[Harp-L] What's so bad about micing to a PA?

["sam Blancato" <samblancato@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Thank you everyone for you input on this issue.  I got a lot of comments and
advise and wanted to just a few responses.  Firstly, several posters talked
about what the sound man should do.  Guys, there is no "sound man".  Most of
the gigs I'm played pay around $300 to $400 and those are the well paying
one.  Hiring a sound man around here usually costs around $100.  This is a
hobby for us; we aren't pros and all have day jobs.  I know there are all
sorts of levels to what a sound mane might be; your friend, who ever in your
band you think might be best at it and so on.  But in answering my inquiry,
telling me to discuss with my soundman is a cop out.  "Hey, how do I fix my
faucet?  Why talk to your plumber about it, of course."  I think I stated in
my post that it's our PA, our board.  
 
But what I was able to glean from several of your helpful comments is this:
In theory the idea is good but the monitors will create feed-back that is
originating from the PA so the Kinder box isn't going to reduce this, a
small amp, amplified through a PA looses some presence, and all that being
said it *is* doable but take a lot of fooling around with monitor placement.
It looks like I'll be lugging the Holland to gigs for the foreseeable
future. 
 
Some advised as to where to place a mic on the amp speaker cone - I already
know that on; between the center and edge of one of the speakers, not at its
center. 
 
Some guy told me this: "on the other hand most beginners like u are not
really ready for a 50 watt amp. so dont expect a small amps crunch when
giggin w the 50 watt amp. But don't worry keep practicin the harp . 
you'l learn and answer all these questions on your own. HAHAHA"
 
The HAHA part show he's kidding I guess.  
 
My little fantasy (I kind of knew it was a fantasy too) was that I could
make use of this expensive PA system to save myself from hauling the large
amp around.  I really like the Kalamazoo's tone.  But I should know this
isn't the best choice.  When you go see national acts like Hummel, and
Guyger, and Nemeth and THEY all lug their big amps on tour that should tell
you how popular micing a small amp is.
 
Sam Blancato, Pittsburgh