Re: [Harp-L] Nic Clark playing the VHT Special 6 amp

[Richard Hunter <turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Rick Davis wrote:
>Here is a video of Nic Clark playing the VHT Special 6 amp. The amp's tone
>circuit has been voiced specifically for blues harp. The speaker is an
>Eminence Lil' Buddy, and the power tube is a JJ Tesla 6V6S. The preamp tube
>is stock.
>
>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sERCtSIHVfk
>
>In the video the amp is on 3 (9 o'clock on the volume control) and it
>sounded huge.

I checked out the video, and the amp sounds good.

On the Blues Harp Amp Blog, I read the following:
<So, I paid $200 to Amazon.com for the amp. It arrived in five days, no shipping charge. The speaker <sells for $75. There is no real need to change the stock tubes unless you are an inveterate tinkerer <(like me). The tubes sound fine. For $275 you can own a killer little harp amp that beats the pants off the EL84 amps like Kalamazoo, Epiphone, and Fender Pro Jr.
<
<With the circuit mods the amp steps up to a whole new level and becomes a true harp amp. It has <the tone and feel you crave... It's a boutique harp amp for a fraction of the cost.

I figure that the cost for the final product--the one in the video--is closer to $350, if you figure that most people will have a tech do the mods. (I'd certainly have a tech install a line-out if I wanted one, which I would.)  That's a good price for a small tube amp that's usable for relatively quiet performances, e.g. practice, recording, gigs in small rooms like coffeehouses (and for loud shows with a line-out to the PA).

It's not much different from what most people would pay for a similar amp--5 watt class A circuit with 12AX7 preamp tube and an 8" or 10" speaker--from Crate, Epiphone, Fender, Peavey, etc., with mods from a respected harp amp tech.  I do think the 10" speaker makes a difference--I'm about ready to declare that 10" speakers are tops for harp, period.

So if you already own a 5 watt amp, what do you do?  Sell it and buy a VHT 6?  I see some people on this list apparently doing that now.

Regards, Richard Hunter



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