Re: [Harp-L] I'm tired of amps

[Mark Russillo <jruss433@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

With all due respect to Richard (I've seen what you can do to "Night in Tunisia") , I just want to add that, for a harmonica player in any band, an amp lends a certain strategic deployment factor to the stage that is not equaled by an appearance without one.

Having said that, I mostly perform through a PA and play mostly jazz and R&B, but the shear physical expression of an amp for a harmonica player (even if you mic it through a PA) is an important mainstay.  In some circles we are not a primary instrument just yet.  Just something to think about.

Mark Russillo
a.k.a The Rhode Island Kid



----- Original Message ----
From: Richard Hunter <turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx; harptalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Friday, September 26, 2008 10:11:00 PM
Subject: [Harp-L] I'm tired of amps

As I posted to Harp-L recently, a couple of days ago I decided to change out the preamp tube in my Ron Holmes-modified Crate VC508 to put a little more punch in the sound.  The swap did what I wanted, and I had a lot of fun playing with the amp and a few of my mics. 

But you know what?  After a while I got tired of having one basic sound to work with.  When I play through my Digitech RP200 amp modeler, I have 40 sounds representing 6 different amps with a lot of different effect chains on tap with the push of a button.  One great sound just isn't enough anymore.

10 years ago I'd never have dreamed that I'd get bored with the sound of a very nice tube amp.  But now I'm spoiled.  Amp modeling technology--even the 7-year-old technology in the RP200--is so good now that even a very good tube amp has a hard time keeping up with it.  When you throw in the portability and price for performance that you get with an amp modeler, it's hard to think I'd ever want to buy another amp--except maybe something that puts out a big, clean signal that I can use with an amp modeler.

Thank goodness there are still thousands of effects pedals out there that I haven't tried yet, or I'd have to give up gear lust for good...

Regards, Richard Hunter
latest mp3s and harmonica blog at http://myspace.com/richardhunterharp
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