[Harp-L] "boutique" amps

["Bret Littlehales" <blittlehales@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hey, all-

As someone who feels that he has never gotten a great sound out of an
amp, I've been following the Meteor thread w/ interest. The
description of these amps sound like the bomb! However, aren't these
amps (and the Sonny Jr's and the Hollands, etc.) around $2000.00? 

I have a vintage Deluxe Reverb that needs around $300 for repairs, and
I'm having a tough time coming up w/ the dough for that. I also have a
little Gibson GA 5 that I used w/ the Deluxe to give more rip on the
high end (my deluxe is VERY base-y), but it was getting so beat-up at
the jams I had to take it off the road. I've had these amps and a
broken Gibson Falcon for about twenty years now. 

Music generally brings in about $350 a month. Factor in harp-
replacement, (I usually have to replace at least one harp each week)
the cost of customised harps (which should be repaired for free if I
could just get them back to my customizer in time, which I can't)
upgrading the PA, getting to the gigs, etc and there's not a lot left.

The guys who come to my gigs w/ these beautiful boutique amps never
seem to be working musicians, but mostly weekend warriors with no kids
and decent jobs and plenty of disposable income! In fact, here in DC,
I don't know one single pro harp player who can afford a boutique amp. 

Either the economics of playing gigs mean little to the lucky Meteor
owners or I'm not asking for enough money for my efforts. 

I would love to have a 50 watt amp that still ripped at low volume. My
harp customizer brought in a Sonny Jr one night and there it was! What
a sound! And all I have to do is withdraw my two kids from college and
sell the house! For the time I played through that amp, it seemed
worth it. Now, I'm not so sure. 

Best,
Bret