Re: [Harp-L] If money were no objext...



If money were no object I’d start with a clean slate.  I’d find one of
the best amp techs on the planet and huddle for months designing and
building a harp amp.  I’d take ideas from the Masco amps, and the
Premier Twin 8, the Western Electric bassman circuit, and others.  I’d
let TONE be the determinant for all design decisions.  I’d select
every component for the quality of its tone.  I’d use whatever sounded
best, not whatever the conventional wisdom said was “right.”

Well…  That’s exactly what I did.  The result is the Mission Chicago
32-20 blues harp amp.  I own the prototype, and it shows.  It has some
mismatched switches and funky stick-on labels.  But the amp is
priceless.  It is a one-of-a-kind masterpiece that is not for sale at
any price.  How many can say that about their amp?

During the development I lent the amp to pro harp players and asked
their opinions and followed their advice.  Do you like the fixed bias
punch of a Bassman or the cathode biased crunch of a Masco?  No
problem; just flip a switch to select one or the other.

The amp has as much useful volume as a good 410 amp.  I know, because
I own a nice modified 1991 Bassman RI.  It is 35 watts in a 35-pound
amp.  The texture and crunch from the amp are a good mixture of the
more rigid 410 amps and the more compressed smaller amps.  It has an
amazingly rich tone I never get tired of hearing.  The amp inspires me
to play more and more.

But you don’t have to be a ‘price is no object” kind of player to get
one.  Bruce Collins at Mission Amps in Denver will build you one for
$1149.00.

Mike Wezo did the same thing.  His Megatone amps are also excellent.
He decided money was no object and created his own line of amps that
defy convention.

Mission Amps:  http://www.missionharpamps.com/

Megatone Amps:  http://www.megatoneamps.com/


-Rick Davis



On Tue, Mar 6, 2012 at 9:50 AM, John Dekker <jdekker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> What amp/mic combo would you pick? Assuming you primarily play blues, but also some classic rock (with a band).
>
> Would you consider the Richard Hunter method of playing through a Digitech RP (using his patches, of course) into a keyboard amp?
>
> JD




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