[Harp-L] RE: Joys of Solid State - Now Cheap Amps

[Michael Posey <harrpoe@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I have 3 tranny amps I currently break out from time to time with my Fender Frontman 25R getting the most use. I leave it a fortnightly jam I attend so I have less to schlepp when I go. 

I have invested in 3 preamps over the years, A 1st generation harp commander I obtained from Ebay, $150.00, an ART MP tube preamp, $30.00 + shipping @ musicians fieend and lastly, a digitech RP100A,  $40.00 @ craigslist. All 3 add warmth and turn any SS amp I have used into a decent sounding rig. Even when there is no amp available, it makes for a good sounding rig straight to the PA.

The HC makes any SS (or tube for that matter) amp sound great. Warm, smooth and creamy. Fairly pricey new at holmeseng.com however it truly is a great tool to have in your arsenal.

The RP100 is great fun as it has all effects built in with different tube amp emulations you can mix with effects and delay simultaneously. Richard Hunter is the master at using these for harp and does so with great success. You can find his information all over the web inclusive of youtube. Takes a bit of effort to get it set up for harp but once you do, there are infinite possibilities in shaping your sound without spending a fortune on seperate pedals.

In answer to your question, I think the most inexpensive way to get some real tube dirt without breaking the bank is the ART MP tube preamp. It's actually designed for recording to your PC or warming up your vocals. If I was starting out, I would pick one of these things up with a danelectro BLT Slap-back pedal ($30 @MF) and run it. As I mentioned the preamp is designed for vocals so its pretty "bright" sounding. That said, an SM57 or 545 sounds best for a full, fat tone. You will want to turn the highs and mids down to taste and run the SS amp (or PA) CLEAN. Let the preamp tube create the rounded tone you seek.

This preamp acts as a direct box as well and has XLR and 1/4" outputs you can use at the same time. Matches your mic impedence to your amp and you can run a line to the PA as well for a good, tube driven, warm signal that has alot of feedback control. Seperate input and output controls to regulate the 12ax7 tube takes it from from super clean to pretty mean. If you run your BLT after the preamp, get a single to double 1/4" adapter. Cool analog VU meter as well. Use your tranny amp as a monitor and you will not be buried in the mix any more. Your rig is as loud as the PA because it IS the PA! 

Total cost???About $70 inclusive of shipping.

Does it sound like a Cruncher or a Harp Gear??? uhhh no..Will it sound better than the razor-blade distortion you are currently getting? Absolutley!

Of course, tone always starts with the player, not the gear. Nothing replaces practice, good cupping, technique and more practice.  


Jam on brothers!
> 
> Message: 4
> Date: Tue, 23 Jun 2009 10:08:36 -0500
> From: "Bill Kumpe" <bkumpe@xxxxxxx>
> Subject: [Harp-L] RE: Joys of Solid State - Now Cheap Amps
> To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Message-ID: <F9CF211AA27245E0AFD2430824A94A1A@BKALPC>
> Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="us-ascii"
> 
> Our club has several members who are not ready for investment in a tube amp.
> They are just beginners and hobbyists.  Some are on fixed incomes and others
> are blue collar with limited income.  Some play garage sale specials,
> pawnshop oddities, etc. One guy showed up at our jam last month with a great
> sounding old off brand solid state amp, complete with reverb, that he bought
> for fifteen bucks at a garage sale.  My "knock around" amp right now is a
> Behringer GX-108 which appears to be Chinese knockoff of the old Danelectro
> Nifty Fifty.  Does anybody on list have any useful experience with these
> bargain basement solid state amps and if so what wisdom would you pass along
> to the beginner, kid, senior citizen, etc. who only wants to spend a few
> bucks to play amplified?  With your permission you may be re-quoted on our
> club website, since I intend to post an article on this subject there.
> 
> Bill Kumpe
> Tulsa
> 
> 
> 
> 

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