Re: [Harp-L] 59 Fender Bassman reissue

[Richard Hunter <turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Rick Davis wrote: 
<In the Harp Amp Poll I conducted at the Blues Harp Amps Blog earlier this
<year, I found that the Fender Bassman RI is the amp most often used (by a
<large margin) by gigging players who make at least 25% of their income
<directly from playing harp.  It is the workhorse of the blues harp
<community.

True, and a significant number of pros use amps like the Sonny Jr and Harpgear that extend and improve the Bassman design. It's a durable platform.   

That said, in 2011 there are alternatives, some of which offer more power and flexibility at a lower price and with a smaller, lighter footprint, and an increasing number of players are beginning to outfit themselves with those alternatives.    

I'm pretty sure that this movement reflects the increasing diversity of harp players and styles, as well as the availability of new technologies.  The Bassman sounds great for blues, but modern players increasingly need to play more than blues.  It also reflects the increasing desire of players for gear that's designed for harp from the ground up, as opposed to being repurposed from guitar (the Bassman) or the cab dispatcher's office (the Green Bullet).

Pretty exciting times, and the gear is getting better and better, not to mention generally less expensive.

Regards, Richard Hunter   

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