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

[Mike Fugazzi <mikefugazzi@xxxxxxxxx>]

First and foremost, the amp can be had for the $189.99 I spent on it.
If you did NOTHING to it, it'd still be a great harmonica amp.  I
personally think it would be better than any of the 5w amps in its
immediate price range both for its increased options and tone.

My amp ran me a total of $275 and, IMO, is as loud as a Pro Jr or Harp
Gear Double Trouble, neither of which can be had for $275 new
(however, it is single ended and won't reach very far off stage).  I
know that may go against conventional wisdom, but side by side...I
think a big difference is on stage and SE vs Cathod Based.

The stock speaker has a flat response and is roughly the same dB as a
Weber Sig speaker.  The stock 12ax7 is the same used in a HarpGear
HG50 and is not at all bad for harp.  The stock 6v6, IMO, isn't very
good and worth the extra $15-30 to replace it.

Personally, I don't see huge benefit in putting more money into the
amp as you reach a point of diminishing return. I'd put any extra
money into the lineout, or a mic.  If you are rocking the stock
speaker, which isn't meant to color the tone, then go head and line
out.  With the Ramrod in mine, I would prefer to mic it.  I think you
should mic your amp through the PA whenever possible, and I do so even
with my HG50.

I currently play into two rock bands.  One where I get to do whatever
I want and can tell people to turn down, etc, and one where I take all
the orders.  I've posted clips here of the VHT with a full LOUD rock
band.  The drummer hits hard, the guitarist plays through a Marshal
2x12, and the bass player through some huge stack.  My first live show
I only brought the VHT and miked it.  It was loud enough on a good
sized stage and elevated 90% of the time.  I don't play hard to begin
with, but I think the biggest difference between 5w and 50w is the
frequency response and rarely the volume.

By that I mean the VHT doesn't move much air and it isn't going to
give you thump.  Running through the same cab, the overall volume a
few feet from the cab was spot on with where I run the HG50 at my
smaller gigs.  I don't worry about the throw because I mike it.  If I
am not going to run the HG50 at 4 or higher, I take the VHT.

Wattage is often a worthless number.  In my experience, 5w-30w can
sound near identical depending on the billions of variables in play.
An amp is either small or large in my book.

Stop buying these amps.  I found it first, reported on it first, and
it is now my sound.  Stop cloning and copying me.  I am not good
enough to have so many clones ripping off my sound, man.  If you end
up buying a Line 6 M13, I swear I am going to find you and throw it in
a full bath tub....I am totally kidding.  I think everyone should own
an amp like this!
Mike


On Dec 8, 4:52 pm, Richard Hunter <turtleh...@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> 5 watt amps are loud, sure.  In a small room without a lot of competition from other instruments, a 5 watt amp can be very loud indeed.  
>
> However, I would be very uneasy playing with a loud band if I was only armed with a 5 watt amp, especially if there was no way to line-out that amp to a PA.  Most players would find a 5 watt amp to be insufficient for a gig with most amped bands in a room with 80-100 people in it, especially if those people weren't sitting and listening politely.
>
> In other words, there's a reason why people buy bigger amps.  I can't think of any working pro playing with a band who does most of his or her gigs with a 5-watt amp.  That goes for guitarists as well as harp players.
>
> I also agree that most harp players should have a good 5 watt tube amp. They're generally inexpensive, good-sounding, and fun.  Most harp players will also need an amp that's bigger and louder.
>
> Also keep in mind that if everybody in the world buys a VHT Special 6, everybody's gonna have the same amped sound.  (Yes, I know it's the player, not the amp.  But still.)
>
> Thanks, Richard Hunter
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> >From: Rick Davis <bluesharpa...@xxxxxxxxx>
> >Sent: Dec 8, 2010 5:30 PM
> >To: Richard Hunter <turtleh...@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Harp- L <Har...@xxxxxxxxxx>
> >Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Nic Clark playing the VHT Special 6 amp
>
> >Richard, I have played the VHT Special 6 amp at a loud blues jam (with and
> >without PA support) and it acquitted itself well,  It is not ideal for that
> >(I had trouble hearing myself in the loudest moments) but the people I spoke
> >to in the audience told me they could hear the amp just fine.  It is
> >remarkably loud for a 6-watt amp.  It is not limited to only quiet
> >coffehouse performances.
>
> >--
> >-Rick Davis
> >The Blues Harp Amps Blog
> >http://www.bluesharpamps.blogspot.com/
>
> >On Wed, Dec 8, 2010 at 1:44 PM, Richard Hunter <turtleh...@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>wrote:
>
> >> 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).
>
> author, "Jazz Harp"
> latest mp3s and harmonica blog athttp://myspace.com/richardhunterharp
> more mp3s athttp://taxi.com/rhunter
> Vids athttp://www.youtube.com/user/lightninrick
> Twitter: lightninrick