[Harp-L] Ref; HarpL Digest Vol 61 Issue 108 Msg # 3 Harp l Digist Vol 61 issue 104 Msg # 1 Audix Fireball vs Shure 545

[JW <namlrp33@xxxxxxxxx>]

*Richard & Harp L,  I did not know a message was sent to you  instead of
just being in the next issue.  I've never had that before, still I will
submit what I discussed with Richard.  I could not delete the attachments.
While I'm at it ...REF the 545 and the different techniques used to try and
form some kind of ridge around the mic to get a better cup.  All you need is
black hair ties (no metal on it) and wrap 3 or 4 of them around the body
below the swivel grille.  It forms a nice lip, leaves no marks and when it
gets loose you put a few new ones on it.  They cost about $2.00 for 30 of
them.*
**
*KOH*
*Brasso*





 *Richard, It will have no ill-effects on any other Mic, it's like having a
buffer for the crystal, and since the dynamics can usually handle a 1 meg
ohm, the 5 meg ohm can do nothing  to distort them, in fact it has always
seem to make all my mics sound better.  It's another part of getting the amp
to accept a mic for harp players, just like we switch out tubes, etc as long
as your bias is not effected, which generally only happens on an A B amp not
an A A amp.  I had Ron rebuild a 65 Alamo completely.  He also installed a
special out box, with VC so I could run balanced or unbalanced lines, it has
a 10 in Mojo spkr and it's only about 3 watts (Fender Tweed 1947, one dial
to 12, 3 watts) one of the best amps ever made.*
**
*On my other amp a K-zoo 2 Greg tweaked it and cleaned it up and I use a Ron
Holmes Pocket Mic,(PM), that is put in the back of the cabinet and I run it
to the PA as I do with the Alamo.  The PM's phase is reversed so instead of
you hearing the grumbling inside the cabinet it actually picks up the sound
at the apex in the front of the speaker (aprox 12 inches from the center of
the speaker), only Ron could come up with something like that.  I have used
it on a Fender Champ, Silvertone 1482 and my K-zoo and there isn't any
feedback problems as with a mic since it's like using an outline.  Great
piece of equipment that many harp players never heard of.      *
**
*This way I use my amp more as a self monitor since I only need to turn it
up to 3, and let the PA do the work.  Micing an amp for a harp player is
just asking for trouble, since we are always trying to defeat feed-back, so
adding another mic which is usually placed in the middle of the speaker and
if it's an omni-dir, it picks up everything around it.....so now your
fighting with two mics.  Also the mic should not be placed in the middle if
it is used it should be near the lower right or left side of the speaker.*
**
*I like the vintage amps, so unless you want to pay for a Sonny Jr you need
to have a guy like Ron take a good vintage amp and do the whole circuit
system so it's built for a Harp and all the tube changing and micing, etc
will not be need anymore since it's no longer a guitar amp...it's a Harp
amp.  When you talk with Ron Holmes tell him you and I had this discussion,
he's been a great friend and mentor.  He will tell you just as I put it
since I learned it from him.  I'm enclosing a couple pics of the Alamo so
you can see the wild out bos. *
**
* Richard, I want to tell you I'm always checking out your site and I think
your a great harp player.  I in no way know half as much as you when it
comes to playing, however I do know about the things above by several years
of buying, tweaking and selling vintage amps and Ron was my advisor the
whole time.  He wanted me to come out there and slam those Harp Cdrs
together at one point, however I could not make that move as much as I would
have liked to,*
**
*Thank you for being nice enough to respond to me directly.  I very rarely
come onto the site since it can open you up to a lot of criticism.  But when
I see a subject that I KNOW what I'm talking about, then I will enter,
besides that I just stay on the sidelines and read it.  Take care.....*
**
*KOH*
*Brasso*


On Thu, Sep 25, 2008 at 1:38 PM, Richard Hunter <turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>wrote:

> JW <namlrp33@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> <*Ron, Your mic tests sound good however, the Astatic JT 30VC did not stand
> a
> <chance unless Ron had installed a 5 Meg Ohm Grid Resistor at the input.
> <Because the crystal element in there needs 5 Meg Ohms resistance to bring
> <out the entire range of the tone it's capable of.  Also if your pot is not
> a
> <5 meg ohm and it's a 500K it can also steal from the 5 Meg Ohms. *
>
> Cool, what happens to the sound of my other mics if I have a 5 Meg Ohm
> resistor at the input?
>
> Thanks, Richard Hunter
> latest mp3s and harmonica blog at http://myspace.com/richardhunterharp
>