Harp Study
2 posts
Sep 28, 2013
6:07 PM
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I currently have a roland micro cube which I love, but I sort of feel like I'm missing something and was considering getting either a tube amp or trying the harp attack pedal.
I know the VHT special 6 gets great reviews for the price and so does the harp attack pedal, but I wasn't sure how the harp attack pedal would sound through the little micro cube. I mainly just play by myself in the basement, but some day would like to try sitting in on a jam when I finally work up the nerve.
I just wanted to get some other harp players opinions on the subject before I pull the trigger.
Thanks for any help that you may provide.
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Rarko
44 posts
Sep 28, 2013
10:59 PM
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I dont have intention to hijack your thread...
I will get my VHT special 6 next week... And I will practice with him and use it like a home amp.
But I want one LW distortion for playing jams, clubs...
I read here that VHT and LW Attack (or Break) isnt good together.
So if you want to play outside your home use LW distortion straight to PA(but you will need DI box too).
I will get one LW soon... But I cant realy decide wich one, Harp Attack or Harp Break?
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SuperBee
1447 posts
Sep 29, 2013
5:04 AM
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I don't reckon there's much point in a VHT and a distortion pedal.
The application for those pedals is for giving a tube-like breakup to an otherwise clean sound. So typically you'd use one with a solid state PA, or other big clean solid state amp.
I don't know how it would go with the Roland. I mean, if you want to play the VHT very quietly, too quiet to get natural distortion, you can probably do that with these pedals. Ditto the Roland.
Personally I didn't get on with the harp break, just because I didn't have that problem of too much clean headroom. My problem was not enough headroom and a harp break won't help with that. IME, It will reduce the available headroom and feedback will occur at an earlier point. Again, That's not a problem if you have plenty headroom, which is the case for many who play direct to PA.
When I wanted more and nasty distortion, the LW Octave pedal was my friend. It actually suppressed feedback, allowing me to play louder and fattening up the sound.
So, I dunno but I guess if you aim to play out and plan on playing to PA, get the pedal. You'll be able to use that just about anywhere. Either one will be ok, but the harp break is 9 volt and smaller. And cheaper.
The VHT might be ok but you'll have situations where you can't use it, or it won't do the job. Then you'll be wondering about getting a bigger amp...
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Harp Study
3 posts
Sep 29, 2013
5:28 AM
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Thanks for the replies guys.
Superbee you bring up a few good point about the harp attack pedal being smaller and cheaper as well as very versatile with a PA system. Right now I am leaning that direction. Plus pedals are easier to get past the wife.
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Rarko
45 posts
Sep 29, 2013
7:38 AM
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Superbee, I see hear that some people have LW Octave and they say that pedal can help with feedback, fatten up the sound... But how is that possible, it's a "octave" pedal, right? maybe my question is stupid, but I realy dont understand why is better to use Octave instead of Harp Attack or Break, for more distortion, fat sound and feedback problems...
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S-harp
178 posts
Sep 29, 2013
8:52 AM
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Rarko ... The LW Harp Octave isn't an octave pedal in that sence that it splits the tone in octaves up 'n down ... I'm not sure what it does really in a technical sencse, but I would say that it adds harmonic overtones.
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The tone, the tone ... and the Tone
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SuperBee
1448 posts
Sep 29, 2013
5:48 PM
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S-harp is on track, Rarko. I hear what you're asking.
However it works, the LW Octave has been observed by many to have the effect of providing a little more headroom. I don't know if that is by design or just a happy accident. The pedal has 3 controls: on/off, level (of effect) and volume. If you turn the level up, you get a distortion effect. The octave effect is like an octave up iirc (long time since I used it), and it has the effect of fattening the sound, because it's adding to what is going in. It's really very noticeably a 'bigger' sound..,these terms are so imprecise...
The more you turn the level up, the more pronounced this effect. Maybe it is a bit like playing 3 blow then playing a tongue split 3-6 blow...I think that's the idea of the pedal.
The clip effect is quite different to the other LW pedals. When I used the Octave with my DeVille, I could get that tearing paper effect that some like (and some despise!)
And for some reason, which may to do with altered frequencies I suppose (in lieu of having any real insight), in many cases people have found they can turn it up a little more. That was important to me. I expect it wouldn't matter to many.
This pedal is cool too in that it has the volume control and actually becomes quite useful as a stomp for leads. If you like the clip. If applied with a light touch I think it's pretty good. Or if you are in a heavy band, turn it up...it's got an edge.
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Seven.Oh.Three.
240 posts
Sep 29, 2013
10:00 PM
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This may not help your decision. BUT I thought I'd throw my two cents in. My first amplified set up was a 520dx and a pig nose (the small one) amp. It was a nice ice breaker. I replaced that "rig" with a vintage astatic Jt-30 (unknown element) and a vht special 6. Initially it was a HUGE upgrade. The VHT is a beast home amp. Honestly it's probably a little more amp than most need for the house, unless to have a fairly large space to practice in. Personally I live in a small one bed room condo. In order to achieve a nice break up at low volume I added a Harp break pedal and could not be more happy with it. The tone is fantastic and it breaks up nicely even at the lowest volume.
I initially bought the harp break for two reasons. One, for low volume practice and two, was when I grow into blues jams so I can plug right into the PA and achieve a better sound. I'm unsure about how the harp break performs directly into the pa. But matched with my VHT S6 I couldn't be more happy.
The only grain of salt I'd add is that I'm fairly a inexperienced amped player. Perhaps someone more experience and talented wouldn't be benefit from the harp break in front of the S6. But personally I love it. I run my Jt30-->lone wold delay v1-->harp break-->hhc sonic maximizer--> VHT Special 6. Aside from the Harp break, the delay pedal has added more to the "thickness" of my playing.
I know this doesn't help your decision much. But is say if you're planning on playing out soon a VHT special 6 won't do you much good. While it's a loud at home amp in don't think it's going to cut it at any blues jam I've ever been to. You'll probably want something with more ass than available from the S6. If that's the case buy a harp break and plug into the PA. If you're looking to up your practicing game and get a great amp that's very versatile and last you for life as a home amp buy the S6 and enjoy.
7.o.3.
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Harp Study
4 posts
Sep 30, 2013
3:13 AM
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7.o.3.
Thanks for providing your opinion. I am glad to hear that you are very pleased with the harp attack. I think practicing at low volume, but still being able to get a nice over driven tone would be something that would be very useful for me.
I think I will try the harp attack and if it sounds bad through the micro cube I might just get the special 6 later on.
Thanks again for you opinion. I did find it helpful.
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MindTheGap
2 posts
Sep 30, 2013
12:41 PM
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Harp Study - I have just been through the exact same decision process as you, so I thought it would be helpful to comment. I concluded the same as both SuperBee and 7.0.3. Myself, I went for the LW Harp Break + clean amp.
At home I use something similar to your roland micro cube for quiet/headphone practice (a Nux Mighty 8, set to clean) and I can report that it's ok. The Harp Break supplies the basic tone and the amp supplies a bit of reverb and EQ colour.
From what everyone says, I expect the Harp Attack would be excellent too, just different - I'm not sure how different, there doesn't seem to be a consensus.
I love the sound, and am enjoying not lugging an amp around.
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Formally 'Chamsya'
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Harp Study
5 posts
Oct 01, 2013
6:13 AM
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MindTheGap - Thanks for providing your incite on the matter. I think the pedal is the way to go for my situation. I have thought of getting either the harp attack or the break for a while and I go back and forth on which one of those I should actually get. Both seem to get great reviews and as of now I think the attack is the way I will likely go.
Thanks to everyone for your help.
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MindTheGap
3 posts
Oct 01, 2013
9:50 AM
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-Harp Study. Choices, choices! But fortunately they all seem like safe bets. Hope it works out. Will you report back?
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Formally 'Chamsya'
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Harp Study
7 posts
Oct 01, 2013
6:44 PM
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MindTheGap: I pulled the trigger today on the harp attack. I will report back once I get it.
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Harp Study
9 posts
Oct 06, 2013
11:10 AM
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For those interested I got the harp attack yesterday and have been playing around with it. It really makes the micro cube sound even better.
I have been very pleases with the micro cube for what it is and for what I do with it. I am still very much in the wood shed years, but the harp attack fattens up the sound very nicely. I can't wait to try it through the PA.
Thanks again for everyone's help.
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