Re: [Harp-L] Harmonica Amplifiers

[Richard Hammersley <rhhammersley@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

IMHO, if you don't buy into the tubes are best claims then there are  
now many different amps/ amp simuators out there that basically you  
buy one you can afford and like, then twiddle the knobs until you get  
a sound you want to keep. I used to have a Zoom one, but it ceased to  
work, now a pod line 6 - imitating Fraiser Speirs. Then you can plug  
that into pretty much anything with speakers and it will sound good.  
Even sounds reasonable through one of those wee pocket sized Marshall  
stacks (as long as you don't want much volume).

But amp mythology is pretty potent!!  Anyone out there got an amp  
whose volume goes up to 11?

While on the subject of playing amplified, how do people get around  
the problem that because a harp is played very close to your ears, you  
can always hear the acoustic harp sound as well as the amplified  
sound, while the audience mostly hears the amplified sound? This  
applies even at pretty high volume. I have often played things that  
sounded great, but listening back to the amplified signal it sounded  
crass because the acoustic signal I also heard vanishes.

Richard
On 14 Jan 2009, at 17:33, Richard Hunter wrote:

> Mike Fugazzi wrote:
> <Anybody try the new Fender Champ XD or Vibro Champ XD?  Guitar  
> players really dig them.  I am a sucker <for a blackface sounding  
> amp.  They might be good for newbs?
>
> They might indeed.  One of the guys on Harptalk bought two Champ  
> XDs.  I've seen it up close and heard a guitar player using one, and  
> it sounded great for guitar.  The guitarist reviews on  
> harmonycentral.com are all very positive.  But I haven't played  
> through it.
>
> Worth a trip to the local store to try it out.  At $329 for a 15  
> watt amp with 16 (!) different preamp voicings, there's potentially  
> a lot of bang for the buck there.
>
> If your local store doesn't have it, you can always get one from  
> musiciansfriend.com.  If you don't like it, you can return it within  
> 45 days, no excuses needed. You'll be out $15 for shipping, but  
> that's about it.
>
> Rgeards, Richard Hunter
> latest mp3s and harmoncia blog at http://myspace.com/richardhunterharp
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Richard Hammersley
Grantshouse, Scottish Borders
http://www.last.fm/music/Richard+Hammersley
http://www.myspace.com/rhammersley
http://www.myspace.com/magpiesittingdown