Re: [Harp-L] Re: Not all solid state amps are junk

[Rick Davis <bluesharpamps@xxxxxxxxx>]

I don't think I've ever heard or seen anyone suggest that gear can make a
"hack sound like a pro."  Where did you get that idea?

But gear CERTAINLY improves tone.  Otherwise Sonny, Brian, and Scooter would
be out of business.  There must be a reason so many players are moved to
spend $1600 for good gear.  And I can tell you from experience that not all
their customers are pros.  Some may even be "hacks."

Amplified playing plainly and painfully exposes bad tone, giving the player
a BIG incentive to improve his technique.  In that way, perhaps gear CAN
make a "hack" eventually sound like a pro.

Players get better by playing, whether they are amped or not.  Players
looking for a certain sound often buy gear that will help them get there.
There's nothing wrong with any of that.  If a guy wants to start from day
one blowing through a SJ410 (or a Peavey Bandit and an old cassete recorder
mic) more power to him.  Nobody should sneer at him because he tried an amp
before he passed somebody's "good tone" test.

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