[Harp-L] RE: The bands, the differences, the tube setups!

["Ron Tuffel" <ron.tuffel@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hey Bill Hines,

	Here's an article written by Tom Ellis.
http://www.harmonicamasterclass.com/article2.htm Which is called "The Amp
Dance, How to Turn Lead Into Gold" This is a must read. It comes from Sonny
Jr.'s webpage: www.sonnyjr.com, go to Links and check out Sonny Jr.'s stuff.
The article is all info gained from Tom being a clever student of Sonny Jr.
and Dave Barrett. SJ is the greatest harp blowin' technician the world has
ever seen. His product from top to bottom is loaded. The amp is the biggest
break-through in modern amp history. The guy is an absolute genius. A
walking history book of the blues, mics, amps, speakers, and playin'. He
once played over the telephone for me just before he shipped my amp, so I
could hear it before it went into the custom delivery box which you get with
the amp. It's his design (the shipping box, too) and it's built like Fort
Knox. Anyway, his riffs made the hair on my arms stand at attention! This
article by Tom is only a half of the info you get once you purchase the amp.
He has created a Users Manual that has the best layout of any instrument or
amp manual possible. It has graphic colorful pictures, info, info, info. I
read it like it was a novel. I often go back and read sections before I try
some new experiment. It's a road map to "Amp Bliss"! 
	People have no idea of how important this man is to those who play
amplified. He is also just a tremendous man. He loves life and life begins
when you understand his amp magic. Tom is a worthy disciple! I got my SM545
from him. He got me an absolute stick of dynamite! He spent time with me
tuning me in to make sure I got just the right mic for me and the amp. Tom
plays an SJ410, as well. He's going to customize a Horner Blues Blaster into
a Master Blaster for me. The Horner Blues Blaster is not really a blaster,
but an adequate mic for light stuff. My SM545 seems to be almost impossible
to feedback unless you point the mic directly into the face of the amp when
it is at sevens. And, the other secret to these amps are that every dial
presence, middle, treble, bass, bright and normal volumes are multi-faceted
when you use his tube setup system, which is "The System", "Sonny's System"!
He has made an amp that is so special that his list has bout 81 different
setups for this amp. But, mathematically, it actually has more due of course
to Tom's thing, mics. Then we throw pedals into the fray!
	I have gotten everything extra from SJ. The Boss RV5 and a bias
meter and the prices are righteous. He is certainly not in it for the money.
He's in it for the satisfaction. If you by the amp get the bias meter and
reverb pedal from SJ. And, finally before I feel like a convert (Okay,
actually, I am!)Customer service is probably his most amazing add-on to the
amp, because each amp is one of his babies and so he is the most responsible
customer relations person ever. He exudes pride, confidence and honesty. Who
knows the product, the subject, and his amps better? No One!
	When you buy his amp you purchase a bit of history! Remember, there
is an eventual end to him actually making them. His successor will only be a
mere slice of what the master was. And, the idiot who tries to mass produce
them will only give us an imitation. Like RI Bassman! I'm always excited
with my amp because I know that it extends what I can do. It enhances my
groove! But, if you ain't got it (chops, licks, whatever you want to call
them) talent! This amp will show you up because it will project whatever you
are attempting! Let the buyer beware, this amp will either put you over the
top, or it might cause you to want to stop! The price was right. I believe
because I always here stories about cost. If only I had mine years ago I
wouldn't have bought a bunch of Bassman and RI's, preamps, other guitar amps
that overdrive for them (guitar players) but just never truly did it for me.
I believe it will save people money. The sooner you get one, only vanity and
a deep pocket book would have you go by another amp. This SJ410 is so
versatile that it can be played like Robert Palmer said "From a whisper to a
scream!"

Be good!

Rockin' Ronny

P.S. - headroom is that space, condition which exists to get the crunch, the
overdrive. This amp has headroom at the standard setting, but by dropping
the tubes value you get more space until it could possibly get muddy. Which
is a warning, and a situation which I have never provoked. Why drop the
bottom out? I get a growl that makes people shudder at a moderate setting!
 



  
-----Original Message-----
From: billhines4@xxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:billhines4@xxxxxxxxxxx] 
Sent: jeudi, 4. août 2005 18:20
To: Ron Tuffel
Subject: Re: The bands, the differences, the tube setups!

RR,

That's great info. I hope you posted it (or some subset) to the list, I just
realized I copied your email on my question in addition to posting to
harp-l. I try to avoid that. 

so, when you said "I'm playing through the incredible Sonny Jr. 410 and
adhere to his and Dave Barrett's "System"."  What do you mean by sonny and
dave barrett's "system"? Is that the Barrett system of teaching, i.e the
series of books/cd's he has for learning blues harp?

