and Czechoslovakia dumping brass instruments on West European markets.
But the company archives still hold a tiny black notebook with the length and other dimensions for various instruments hand written in inches.
That's very sad news. I only knew him trough this forum till I bought a silver 20K a couple of months ago. He shipped it to me in the Netherlands and then I got to know him a little better. All the kind words on this forum about him are absolutely trough.
He was a fine man indeed! Rest in Peace.
My mouth dropped open when I saw this. Harv was an original-American know how and stick to it ness. I had occassion to speak with him once, called to ask about a horn and probably got a 30 minute conversation. He was just that kind of guy. I always smiled to see the dogs posted on his ebay ads. Shocked to hear he's gone. His screen name said it all, Harv's Happy Horns. How could you not want to deal with a business with that name?-Jeff
Extremely sad news.
I enjoyed meeting with him in Philidelphia and talking about projects on the phone with him.
Sadly, some of those projects will probably not come to fruition now that he is gone.
Harv was an artist who did not have the words "no" or "impossible" in his vocabulary. Every idea was possible, and every proposed creation was a welcomed challenge. He's left a legacy of wonderful creations and he will live on in the music that they produce. Harv was a kind, generous and gentle soul, and the world needs more men like him.
I did not know him well, but am saddened by his passing. In phone conversations, I found out that he had been a farmer, a restauranteur, and a very interesting tuba mechanic. I was impressed by his infectious enthusiasm, and perpetual kindness to all. We have lost the company of a great friend in the tuba world.
)
