Re: [Harp-L] The old gear debate

[Jerry Deall <jdeall@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Plus playing amplified is just plain FUN! 

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Rick Davis" <bluesharpamps@xxxxxxxxx> 
To: "Harp-L" <Harp-L@xxxxxxxxxx> 
Sent: Wednesday, April 1, 2009 9:07:09 PM GMT -07:00 US/Canada Mountain 
Subject: [Harp-L] The old gear debate 

It has been brought to my attention that I may have offended some Harp-Lers 
in this recent debate. If that is true, I regret it. I very much enjoy 
spirited debate. 

Let me gently explain my point: 

It is one of the oldest standing debates on Harp-L. Many members insist 
that a new player should get good acoustic tone before trying amped 
playing. My response to that is: Why? 

New harp players sound bad. We all did. They sound bad acoustic or amped. 
They get better by playing, either acoustic or amped or both. There is no 
earthly reason why a new player cannot improve his techniques while 
playing with a mic and amplifier. If his goal is to be a good amped player, 
that would seem the logical way for him to spend his time. 

Should guitar players all learn only on acoustic guitar? Of course not. 
Those who want to sound like Hendrix (for example) will gravitate toward 
electric amplified guitar. It is no different with blues harp. 

I've heard concerns that bad harp playing sounds really bad when amped, so 
beginners should stick to quiet acoustic playing. My response is, so what? 
You won't have to listen to it. For a student interested in amped playing, 
I strongly recommend they buy a 5-watt tube amp right away and get busy with 
it. There is not enough volume to get them arrested or damage anyone's 
hearing. 

Since bad playing sounds so wretched when amped, I find it to be a HUGE 
incentive to improve your technique. Bad chops are brutally exposed when 
amped. 

Another concern I've heard is that new players who amp up will waste a lot 
of time and money looking for the right amp. That happens to lots of harp 
players, but what I recommend for my students is the Harp Gear HG2 or the 
Epiphone Valve Jr. Half Stack. These are not expensive performance amps, 
but reasonably priced tools a player can use to hone his mic technique and 
amped tone. Every blues player needs a small tube amp - in my humble 
opinion. The work a player does with his small tube amp will save him TONS 
of time and money later when he shops for a big performance amp. He'll know 
what he's doing. 

Again, I regret having offended anybody. My apologies. 
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