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Best mic
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BonesIVXX
2 posts
Dec 29, 2012
8:48 AM
I've been playing for just over a year and would like to get a mic and amp. Would you start with a cheaper one or just get a good one and be done with it? What would be a decent mic without breaking the bank?
lumpy wafflesquirt
667 posts
Dec 29, 2012
9:01 AM
I think there are several hundred people on this forum.
you'll probably get several hundred different answers to this.
And several people asking what sort of venues you'll be playing etc.

I see you are new [2 posts] you'd be best off using the search and reading the many threads of posta on this very subject.

welcome aboard



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"Come on Brackett let's get changed"
rbeetsme
1015 posts
Dec 29, 2012
9:04 AM
One question. How much money do you have? Then Hook up with Greg at www.blowsmeaway.com

Last Edited by on Dec 29, 2012 9:05 AM
Kingley
2071 posts
Dec 29, 2012
9:14 AM
The Shure SM57 is a very hard mic to beat. It's got killer sound for harp, is good for vocals and can be used to mic amps into a PA.
When it comes to amps. To start with I'd say something small (5 - 10 watts), preferably valve (tube), with an 8 or 10 inch speaker. Basic tone control and a volume. Avoid all the bells and whistles type amps with multi effects and modelling features. You need to work on your basic amped sound before moving onto effects. The VHT Special 6, 5F1 Champ or a Kalamazoo II would be ideal for this purpose.

Last Edited by on Dec 29, 2012 9:14 AM
Greg Heumann
1908 posts
Dec 29, 2012
9:33 AM
Note that as your cupping technique improves, your cup will naturally mute the higher frequency components of your sound. But as a beginner, there will be a lot of high frequency content, and a mic that has more high frequency response will sound considerably harsher than one where the frequency response tapers off at a much lower frequency - that's one place where much older/lower tech elements come in handy. A good player can get good tone out of most mics - but a beginner needs all the help he or she can get!

And as a general rule the smaller the amp, the better all mics will sound.
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/Greg

BlowsMeAway Productions
See my Customer Mics album on Facebook
BlueState - my band
Bluestate on iTunes
Rick Davis
1076 posts
Dec 29, 2012
9:46 AM
Bone, talk to Greg Heumann about a mic.

Buy a new VHT Special 6 combo amp. You will need to do nothing to it to get good tone, and it has a long warranty.

And welcome to the forum!

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-Rick Davis
The Blues Harp Amps Blog
The Mile High Blues Society

Last Edited by on Dec 29, 2012 9:50 AM
MN
218 posts
Dec 29, 2012
12:58 PM
Shure SM 57 > cord > lo-to-hi-Z converter > VHT Special 6 amp. Even when you get better, you'll always have use for a 57.


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bluzharper
63 posts
Dec 29, 2012
5:28 PM
My choices would be a Shure 57 or an Astatic Road House JT-30 for starters. Just for practice most small amps would do, as an investment, you can't beat the VHT 6.
Down the road you can mod it, change speakers, and have a line out installed. just my humble opinion.
Littoral
697 posts
Dec 30, 2012
7:40 AM
I checked in to say 57 - and I thought Lumpy would be right with 100 different responses. Gregs point about technique with a 57 is important. You have to have good control of the harp to reign in harsh frequencies, especially with a 57. I got mine last year and it's bad ass.
Rick Davis
1085 posts
Dec 30, 2012
11:55 AM
Bones, what kind of music do you play? Is there a harp player whose tone you'd like to emulate?

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-Rick Davis
The Blues Harp Amps Blog
The Mile High Blues Society
SuperBee
772 posts
Dec 30, 2012
1:16 PM
I never understood why the 57 is so popular. I never spent much time with one, even though I own one. Just tried a couple times, thought "that sucks" and went back to my bullets. I have a 58 too, which I get on alright with, and prefer for some things.
Seems if I spent some time with the 57 I might be able to overcome my distaste; good to know. Maybe I'll play with it for a while.
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JD Hoskins
378 posts
Dec 30, 2012
1:45 PM
SM57/ SM58 same element, same mic with a different amount of foam and windscreen.
SuperBee
773 posts
Dec 30, 2012
2:00 PM
Yeah it's the shape of the thing and handling noise I don't like. Although when singing through 57 I've found they sound less clear than 58. That was into same channel of PA, just swapping mics on same cable. Coulda been a pretty beat up/dirty old 57 though
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timeistight
1005 posts
Dec 30, 2012
2:13 PM
The SM-57 beats any other harp mic at its price point and has the added advantages of wide versatility and high resale value.

