[Harp-L] Super Loud Amps

[Rick Davis <bluesharpamps@xxxxxxxxx>]

I see much of the Harp-L community decrying loud bands, yet others are still
using their big 4x10 amps now tweaked to be even louder!  It is truly a
diverse group.

You do not need to be super loud, and you do not need a big expensive 4x10
amp to be heard.  They are great for Sunday afternoon blues jams where there
is no music discipline and you are fighting for sonic space, but they are
overkill otherwise.  Almost every place my band plays has its own sound
system and sound tech.  In fact, in some venues we are required to set up
our amps on the side of the stage pointing in toward us.  Everything is
mic'ed and the venue controls the volume and mix into the house.

Our giging amps are very modest in power:  I use a 5F2H amp that produces 10
watts on a good day.  The bass player use a 200-watt Acoustic amp (quite low
as bass amps go) and the guitar player uses a 50-watt Category5
"Andrew."  Stage volume is moderate and everything is mic'ed up through the
PA.

Load-in is a breeze.  My amp weighs 32 pounds.  You can get a hernia
wrestling those big expensive 4x10 amps around.  I'm too old for that.

On any given night at any gig you play, 100 percent of the people listening
won't give a rat's patoot if you are playing a Fender Champ or a SuperLoud
Magical 4x10 WonderBox with 16 coats of lacquer on its hand-woven
tweed.  Why waste your money?  You don't need super loud, super heavy, and
super expensive amps to sound good.  But they sure impress your buddies at
the blues jams...