RE: [Harp-L] RE: Looking for an Amp (Jay Ahl)

["Jay Ahl" <jay@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

To Albert and everyone that responded:  Thanks for all the good info and
leads.  I'm feeling the love.

Jay Ahl

-----Original Message-----
From: harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx]On
Behalf Of Albert Catasus
Sent: Monday, July 21, 2008 9:01 PM
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [Harp-L] RE: Looking for an Amp (Jay Ahl)


Sorry jay, I don't think I have what you need, but I'll tell you of
what I've found and how I've found it.

I use two amps, both almost as old as I am (I was born in '47). I have
a Premier Model 50. On looks alone it's a winner. It has this two tone
art deco thing going. It has one 7CS tube and one 7F7. An earlier
owner replaced the rectifier tube with a solid state one. You'd think
that would be a bad thing but I defy anyone to detect the lack of a
tube rectifier. This amp is small but sweet. It has nearly no hum.
It's tone is rich and creamy. It breaks up smoothly and controllably-
nothing sudden and unexpected. It's hard to explain but it gets gritty
and funky and yet stays smooth and sonorous. That sounds like a
contradiction but it really is how it sounds. It also sounds good with
my mandolin.

Because it is small, it needs to be miced when playing with a loud
band or anyplace large or noisy. Here's what I do. First, I raised the
amp about 2/3". I did this using wood cleats and rubber bumpers. This
allows me to slide a desktop microphone stand under the amp up really
close. On this stand I place a Sennheiser e609 Silver Microphone. It
is designed specifically to mic amps and it works great. I have miced
my little guy surrounded by his younger and louder brethren and it
picks up nothing but my amp. I bought an XLR m-f cord and also an XLR
- 1/4 inch cord in case I have to mic it to another amp. This whole
setup works very well for me. The amp was under $300 on ebay and the
mic was $109 at Sam Ash.

I recently bought another old-timer, a Danelectro Special Series D
Model 68. I bought it on ebay for $281. It is a bit weird in that the
case seems to be made of something like Homesote with a wood frame and
some Masonite here and there. I cleaned off more than fifty years of
cigarette tar, gave it a new cloth, replaced the power cord with a
new, grounded one and fixed the handle. The vibrato does not work but
I wouldn't  use it anyway. It has  2-12AX7, 2-6v6's, 1-6SJ7 and 1-
6x5GT tubes and a 12" no name speaker. What tone this baby has! It has
many of the same qualities as my Premier only louder and with even
less hum- in fact, I would say no hum at all, at least with my Shure
Green Bullet (a new one. I like the relatively clean sound. My amps
and my mic really seem to complement each other. However, my mandolin
sounds only acceptable with this amp and it has a bit of hum when the
mando is plugged in.)

My point is this: I took a chance and found two amps that really work
well for me on ebay. Read the listings carefully, view unreasonable
claims with great suspicion, look for honest admissions of whatever
shortcomings an item might have, make sure you know what the shipping
will cost, set your maximum price, stick to it and be patient.
Everything comes up again.

I've never been cheated on ebay (about 200 transactions and 178
feedbacks) but sometimes I decide that what I've bought is not exactly
what I need. It doesn't mean it's bad, just not right for me. For
example, I have a Silvertone 10XL amp. I like it. I has a very nice
tone. It is just a bit too weak for my needs. I'll be listing it on
ebay in a few days along with a Roland Cube 30, a very nice little
modeling amp. It is a very nice amp. I bought it for my Harmony
electric mandolin and It's fine, but I have another amp that has more
of the sound I want for my mando (an orange Roland Cube 60) so I'm
selling the little one. If one thing doesn't work out it doesn't mean
there is no remedy.

Happy hunting!




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