Re: [Harp-L] Pre-Amp

[Timothy Kane <hawkeyekane@xxxxxxxxx>]

Preamp is a term designated for a gainstage that precedes a power amplifier. It gives the instrument it's gain charge, and can add effects and tonality depending on the tone stack included with it. Yes, every instrument amplifier has a preamp built in. But there are different types of preamp stages, and not every one is friendly to good blues harp tone. For example, my Alamo Fury that I'm still trying to whip into shape has a solid state PCB preamp. But the driver and output are tubes. That SS preamp is lacking in harp tone. 

So.....I bought a simple ART Tube MP to add a tube gain stage and output control to it to attain some warmer tone. That's what things like the Harp Commander and Lone Wolf Harp Attack & Harp Break are for...either warming up the tone on an unfriendly amp, or through a PA board, where everything is usually solid state and digital.

Make sense? 

  

                          Hawkeye Kane 
                                                                                                 hawkeyekane@xxxxxxxxx 
                                                                                                     Cell: (217)-741-7183 
                                                                                                    http://www.hawkeyekane.com/
 

________________________________
 From: Mike Best <mike.d.best@xxxxxx>
To: Harp-L <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx> 
Sent: Saturday, September 14, 2013 7:42 AM
Subject: [Harp-L] Pre-Amp
  

What does it mean when something is called a "harmonica pre-amp"?  For example a Harp Commander is a pre-amp, and I think various distortion pedals are also pre-amps. But I thought a standard amplifier includes a pre-amp stage.  Can anyone cast some light on this?
Cheers
Mike