Re: [Harp-L] Harp amps vs. Guitar amps

[Drew W <eviltweed@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hey JD,

Yes, the tube set up is stock. The attenuator is on but it is transparent.
The amp sounds the same with it on or off, except that it cuts the volume.
I've sent some nil-attenuation sound clips to Ray Beltran who I'm sure will
back me up on that.

You're right that I am mostly talking about 50s and 60s circuits. Tweed,
Brownface and many Blackface (and repro Blackface) amps sound great with no
tweaking. And you're right that many of these lead channel modern amps can
be crap for harp, so yeah, I didn't mean Boogies and stuff. But I once
played a festival through a hired solid state Vox and it sounded terrific
with my old CR mic, so even 'some' horrible SS amps can rock it. (Not as
good as a tube amp but very respectable if you have no choice).

I hear the HG amps are great - and as I said many boutique harp amps are
phenomenal. I am in no way knocking them. I had a Meteor and it was a killer
amp (there are clips on my Youtube page). But I love my tweeds just a hair
more, and the 15 in the Pro took the cake. It's like a wine afficionado
thing. Some folks like Shiraz and I like Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot
Noir... ;)

cheers
Drew

On Sun, Feb 22, 2009 at 6:37 PM, James D Hoskins
<jameshoskinz@xxxxxxxxxxx>wrote:

> Drew,
> You sound great in the youtube clip. Would that be a stock tube line up as
> in 12ay7 for V1?
> There are many newer style amps that are not microphone friendly that
> require some manipulation to get any volume before feedback. But I agree
> about the early amps, myself having played through blackface and tweed
> Fenders along with a couple of 50's Gibsons and Supros all stock for many
> years.
>
> You left out Brian Purdy's amps, I find my new HarpGear HG35 pretty much
> sounds and behaves like an old Fender tweed with a little extra bottom and
> more volume before  feedback. This amp is also much better suited to
> different playing sitruations than some of the stock Fender amps I have. I
> can use it on any size gig I am likely to play, although I may want my Super
> Reverbs outdoors.
>
> JD
>
>