NES harmonicas hit eBay, three lucky gamers cheer

Remember the HarmoNESica? A brief refresher, then: it's what happens when you've got a copy of Super Tecmo Bowl, a Pocket Pal harmonica, and the desire to create a unique musical instrument. But if you don't have any of the aforementioned ingredients and just want the end result, eBay's got you covered as usual -- three HarmoNESicas have been gathering bids at the online auction house this week. Whether your pleasure be Dick Tracy, Super Mario Bros. 3 or The Legend of Zelda, there's a harmonica to match; and if (for some reason) you want to actually play one of the games, you'll find the ROM guts tastefully included. But before you make your bid, remember: there's more than one way to skin an NES cartridge.

[CHICHIgetdaYAYO Posted Mar 11th 2010 8:15AM]

New meaning to blowing before you play...wait that didnt; come out right...wait...oh s*** ...err back to sleep..zzzzzzzzzzzzz

[emopoops Posted Mar 11th 2010 8:25AM]

@CHICHIgetdaYAYO i think thats really shady theyre making harmonicas out of those oldschool games

[Cyrs Posted Mar 11th 2010 8:29AM]

@emopoops

Those harmonicas must sound like crap though.

[Dick Lynch Posted Mar 11th 2010 12:22PM]

@CHICHIgetdaYAYO Little Walter could make em sound good...

[Cyrs Posted Mar 11th 2010 8:26AM]

Well, at least now blowing into the cartridge will actually do something.

[skyblaze Posted Mar 11th 2010 8:29AM]

here's hoping using the zelda cartridge will send you back in time

[Funke Tobias Dr Posted Mar 11th 2010 8:47AM]

@skyblaze
Judging by the amount of gold paint my fingers alone wore off of the cartridge back in the day, I think putting it in your mouth just might send you on a trip.

[LAY Posted Mar 11th 2010 8:57AM]

Hey with all of the blowing we had to do into those cartridges, I guess we at least have some practice playing them.

[jimbonics Posted Mar 11th 2010 9:45AM]

@LAY

Win.

[BigKing Posted Mar 11th 2010 9:00AM]

Bleep bleep meow

[seven5suited Posted Mar 11th 2010 9:04AM]

*TIP* You have to use the actual cartridges when making these. It just doesn't work as well with the MAME ROMS.

[r303blue Posted Mar 11th 2010 11:40AM]

Awesome, I play the harp, would be cool to jam out with one of these on stage. Only problem I see is using a bullet mic with it, and no cupping. May provide some interesting sound anyway.

[midimid Posted Mar 11th 2010 12:42PM]

@r303blue I'm thinking that cutting out the top for the air to flow all the way through the cart might be better?

[r303blue Posted Mar 11th 2010 1:17PM]

@midimid
Yeah, definitely need some kind of airflow here. Doesn't solve the mic issue as you usually hold it, which means you'll have to resort to a standard mic, lapel mic, or make some attachment. Still cool, hardest part about playing this instrument out is that you can't see it! I've seen a harp player use flashing LED rings as a shtick.

[kdilkington Posted Mar 11th 2010 11:59AM]

"This game don't work no more!"

"Try blowing it into it"

[Spiky haired boy Posted Mar 11th 2010 12:33PM]

@kdilkington

win

[midimid Posted Mar 11th 2010 12:41PM]

I'm thinking a japanese famicom cart might be better. Did they make a gold zelda cart for famicom?

[demonicpascal Posted Mar 11th 2010 3:09PM]

I dunno if I'd wanna put my mouth on something thats been blown so many times...