RE: Reed Mod's

[haandruss@xxxxxxx (Harvey Andruss)]

At  2:35 PM 1/4/95 -0400, Jack Ely wrote:

>        I can recommend two excellent books - One is just recently available
>from Dick Gardner.

        I have this and it's good.  He also sends you the complete
        glossy color Hohner catalog sheets.

>        F & R Farrell Co. - has various harmonica repair tools.
>        call 1-800-438-3543  or 1-800-438-3544 & ask for a catalog.

        Farrell also promotes Blackie Shackner's book on repair of chromatics
        and diatonics.  Same  price  as the others.  I got it and it's helped
        me, but I need lots of help.....:-)  the catalog's free and says lots.

>If you have any luck at all you will have a
>quick and dirty country tuned harp.

        Great suggestion, Jack (never done that), now if I just get some
        time.....

>>Additionally, once I get this baby modified could you recommend an
>>inexpensive
>>method of magnifying this sound. The cheapest the music stores were quoting
>>me
>>here in Toronto was about $300 strokes for Mike and Amplifier.(commments).
>>
>        I'm sure the amp/mic gurus will reply to this one.

        Not me, but I do know most of the catalog houses stock Shure 57s
and 58s
        for about $100-$125 each (vocal mikes used by harpers for years).
There are
        lots of other vocal mikes that could be used that people don't talk
about much
        because of cost.  Levy uses a Sennheiser (right?) and Oskar a
ribbon mike.
        They also use lots of eq to control feedback and shape the sound
(harmonics
        and partials that don't amplify so well, maybe reediness, breath
noises, etc).

        Blues harp mikes, which have more limited frequency reponse, a
special shape,
        and other desirable physical attributes for some players, go for
$65-$85
        stock, and maybe twice that for customization (Tom will pipe in
here or
        directly, I'm sure, npi :-).  I recently got a Astatic JT-30 VC (w/
volume
        control) from Farrell for $65.   Shaker has a smaller one (like a
salt shaker).
        Each of these can have crystal or dynamic elements.  A whole
'nuther subject.
        Shure's 520D Green Bullet is another one people like.  Small
vintage tube amps
        are the rage for blues stylists, costs range from $100 for a very
        used one (eg  Fender Champ), on up.   Plow the archives for more
        details.

        Any mike/amp will work, some work better than others. Everyone's
got an opinion.
        Technique is the real basis of your sound.  A mike/amp is just the
window
        you look through.  Some people go direct to the board (use PA).
Good luck.

>  __o
>  \<,
>()/ ()__
>
>   ^
>PS |___________I'm no biker but I really like your sig!

        I like his sig too, but I never received Johnny Bee's original note, or
        don't recall it. Has this happened before to others?  This is the
reason
        I get both the digest and individual messages since I seem to miss
a few
        here and there.