[Harp-L] acoustic jug band volume

["Ross Macdonald" <ross@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Help please - I play / busk in an acoustic jug band - a finger picker
guitarist on a really high end national steel resonator, washboard and
washtub bass.  I play pretty hard to attain the volume that sounds loud
enough and right to me and luckily most songs are in C so I can play 2nd
position F harp that cuts through pretty well, but audience and friends say
I need to be louder to be at the right balance with the guitar. Solos are
loud enough, it's when I am chugging rythmn that seems to be the problem.
Much worse problem on lower key harp songs, so I got an inconspicuous Smokey
amp and use my Shaker Madcat mic to add a little punch - and still the
audience wants me louder.  I play SP20s and Delta Frosts - Is this a common
problem with resonator guitars? or is my finger picker just too loud? or
perhaps it might be the position of my harp relative to the audience?  I'm
stumped - The guitar guy wants the pure Memphis feel to the band (no amps),
but it feels like I may blow a gasket if I have to blow hard enough to be
heard without amplification.

Any jug band street-buskin harp players out there with pearls of wisdom?


Ross Macdonald