[Harp-L] Kinder or harp commander review

["Billy James" <billyjames@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Firstly, I have used both the Harp Commander and The Kinder Anti Feedback unit in live shows. 
The Kinder Anti Feedback wins absolutely hands down for a useful purchase, if you play amped electric harmonica. 
If you are wanting to use it on an 'unknown back-line amplifier' as you stated obviously you will need to get to know how it works firstly and begin testing it out on differing amplifiers. 
The Anti-feedback unit is truely great [mind you it don't look much]. 
I play in a very loud garage rock outfit from time to time and have had to have the 'amp volume/tone ' fully up. The anti feedback delays the signal for a touch and eliminates feedback [it's dead until sound is put to it]. 
Remember amp tones vary and so do microphones [Mr Microphone Dennis Oileeg?]. The Anti-feedback adds tone and can distort the tone in a helpful way. 
I found the Harp Commander not a usful tool for me. The jury is still out on it in my mind. 
I used it in in a cover band once [which was average volume] it was directly plugged into the P.A. system and gave me some 'tone' but I had issues with getting my volume up without problems. I also used it at a Harmonica Championships [which was indeed a bit hectic and nerve wracking]. I don't think the sound I was hearing was anything exceptional. 
Now I haven't owned one thats a fact, so I can't claim to know, in the long run, if it would really become useful for me or has other potentials. Maybe it's the difference between Bluegrass and dirty swampy blues? 
Could the genre style of your playing be more suitable to one unit or the other? Ask Doug Lyons from the Blues Preachers/Bluetongue Harmonica School Sydney Australia, he uses one all the time from what I gather.
 But they play soft traditional blues.
My good mate J.O.B lent me his harp Commander 1. He rarely uses it now and I doubt has given it a good fling on stage.
 J.O.B can play the Jason Ricci riffs, Rod Piazza and you name it, He uses a Samson Wireless or an array of really effective amps and mikes and has had the same effects as Andy Just and tried most things.
After trying out my Kinder Anti-feedback unit he just about ran to John Kinders place over there in the U.S.A [he couldn't wait to get his hands on one]. 
J.O.B  loves the 'Kinder thing' and so do I. 
It seems also, to be very useful as a 'touring tool' whereby guys [like Rick Estrin...I'm told] can arrive in a country and plug into any loaned or hired rig. Carrying a decent microphone, a set of harps and a Kinder Anti-feedback unit is the way to go in my eyes. Mind you, you'll need to 'pay John Kinder' to get his attention basically. He seem to be a very busy man from what I can gather , often he's on R&D.
It's hard to get a reply on email and a bit of a 'leap of faith' but he delivers the goods in the end. 
It's a great product. 
I'm surprised no-one had the anti feedback thing out there years ago. It would have saved me mucking around with alot of other amps trying to mod them up to scratch for playing at levels to be heard on stage and in the mix despite amp miking etc. I hope thats helpful I am in no way affiliated to anyone. 
I'm just a performer trying to 'do the do'. 
"Good Luck" BJ