If someone posted "I have $500 to spend on a dedicated harp mic," I might recommend something different, but I've never seen that.
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They teach you there's a boundary line to music. But, man, there's no boundary line to art.
Charlie Parker

Last Edited by on Dec 30, 2012 2:14 PM
atty1chgo
574 posts
Dec 30, 2012
3:34 PM
For the little bit more that you pay for it, an Electrovoice RE-10 performs as well if not better than an SM-57 or 58, and actually INCREASES in value because it is vintage. There are still plenty of them out there. Just my opinion. If you are looking for a dual Z stick mic, the Electrovoice 631B is primo. And with all the money I see spent on "vintage" Green Bullet" and Astatic JT-30 mics, there should not be the same sort of resistance to a vintage stick mic such as an RE-10 or a 631B as there seems to be.
timeistight
1006 posts
Dec 30, 2012
3:44 PM
If you can find an RE-10 for just a little bit more than a new SM-57, then go for it, definitely. The ones I see on eBay either look like they've been left out in the rain or are much more expensive.
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They teach you there's a boundary line to music. But, man, there's no boundary line to art.
Charlie Parker

BonesIVXX
3 posts
Dec 30, 2012
7:58 PM
Rick I play mostly blues, and some rock. Not sure if its becuase I'm from Chicago but I do like the Chicago blues sound, and I also like Texas blues.
I won't need a mic for singing at this time.
Greg Heumann
1911 posts
Dec 30, 2012
9:10 PM
The RE10 is a great mic. But it is so long. Add a volume control it gets even longer. Add a wireless transmitter and it is a baseball bat. That's where Jason Ricci was when I developed the SM57JR and then the Ultimate 57. He never went back to the RE10.

OK, that was a shameless plug. I promise. Last one of the year.
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/Greg

BlowsMeAway Productions
See my Customer Mics album on Facebook
BlueState - my band
Bluestate on iTunes

Last Edited by on Dec 30, 2012 9:11 PM
Kingley
2078 posts
Dec 30, 2012
11:42 PM
Afro Blue - You made a superb choice with that mic. The 545SD is one of the best mics for harp ever. It's very close in sound to an SM57. The Shure 545SD is my favourite all time harp mic.
HawkeyeKane
1331 posts
Dec 31, 2012
6:36 AM
"Somehow I ended up choosing a Shure 545SD insead of a SM57, what do you folks think of the 545SD, is it recommendable? How does it compare to the SM57?"

Hell, if it was good enough for Butterfield....

Another one you might look into on ebay is an Akai DM13. Stick mic like the SM57 and 545SD, but much lighter in weight, and pretty easily modded. The tone on them is absolutely divine.

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Hawkeye Kane

Last Edited by on Dec 31, 2012 6:38 AM
atty1chgo
575 posts
Dec 31, 2012
9:49 AM
@timeistight:

Just got these three mics in the mail. I paid $34.00 for them shipped. One of them is an EV RE-10 in almost mint condition. The seller did not know what he had. So if you look carefully, you can find these mics. This was a steal, and a nice present at the end of the year!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-MICROPHONES-RADIO-SHACK-PHILLIPS-ELECTRO-VOICE-/281041368232?item=281041368232&ViewItem=&ssPageName=ADME:X:RTQ:US:1123&nma=true&si=0y3T4f2MwobHLthcwsxoGfaGelk%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557
atty1chgo
576 posts
Dec 31, 2012
10:28 AM
@ Greg Heumann:

Your Ultimate 57 is a custom made smaller mic at 5 1/8 inches. I agree there. But the implication that an RE-10 is just "so long" compared to a standard SM57 or SM58 just isn't the case. I guess a quarter of an inch to a half inch of length must make a big difference? Somehow I don't think so.

Shure SM-57 - 6 3/16 inches

http://www.usc.edu/student-affairs/bovardauditorium/pdf/sm57.pdf

Shure SM-58 - 6 3/8 inches

http://www.usc.edu/student-affairs/bovardauditorium/pdf/sm57.pdf

Electrovoice RE-10 - 6 3/4 inches

http://www.coutant.org/evre10/evre10.pdf
Rick Davis
1086 posts
Dec 31, 2012
10:47 AM
Bones, since you are a new player who is interested in the Chicago blues sound, I would suggest you don't spend a bunch of money on gear for now. The VHT is a great amp and I think that would be a good idea for your first gear purchase.

The mic is not so easy since they all sound and perform so different, and since they are quite expensive. The Shure SM57 as suggested by several people here in the forum is very good, but by itself it may not get you the sound you are looking for, especially if you have been playing only a year or so. If you go that route I would suggest you also buy a device from Greg Heumann call The Bulletizer. Your total cost would be under $150, I think.

Or, there is an inexpensive bullet mic that gets good reviews by some players on the forum: The Astatic/Hohner JT30 Roadhouse. It retails for $89.99 but places like Amazon and Guitar Center sometimes have it on sale for only $49.99.

This rig will get you going in the direction you want, I think, since you are interested in Chicago blues tone.

Good luck with all this.



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-Rick Davis
The Blues Harp Amps Blog
The Mile High Blues Society


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