Header Graphic
Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! > What mic to buy when playing with rack?
What mic to buy when playing with rack?
Login  |  Register
Page: 1

ronski
1 post
Nov 18, 2013
3:24 AM
Hello! What harmonica microphone would you recommend for me to use with slightly distorted tube amplifier on stage?

The problem is I have to play guitar at the same time so I have to use a rack to free my hands... I know that big part of the dirtier blues harmonica sound comes from cupping your hands but is there any solution to make harp sound more dirty (without big feedback issues) when playing with rack?

Thanks for your help!
Komuso
214 posts
Nov 18, 2013
4:18 AM
I've used various mics.

I had a shaker Retro Rocket rigged up for a few years in a custom rack, with a case made out of one of those small postal envelopes with bubble wrap, and some gaffer take to shape it. It was lightish, and emulated a hand cup somewhat. I was going into a Harp Commander III and then into Guitar Rig software amp stack though, not real amp.

Right now I'm just using a stock Strnad on a Hohner Flexrack, going into a Zoom G3 with custom patches.
I'm still tweaking the patches but I can get a range of tones, as I don't always stick to the traditional sound anyway.

Eventually it comes down to a balancing act of weight, comfort, visibility, and tone.

You probably want to check out Deak Harp's setup


Also check out Walter Tore's setup


I think JimiLee uses a Strnad but he's got a custom element put into it.
----------
Paul Cohen aka Komuso Tokugawa
HarpNinja - Your harmonica Mojo Dojo
Bringing the Boogie to the Bitstream

Last Edited by Komuso on Nov 18, 2013 4:21 AM
jbone
1415 posts
Nov 18, 2013
4:33 AM
Bobby Mercy Oliver out of Texas had the best rack harp to tube amp tone I ever heard. He had a green bullet duct taped to his rack and straight into a Fender amp. He also had some clever straps holding the rack where he wanted it and he sang through that same mic, and accompanied himself on guitar as well. Worth a look!
----------
http://www.reverbnation.com/jawboneandjolene

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000386839482

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wa7La7yYYeE
Hobostubs Ashlock
2103 posts
Nov 18, 2013
8:38 AM
I just 2 nights ago,came up with something inspired from watching Deak harp(great 1man band man),using a plastic wrap,(Not bubble wrap but close)and wraped it around 3/4 around ,used rubber bands to hold it on the harp and out the side,I inserted a eggstatic mic,I had laying around,the house and secured it,then slipped it into the rack,Its just a prototype,to see how it would work,and I love what it did,(now i need to build a better one,

I can run it into my rp155 with the hunter patches and it,give me alot more options,and it no longer a problem trying to get close but not to close(bump) to the PA mic,And now its alot easier to get loud.

im like ing it alot,but with most things ive come across good and bad
granted this is something i just tried 2 days ago

Good things

1 louder and easier to play loud
2 lots of cool effects with the rp155(hunter patches)
3 vocals seem fuller depending on what effect,now i have 2 mics the rack and the PA
4 I can loop a vocals part or harp part now using this setup

Bad
1 limits my harp changes as i have only 1 rack and its setup with wrap
2Now i am running my guitar into the amp with no pedal,which tone wise is no problem maybe better (superchamp xd) but i cant change them on the fly
3 now I cant loop a short guitar piece and solo over (then again that might be a good thing)

Im likeing it though and will probelly eventually get another rp 155,for guitar



I have a question for rack palyers Most my time i was sitting in a chair with the guitar on my lap,worked allright,well the other day,I changed my foot drums to a stomp box and foot tamberine,was using a suitcase drum) and now my leg gets tired having to sit and play in the chair,with the new leg motion,

well i have a bar stool tried it and it works good changes the angle of my leg,less tiring,But now Im playing the guitar with a strap,allmost like when your standing,

and now Im noticing the cheap basic harp rack i have is hard to keep from sliding around my neck due to the guitar strap.

I tried a small bend ,and also putting the strap though
the rack after I sit down,(strap locks i got last week allready paying off ;-) and it helps but its alot different playing a rack with a guitar strap then when you dont have a stap, any hints or sugestions? (not trying to hijack the thread,but been wanting to ask this looked like a good place.thanks


----------
Hobostubs

Last Edited by Hobostubs Ashlock on Nov 18, 2013 8:44 AM
byrone
1 post
Nov 29, 2013
1:02 PM
I just found this guy and his hands-free invention, the G-rig. I was going to try to construct something, much more crudely, when I found this thing. It's expensive but WELL worth it. If you are serious about playing hands-free and getting that "Chicago" sound. I'm not affiliated with him, just very impressed with this guy's woodworking skill and ingenuity.

www.frontandcentermics.com

go to the G-Rig page.

