ScottK
47 posts
Mar 04, 2017
7:20 PM
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In my search for my first amp, and getting to know amps in general I tried a used Epi Valve Jr 5w today. I hadn't got to try one yet so was glad to see one at our local guitar center.
I liked the sound a lot though using my mics I got feedback easily with the amp only turned up a bit. I stood even further back and behind it and the highest the volume could go was maybe 1/3 way.
The mics used I recently acquired from ebay and are my first official harp mics I guess, besides using an sm58 sometimes are:
AKAI DM-13 which I read about on this forum
Shure 545sd which replaces the one I had which I could not fix.
I'm not concerned, and I'm not necessarily looking for a solution, just curious... Anyone experience this with this amp or other small amps? Maybe its the mic's I'm using matched with this particular amp? Maybe the tubes? I've tried other amps in that same space before and haven't had this issue on other amps I've tried, mostly using a 57.
I'm pretty sure I'm getting a VHT special 6 but I was glad to get to try this amp that I've read a lot about.
Any thoughts?
Last Edited by ScottK on Mar 04, 2017 7:50 PM
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jbone
2256 posts
Mar 04, 2017
8:48 PM
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I think there's a mod kit to make the VJ more harp friendly.
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indigo
328 posts
Mar 04, 2017
10:07 PM
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Rule one: All amps in your local music shop are designed for Guitar players.
Rule 2: they will all feed back(to a greater or lesser extent) when you plug a mike into them.
Rule 3: use the Forum search engine and read the copious
amount of posts on 'feedback'and how to cope with it.
If your '57 isn't feeding back use that as your go to mike and save yourself a lot of money buying mikes and amps.
Everyone of us has been in your position at some stage..........welcome to amplified harp.
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SuperBee
4562 posts
Mar 05, 2017
12:53 AM
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The valve jr might be the most discussed and modified amp in history.
There are 4 versions; 3 different combo versions and a head.
That's not counting the 'hot rod' version.
And not counting the various versions of the amp sold under different names (eg Harley-Benton GA5, Legacy Valve Edition), which also have multiple formats.
The Epiphone Mk1 was an amp with a few problems, somewhat noisy due to circuit board layout combined with AC heaters. It also had some other problems.
Most of this was corrected in the Mk2, which has DC heAters and a different PCB. the head version was released at the same time, which was the same as the Mk2 combo, but with output options for 4,8 or 16 ohm cab. The cab supplied with the head has a 12" eminence ladyluck speaker.
The mk3 combo came with a 16 ohm 8" ladyluck, and also had the same 3 options for plugging in different speakers. I think the other change was that the mk3 had a 5k output transformer which is arguably better suited than the 8k OT which was fitted to the previous Marques.
All the versions were standard with a 12ax7 preamp with a volume pot installed between the two triodes.
Some of the 'other name' versions have a tone pot, which was basically a Marshall-type BMT stack with a fixed resistor setting the mids and treble and the pot allowing the bass to be varied. My experience of these is that they suck tone. They do make the amp much less prone to feedback with a mic, but there are better options imho.
(above paragraph was EDITED for accuracy.)
There are a number of mod kits produced for these amps, but they also lend themselves to diy approaches. Kits are probably less common these days as it's getting to be a fairly long time since the amps were produced.
The "alnicomagnet" mod was pretty good. I think I preferred it to the "Lone Wolf" mod, but that one is good too. Just a different approach.
I'm not sure if you were using a hi Z mic. If you have been using a 57 or 58 without an IMT, you are less likely to encounter feedback but I personally think it's not a good approach.
If using a hiZ mic, yes they'll feedback early. You can try tube subs to get a bit more sweep on the volume, or try some other angles, like adding some resistance on the pot, dropping the gain on stage 1 (and maybe stage 2) of the preamp by taking out the bypass cap. All these things will change the character of the amp a little.
I liked the alnicomagnet approach. This did leave the amp with a fair bit of gain and you wouldn't be turning it up even halfway, but it sounded really good. Adding a simple treble cut tone control is a good thing to do with them imho.
Another approach is to use a mic with a volume control, turn the amp up and keep the mic volume low. Greg Baker in Australia favours this way, and he does make them sound good.
To cut to the chase, these are fun and cheap little amps which can be quite ok for harp as they are, and if you're inclined to want to play around with high voltage electronics they can be lots of fun to experiment with.
Last Edited by SuperBee on Mar 05, 2017 2:30 PM
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Spderyak
128 posts
Mar 05, 2017
4:54 AM
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sbee"....I'm not sure if you were using a hi Z mic. If you have been using a 57 or 58 without an IMT, you are less likely to encounter feedback but I personally think it's not a good approach...."
I don't know the technical info as much, but that's the gist of it.
I take my sm58 and plug it into the impendence adapter and into a Vox Da 5. . No problems so you should have plenty of volume as well if you're already set up that way for your mic.
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ScottK
48 posts
Mar 05, 2017
12:04 PM
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Thanks for all the info all!
When I used a 57 it would be the store's, I have one MIA somewhere I hope to eventually find... I did use them with an impedance adapter. I also used a 58 since I have a couple and I would take the ball off and with the IMT and that also worked though a little more prone to feedback with the ball off.
The 545sd is set to low z (can be switched to either) and I use an IMT
The Akai dm13 is hi z and has chord attached
I have a Sonotone cm10 on the way which is hi z(another good find on ebay)that's modified to a screw on cable connector)
Until I get an amp (prob ordering VHT special 6 in a couple weeks) I've used the mics at home with my old maxi mouse battery amp 8" speaker I've fixed up, and they actually sound pretty good with it. And straight through my regular PA (mackie) at first try anyways I was able to get more of a sound I liked with the 545. I have a used Boss DD3 on hold for me.
Thanks again all, I've learned tons from you guys!
Last Edited by ScottK on Mar 05, 2017 12:08 PM
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BnT
27 posts
Mar 07, 2017
11:22 AM
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If you consider some older amps and do a little looking around, I picked up a 1947 Silvertone 1300 a couple of years ago for $350. