[Harp-L] Bass Harp Mic Clip

["michael rubin" <michaelrubinharmonica@xxxxxxxxx>]

I recently received a Bass Harp mic clip created by Richard Smith's company
Harmonix, check out www.harmonix-harmonica.co,uk .  I have no affiliation.
If you haven't seen a bass harp, it is two harps connected by a hinge.  Very
big and bulky and a 2 octave  range, about a foot in length.  The problem
is, how do you mic both harps and how do you dance around onstage?  In the
past (and still at SPAH) players would attach a mic to a chest plate.  To
me, it looks funny and doesn't seem to let the player dance around much.

What Richard has done is put a pickup inside each harp, created plug holes
on the back of each harp, has two plugs (one for each plug hole and each
harp) that connect into one consolidater.  This plugs into a volume control
that attaches to your belt.  That in turn plugs directly into an amp or PA.

When I first received it the lower C note was MUCH louder than all the other
notes.  I tried it thru 2 amps and a PA system.  The music store could not
find an equalizer to bring it down.

I emailed Richard who was not sure what was up, if he comes to SPAH he
offered to take a look then, otherwise if I could not find anyone else to
fix it, I would have to send it to England.  All my mechanically minded
friends and even music store repair gurus were afraid to open the bassharp.

I have an amp I bring to gigs and a backup amp, both bassmans.  It was my
plan to keep the backup in my music room and practice the bassharp there.  I
hadn't used the backup in years and it cearly needed a tuneup.  I brought it
to the store.

While waiting for its return I went to practicing the bass harp
acoustically.

Upon the amp's return I plugged the bassharp in.  The C note was now
normal!  I tried it in my other amp, normal!

What happened?  If I had only played it thru one amp originally I would have
thought it was the amp, but it was the pickup.  My guess is that during
practice the harp had a lucky jiggle, moving the pickup to the correct
spot.  Whatever!  Now, it works.

So the next question is:  What pedals or other electronics will turn this
thing into a super cool sounding instrument?
Thanks,
Michael Rubin
Michaelrubinharmonica.com