Re: [Harp-L] Re: Small Fender Amp

["Rick Davis" <bluesharpamps@xxxxxxxxx>]

Richard-

Yep, that is one of the things that make the small Roland Cube amps great
for harp.  They have several built-in amp models, a few of which sound good
for blues harp.  The Vox Pathfinder does not have amp models, but I was able
to get a nice dark crunch with little trouble.

Another solid state amp I like for harp is the now-discontinued Crate
Powerblock.  It had a tube emulation feature in the gain control that
sounded good.  The Powerblock was a 75-watt per channel stereo head, a bit
much for harp, but in the end they were blowing them out for $99.

Small solid state guitar amps (of the type that come with guitar starter
sets) are generally not good for blues harp, at least not to my ear.  With a
little careful research and a little more money, a harp player can find an
amp more suited to our craft.

-Rick Davis
The Blues Harp Amps Blog
http://www.bluesharpamps.blogspot.com/


On Sun, Nov 30, 2008 at 11:32 AM, Richard Hunter
<turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>wrote:

> Rick Davis wrote:
> <Small inexpensive solid state guitar amps are often quite shrill when used
> <for harmonica, particularly if you play through a high output bullet-type
> <microphone.  They are prone to feedback and often produce very poor tone.<
> <
> <Having said all that, there are some small solid state amps I really like
> <for harp, particularly the Roland Cube 30 and Roland Microcube.  The Vox
> <Pathfinder 15R is also quite good.
>
> I don't know the Pathfinder, but the Roland Cube 30 and Microcube are not
> just "solid state" amps--their circuits include amp modeling as well.  I own
> the Microcube, and it has a half-dozen modeled amps and preamps in it.
>
> Good amp modeling can certainly make a solid state circuit sound like
> something else (and much better for harp).
>
> Regards, Richard Hunter
> latest mp3s and harmonica blog at http://myspace.com/richardhunterharp
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