Coro
1 post
Dec 02, 2014
9:52 AM
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I have an idea that's similar - but not quite the same - as the question raised by CapitalG (he was looking for an alternative to his Bassman rig). My main rig is much smaller than the Bassman - a Harpgear Double Trouble, with a Lone Wolf
Harp Delay. It's an excellent combination, that I use for regular gigging. But, I'd also like something even easier, so that I could hop in on informal sessions. I'd also like it to be a less expensive setup, so that I could have it in the car, and not have to worry about it. I'm willing to sacrifice some sound quality.
What I have in mind is something modern - and I wouldn't insist on all tube. It needs to light and compact. A line out would be ideal. Some built-in effects would be good, making setup that much easier (yes, I know many harp players hate that stuff - but in this case, a little delay or reverb would help a lot).
Does anybody know of a moderately priced, off-the-shelf amp, that can satisfy those requirements?
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slaphappy
48 posts
Dec 02, 2014
10:06 AM
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Fender Super Champ X2
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4' 4+ 3' 2~~~
-Mike Ziemba
Harmonica is Life!
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HawkeyeKane
2667 posts
Dec 02, 2014
10:37 AM
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Laney CUB12R
Ibanez TSA15
VHT Special 12/20RT
Ampeg GVT15
Fender Vaporizer
Vox Night Train 15 Combo
Peavey ValveKing II 112
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Hawkeye Kane - Hipbone Sam
Last Edited by HawkeyeKane on Dec 02, 2014 10:44 AM
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Martic
119 posts
Dec 02, 2014
10:47 AM
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Roland Cube + Shure SM57 OR Audix i5, without impedance transformer.
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rainman
148 posts
Dec 02, 2014
11:36 AM
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I have a RP355 Digitech with Hunter Harp patches and a Behringer B210D that I carry around. It's light and easy to carry maybe 20 lbs, nothing expensive whole setup around $300.00. You can bypass the B210 and go direct to PA from RP or use the B210 as your personal monitor and line out from there which I do a lot, or use the B210 as your amp. It sounds much better than you would expect and has good volume. It would all work with your current rig as well.
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Joe_L
2549 posts
Dec 02, 2014
1:01 PM
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Find a used Fender Pro Junior.
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The Blues Photo Gallery
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S-harp
232 posts
Dec 02, 2014
1:25 PM
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I sometimes just bring my pedals and a good passive linebox, all mounted and ready in a small hardcase. Just plug and play in either one of the house's amps or straight into the PA. I then play through a dynamic mic to get both clean acoustic and crunch from the same line. My chain is mic/HarpOctave/HarpTone+/reverb or delay/DI/amp
My DI has two outs ... one balanced and one bypass/amp
Then I have volume-, crunch-, tone-, and reverb control at hand.
Does it sound good? Absolutely passable! The trick here (to my taste) is to use the acoustic tone as a 80%-ish base and only colour the sound with crunch when needed.
Last Edited by S-harp on Dec 02, 2014 1:28 PM
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rogonzab
625 posts
Dec 04, 2014
10:38 AM
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Roland Cube.
The best tone out of a SS amp that I know of, by far!.
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Sorry for any misspell, english is not my first language.
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mlefree
233 posts
Dec 04, 2014
10:57 AM
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Similar to Rainman's solution, I am very pleased with my Digitech RP150 with Richard's patches. Smaller than a cigar box, total cost ~$50. Right into the PA, my rig weighs less than 3 pounds. My cable and Mic' take as much room in my gig bag as the RP.
My ailing back recently told me to sell my pristine 1976 Silverface Princeton amp. I loved that amp and it went to a good home but I really don't feel that I lost any capabilities with the RP rig. I certainly didn't have the palette of sounds to choose from at the click of a pedal. My back thanks me each time I play out and I netted a handsome sum exchanging the Prince for the RP. I used to be envious, now I get a chuckle each time I se someone wrestling with a huge, heavy amp.
Michelle
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SilverWingLeather.com
email: mlefree@silverwingleather.com
Last Edited by mlefree on Dec 04, 2014 10:57 AM
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Kingley
3765 posts
Dec 04, 2014
12:13 PM
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When I play "amped" these days I use a Lone Wolf Harp Attack into the PA and sometimes a delay pedal as well as my mood dictates. So that's always an option to consider. If you're set on looking for an amp though I'd do as Joe L suggested and look for either a used Pro Jr or a Princeton Reverb.
Last Edited by Kingley on Dec 04, 2014 12:14 PM
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R2D2
17 posts
Dec 04, 2014
2:01 PM
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I think Kingley outlined the simplest "amp" setup. Harp Attack into the PA. Pretty small and simple.
Last Edited by R2D2 on Dec 04, 2014 2:01 PM
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kudzurunner
5168 posts
Dec 04, 2014
4:58 PM
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This thread (so far) reminds me why I like this place. Crowd-sourcing, when the crowd has a lot of accumulated wisdom, is a great thing.
Last Edited by kudzurunner on Dec 04, 2014 4:59 PM
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FreeWilly
428 posts
Dec 05, 2014
8:50 AM
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Just to offer a different perspective which you might already have:
I speak to the soundman or woman for 5 seconds. Can you get me some delay and roll of the highs a bit? Then I take the xlr cable from the second house mic which I leave in its stand and plug in an ultimate 57 which is always in my harpcase. Done. Not that much better than the house mic, but I control my volume and I have enough bass to minimize the risk of sounding very shrill.
It's very minimal, but I can focus on playing rather than fiddeling with knobs and battling not hearing myself. Everything smaller than a DT must be in the monitors, which involves a short sound-check. Too much danger of not hearing yourself to me for a minimum leap in sound-quality.
If you are bringing an amp, everyone expects you to sound good. This way I'm under the radar but don't sound too shabby at all and can hear myself. Don't even have to bring a cable..
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NathanLWBC
24 posts
Dec 05, 2014
12:05 PM
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A lot of guys that call/email me talk about minimizing their rig. The Harp Attack into the PA, as mentioned by Kingley, really does do a good job of giving you a good sound through the PA. If you go that route, I would HIGHLY recommend getting a decent DI box to run into instead of trying to run straight into the board.
Instrument line is not meant to run that far and you open yourself up to all kinds of interference. Also, some PAs can get overdistorted when you introduce any drive. This is easily solved by using a pad. The problem is, a lot of cheap PAs don't have pads. A decent DI box will have a pad, meaning you aren't at the whim of some terrible house rig.
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--Nathan Heck
Lead Technician, Lone Wolf Blues Co.
customerservice@lonewolfblues.com
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garry
547 posts
Dec 05, 2014
6:23 PM
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If you're not hung up on tube, the Vox VT40 is a pretty nice choice. It's a hybrid modelling amp, using a 12AX7 in the power section. Good amp models and effects, lightweight (24 lbs), inexpensive ($250). Its big brother VT80 offers is another option.
I'd recommend you go try them in a store. Just make sure you get them to put it into manual mode before you try it. The presets it comes with are all high gain guitar hero setups that cause shrieking howling feedback at any level. Turning up the noise reduction floor helps you get loud without feedback.
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