Last Edited by byrone on Nov 29, 2013 1:04 PM
jbone
1428 posts
Nov 29, 2013
7:07 PM
They look and sound really great! An d face it, for quality and function, hand made small business, you will pay. The question is if you like it, can afford it, and will make good use of it.
I have no need for a holder since I don't play guiar but this could conceivably be a great gift dor my wife the guitarist and aspiring harp player! SSSShhhh, don't say nothin'....
----------
http://www.reverbnation.com/jawboneandjolene

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000386839482

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wa7La7yYYeE
Iggy K.
5 posts
Dec 20, 2013
2:10 AM
you can try this option with a Green Bullet mic...



----------
http://harpexplosion.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/greenbulletholder
Komuso
260 posts
Dec 20, 2013
3:01 AM
G-Rig & bullet holder look neat, but I've found over time as I've gotten more comfortable that I like to move as well well I'm playing both harp and guitar.
Even singing you can move a little as well.

A neck rack gives you that flexibility, which is why none of the mic stand solutions really work for my style of playing now.

Another advantage of the neckrack mic is you can blend it for vocals with a vocal mic by varying both your direction of voice and how close you move to the main vocal mic.
Even more options if the harprack mic has a volume control like the STRNAD.
Sometimes I go full acoustic by turning down the rackmic volume all the way and blow into the vocal mic, sometimes stand way off the vocal mic and sing direct into the harprack mic (with right patch on G3), and then any blend in between.

I use a condenser (AT2030) for vocals with just standard vocal reverb/compression but the harp rack mic can have loads of different FX via the G3.

It's like having another instrument for vocals, and very dynamic depending on what you want on the song.

Trade-offs!

----------
Paul Cohen aka Komuso Tokugawa
HarpNinja - Your harmonica Mojo Dojo
Bringing the Boogie to the Bitstream

Last Edited by Komuso on Dec 20, 2013 3:15 AM
Chris L
27 posts
Dec 20, 2013
9:47 PM
I haven't tried it myself, but I heard a fellow last summer playing a rack set-up consisting of an SM57 fitted (with foam and a little black duct tape) into a plastic furniture wand from a vacuum cleaner. He had adapted the wand "mouth" to fit a marine band. It sure had a loud, dirty amplified tone. He was mostly chording and single note comping so I can't comment on how the rig would work for more melodic improvising. Because the whole rig was dark/black, you could hardly tell the piece came from a vacuum until you saw it up close.
Greg Heumann
3337 posts
Aug 31, 2017
10:37 AM
There's a new kid in town. It is called Rackit! and it IS the answer to this question. Check out the Rackit! web page.

“At last! Big-time blues harp amplification for rack players!
This is going to be a game changer.” --Jon Gindick


----------
***************************************************
/Greg

BlowsMeAway Productions
See my Customer Mics album on Facebook
Bluestate on iTunes

Last Edited by Greg Heumann on Aug 31, 2017 10:38 AM
Gnarly
2297 posts
Aug 31, 2017
11:02 AM
It's everything I can do not to buy this unit, it's exactly what I need--once I find the right gig!
Thinkin' about wireless, Greg's got it covered.
Tommy the Hat
696 posts
Aug 31, 2017
3:19 PM
Ha! Funny coincidence RE: The Rackit.
I don't have a need for something like this but the only reason I came to this thread was because I just watched a video just released by a channel I subscribe to.


----------
Tommy


My YouTube vocal covers
----
Facebook

Last Edited by Tommy the Hat on Aug 31, 2017 4:17 PM
waltertore
3005 posts
Aug 31, 2017
4:12 PM
I am waiting on my Rackit harp mic from Greg. I have a small 5w tube amp built by an old guy that started fooling with amp building in the 50's. Can't wait to see how it all works. Walter
----------
walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year in the Tunnel of Dreams Studio.
" life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller

Smiling With Hope Pizza-pizza with a social cause

my videos

waltertore
3006 posts
Sep 10, 2017
12:20 PM
I got my package from Greg the other day. I use a farmers harp rack and need to let the glue dry on the farmer adaptor plate he sent till tomorrow before hooking the harp mic to the rack. He gives explicit instructions to not use it till the cure time is done and I am now old enough to wait :-) I have been fooling around with it going into a 5 watt fender champ clone. I am impressed with the thought/quality put into this device. The compression plugs work great and can't wait to hook it on the rack. Thanks Greg as I have been making half ass rack mics for decades and although I got some good tones from mine they were so flimsy and awkward to use that I never used them much. This one is a keeper. Walter
----------
walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year in the Tunnel of Dreams Studio.
" life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller

Smiling With Hope Pizza-pizza with a social cause

my videos

Last Edited by waltertore on Sep 10, 2017 12:23 PM


Post a Message



(8192 Characters Left)


Modern Blues Harmonica supports

§The Jazz Foundation of America

and

§The Innocence Project

 

 

 

ADAM GUSSOW is an official endorser for HOHNER HARMONICAS