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

[Rick Davis <bluesharpamps@xxxxxxxxx>]

Richard, the VHT sounds much better right out of the box than the amps you
mentioned: Crate, Epiphone, Peavey, Kalamazoo. They are all guitar amps
that use EL84 power tubes, while the VHT is designed around the warmer 6V6
tube.

The new VHT amp with the circuit mods, including line out, could be had for
under $300.  Speaker upgrades are so subjective I'd leave that to the
player.  The stock speaker is quite good, and efficient at 97.5 dB.

-- 
-Rick Davis
The Blues Harp Amps Blog
http://www.bluesharpamps.blogspot.com/




On Wed, Dec 8, 2010 at 1:44 PM, Richard Hunter <turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>wrote:

> 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
>
>
>
> author, "Jazz Harp"
> latest mp3s and harmonica blog at http://myspace.com/richardhunterharp
> more mp3s at http://taxi.com/rhunter
> Vids at http://www.youtube.com/user/lightninrick
> Twitter: lightninrick
>
>