Early Amplifier Experiences

["Keith Dunn" <keith@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

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Reading the various posts about the Bassman Amp led me think about some =
early amplifier experiences. I hope that it is okay to share some of =
them here and that they may somehow be useful to someone. I started =
playing harmonica because I fell in love with the acoustic sound of the =
instrument. I played it alone for three or so years for my own enjoyment =
and at the occasional party or street gathering with another harmonica =
player or acoustic guitar.

Playing in this way helped to develop a strong acoustic sound. As the =
seriousness of the live performances increased, so did the overall =
volume. Though I tried to avoid it, I needed an amp to keep up. =
Second-hand Fenders were expensive. I would rather have a good baseball =
bat than an amplifier in those days. I bought a 2x12 Silvertone. I found =
the resulting sound a little dead compared with the acoustic sound that =
I was getting. Of course, I had been playing for less than 4 years and =
expertise takes a bit longer to acquire. I not only had to become a =
better player but also to learn how to set up an amplifier. I only used =
the amp when I had to and never played thru it at home. I did not want =
to become too dependent on that amplifier. I was listening to recordings =
of both Sonny Boy I & II and they sounded fine without one. Besides, it =
was big and heavy!
=20
About this time, the Super Reverb was becoming popular around Boston. I =
tried one, good sound but too high-dollar for me. I looked around and =
found a variety of amplifiers readily available. Everyone sounded =
different and many sounded just as =93good=94 as Fenders. They also =
looked cooler and were a lot cheaper. I started carrying a microphone =
around and made it a point to plug into every amp that I could and try =
to set it up so that it would get the sound that I wanted which was my =
sound but a little louder. This was fun. I was beginning to hear that =
different sized speakers had different characteristics. Well, we all =
know that now.=20

I found a 6x10 Dan Electro; six brown Jensens, my love affair with the =
10-inch speaker had begun. What is it that I like? There is a certain =
edginess of sound that a 10-inch speaker makes, that mid-range with the =
high end sneaking thru on top. I traded-in the 2x12 Silvertone added =
$25, the amp was mine. I saw James Cotton for the first time, the =
=93Verve=94 band. He walked into the club with a Super Reverb in each =
hand. Two amps, I had never seen anyone do this before. It was an =
amazing sound but so was his acoustic playing that night. Then Big =
Walter Horton for the first time, he had a =91white-knob=92 Fender =
Princeton Amp, 1x10, no reverb, Astatic mic and a scary sound with or =
without the amplifier and completely different from Cotton; it was a =
good demonstration of the importance of finding your own voice.=20

I joined an electric band so I had to have an amp. I had Premiers, =
Magnatones, Silvertones and such, preferring to use what others did not, =
hoping for a slightly different sound and to save money as well. I do =
not know about the rest of the country, but in the Boston area at that =
time, the Super Reverb remained the harp and guitar amp of choice for =
most players. This began to change after the Thunderbirds came up from =
Texas and played at Bunratty=92s in Boston for the first time in the =
late 70s.=20

JimmieVaughan and Kim Wilson both had two Bassmans and the entire band, =
with Mike Buck on drums and Keith Ferguson on bass, played superbly. =
They all obviously knew the music of their heroes but did not let their =
knowledge restrict them. They had their own style and it was wild. I =
suppose it could be argued that the band had something to do with the =
resurrection of the Bassman.=20

I happened to sit-in with the Thunderbirds that night and played about =
five songs. While I am the first to agree that it is the player not the =
amp, I had never played thru a rig like Kim Wilson=92s before that =
night. With two Bassmans (8x10inch), you get very nice overtones and =
somehow the sonic quality of the speakers is more apparent, the tech =
people can explain why I imagine.=20

Shortly afterwards I moved to Austin. When I picked up the harmonica =
again, I got two Bassmans but got tired of carrying them around and sold =
one. I did continue to play thru Kim Wilson=92s a few times a month =
either at the Rome Inn, Antones or somewhere on the road. Sorry to say =
that I have no idea what kind of 10-inch speakers he had. It was not =
something that ever came up in conversation.=20

I have often used a =9264 Concert and a Bassman. This is great sound. =
The two amps really complement each other. And in the =9180 I played a =
lot on Sam Myers=92 rig which was two Bassmans, one 4x10 and 1x15; =
wonderful sound. Although I love 10-inch speakers, I have to agree with =
Hash Brown=92s posting when he says that the 15-inch speaker should not =
be overlooked. Times have changed. PA systems are better. Thankfully, it =
is not as necessary to carry around a lot of gear as it used to be and =
even =91then=92, Walter Horton always sounded great with his Princeton. =
Nevertheless, every now and again it is nice to hook-up two amps just =
for the fun of it.=20

Keith Dunn

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