Re: Fwd: Re: [Harp-L] re: Gear LONG

I have a similar story from last weekend.  I was using my RI Bassman (which I got for dirt cheap and am still using the Sovtek 12ax7 Groove tubes...it does have a tube rectifier, however...but the speakers are factory...I've decided that my music money will go to more harps rather then gear) and the band was really digging the sound.  I stood across the room with my wireless during sound check and liked the sound a lot.  The last song of the first set, the guitar player's amp went out.  Not being one to stress about gear, I lent him mine and plugged into a Bronson Valco.
 
Immediately, the band noticed the difference in sound and we were all so-so with the setup.  Several musicians in the audience also said they liked the other sound better.  Chris Michalek walked in and right away knew the Bassman wasn't being used.  So every musician in the club heard the difference, and I didn't have "my sound" or the punch I get from the Bassman.  Now I didn't sound bad, but it wasn't me.  Thankfully, all the non-musicians there didn't mind, because only music nerds like myself even think about such things.
 
Point being I played the exact same as I always do, the amp choice did make a difference with my game and people noticed.
 
I still insist that good acoustic tone doesn't equal good amped tone.  In both cases your hands can make a big difference on the sound.  Not to say that there aren't a lot of us who sound good both ways.
 


 
--- In harp-l-archives@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "Joe Spiers" 
wrote:
I've tried to avoid this thread, but heck not much else going on so 
here I
go-
One night I was sounding GREAT through my 4-10 tweed Fender tone 
machine
until something in the printed circuit board went on strike. I asked 
the
guitar player if he had any spare vintage bassmans or princetons in 
his back
seat, and he said nope, but I've got a Peavey in the trunk you can 
use or
I'll sell it to ya for 350 bucks (!!). UGH it wasn't even a Peavey, 
it was
Peaveys cheap brand, can't even remember the name, but it was
all-solid-state baby, vintage cheeze, and had a big ole 12 inch 
speaker! I
grabbed it and ran back inside (sure was a lot lighter to carry!) 
After
about 5 minutes of dialing it in, and miced through the PA I'm here 
to
testify that nobody in the audience knew or cared what I was playing
through. It sounded great, because I sound great through anything, 
even a
Bluesblaster plugged straight into the board. It is true, a good 
player can
make any rig sound good, even a rolled up piece of cardboard. It'll 
only
bring you down if you let it.

Great accoustic tone is too subjective to even start in on, some 
people even
like listening to Bob Dylan (flame away) but the truth is, great 
RESONANT
accoustic tone means great amped tone. Now why don't we change the 
subject
and discuss crystal vs. black label c.r. vs white label c.m. vs SM58
geeeezzzzzzzzzzzzz

Now get back to practicing


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Michael Fugazzi" 
To: 
Sent: Friday, July 01, 2005 9:31 PM
Subject: Re: Fwd: Re: [Harp-L] re: Gear LONG


> While I totally agree you got to be good to sound good, I do 
disagree with
some comments.
>
> 1. The idea that a good player can make any rig sound good. 
Crappy gear
will bring you down. If this isn't true, think about the amount of 
time and
money you (meaning harp players on the board) have spent either 
tweaking
harps or trying different rigs. Now granted, a great harp player 
will
pretty much sound good all the time, but why don't we all by a super 
cheap
solid state amp, a Radio Shack mic, and play a $5 Hohner? My point 
is a
good player needs at least a mildly suitable "rig" to get the tone 
across.
This could mean playing acoustically through a vocal mic or using a 
amp.
>
> Heck, I can put a song on my computer from any harp player and 
make it
sound silly by just playing with the eq. So do I think my favorite 
harp
players can make any rig sound good? No. Do I want to pay money to 
see a
show where the harp player trys to prove me wrong? No. Can a great 
player
make the best out of the gear they use? Yes! Can a lesser player 
get the
same results? No!
>
> 2. Great acoustic tone means great amped tone. Now I know I am 
being
picky here, but I can think of several harp players that I either 
like
acoustic and dislike amped or vice versa. This can be as simple as 
a great
player poorly cupping a mic, but there is a difference between 
playing with
a mic in hand and playing in front of a mic. I think this is pretty 
close
to comparing electric guitar players with acoustic players. Just 
because
you are good at one that doesn't mean you will be good at the
other....although many times a good guitar player will sound good 
with
either axe. This seems to be more relevant, to me, with non-blues 
players.
>
>
>
> --- In harp-l-archives@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "Bob Maglinte"
> wrote:
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Paul Routledge"
> To:
> Sent: Friday, July 01, 2005 3:47 PM
> Subject: Re: [Harp-L] re: Gear
>
>
> > This true to an extent.
> >
> > But a bad player will always sound bad no matter what gear he 
uses.
> > While a good player will sound good even if he uses sub standard
> gear.
> > Yes a Bassman RI Ltd will sound better than a lot of other amps,
> but only
> > in the right hands.
> >
> > It's been said a million times before but it's the only truth out
> there.
> > Good acoustic tone is the secret to great harp playing (I only
> wish I had
> > it !!)
>
> HiNo matter what you can say gear does for you, the above post is
> the truth,
> the whole truth, and nothing but the truth!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> The last
> sentence says it all!!
>
> Sincerely,
> Barbeque Bob Maglinte
> Boston, MA
> http://www.barbequebob.com
> MP3's: http://music.mp3lizard.com/barbequebob/
>
>
> _______________________________________________
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> --- End forwarded message ---
>
>
>
>
>
> Mike Fugazzi
> Harmonica/Vocals
> NiteRail
>
> http://www.niterail.com
>
> Updated with free music,
> guestbook, and new live dates!
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Mike Fugazzi
Harmonica/Vocals
NiteRail

http://www.niterail.com

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