Did you get all of your mics (i.e. the Shure 545) from Tom Ellis?

I'd sure like to get one of those Sonny Jr's. It must be very easy to swap
out the tubes in that. What are they, about $2,000 US right?


> Hey Bill Hines,
> 
> 	Interesting! You are one of the "There are some incredible harmonica
> aficionados, trail blazers, gurus, and disciples of harmonica on this
list."
> I normally look for you because there was Bill Hines (SP) the drummer who
> played in "Pure Prairie League" who was sharp, intelligent, and
resourceful
> like you.
> 	I'll keep it short! Here's a part of a piece written for a festival
> where three of the four bands I play in were performing all the same
night.
> "A
> Bullet (SM520D) for Little John and The Cadillac's, a Rock'n Roll Dixie
> Billy truly
> animated group with 60's costumes (suits). Guitar/vocals, super drummer
and
> an upright bass player, and me. And, the SM545 with Clean Head and Sneaky
> Pete, a seven
> piece group featuring a more Chicago like style, but also a jazzy feel
with
> Minor keys and all.  The best bass player around who teaches bass at the
> Conservatoire. A super vocalist (American), powerful drummer, exceptional
> young keyboards player. Clean & Pete, are supposedly Luxembourg's finest
two
> blues
> guitar players. And, have combined forces a year ago. But, two guitar
> players means I have to truly shimmy for that space, so when I go. I go
> crazy! Chicago style with that Texas Boogie flare cause I'm an American,
> Texas born mover and groover! Then I play in a small café with Phil
Boland,
> guitar and vocals. Quite the night, huh! With Phil I play through an SM58
> and a Horner Blaster."
> 
> 	The tube changes are simple. Obviously, I'm playing through the
> incredible Sonny Jr. 410 and adhere to his and Dave Barrett's "System".
With
> the band not listed "The Little Nick Blues Band" and "Clean Head and
Sneaky
> Pete" I'm looking for as much head room as possible for the fat sound,
> overdrive. I punch it with presence, middle and treble. The tube setup is:
> 5U4 6L6 6L6 12AU7 12AU7 12AT7
> With Little John and the Cadillac's:
> 5U4 6L6 6L6 12AU7 12AU7 12AX7
> With Phil Boland:
> 5U4 6L6 6L6 12AY7 12AU7 12AX7
> 
> 	I now have experimented so much that I augment this occasionally and
> play around with my Boss RV5 Reverb pedal. For Phil I intentionally rig
the
> pedal in the send position (input, output on top) to get an incredible
bass
> response that absolutely floors people when they hear it. It is so low and
> nasty that it has to stun you.(I also change the tubes to the first setup
I
> listed to get the growl.) We are sometimes three with a bass/guitar
player.
> I play bass lines while in this effect, as well as all the fills, leads,
> etc. (Space galore) We play standard jazz, blues, even a few Beatles
tunes,
> etc.
> Little Nick has a guitar player that likes stuff like "Smoke on the
Water",
> "Wipe Out" and "Pipe Line". So, we're a loud hard rock blues band. Lots of
> play between guitar and harp, trading leads, and what we call zoom time
> which is a power foray with harp and guitar ablaze!
> 	So, there it is a Sixties Rock'n Roll band with a Dixie-A- Billy
> flare, Chicago style blues with guitars, organ, harp, and bass playing
> compact leads truly organized and tight, A hard drivin' hard rock oriented
> blues band and loud, and finally a two-three man group playing standards
of
> jazz, blues, and folk with so much space that you could turn a 747 around
in
> some of our tunes!
> 	Thanks for asking! I truly appreciate your comments, etc. You're a
> thinking, intelligent individual!
> 
> Be good!
> 
> Ron "Rockin' Ronny" Tuffel
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: billhines4@xxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:billhines4@xxxxxxxxxxx] 
> Sent: jeudi, 4. août 2005 15:25
> To: Ron Tuffel; harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: Re: [Harp-L] No Apologies Necessary! Let's Keep on Chuggin'!
> 
> Ron (whew!),
> 
> Nice summary (?), haha. Fun to read, seriously.  I was interested in one
> passage in particular:
> 
> ""I play in four distinctively different bands with styles that are
> different and far reaching. I had different amps for different situations.
> Now, I have one that covers them all to the maximum! I merely change mics
> (Thanks Tom!), swiftly arrange tubes."
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Can you elaborate on this? What are the musical styles of the bands you
play
> in, what amp/mics are you using, and how do you configure differently for
> each situation? I find that very interesting and it would be good to know.

> 
> 300 words or less now....(just kidding, the more descriptive the better)
> 
> Bill Hines
> 
> 
>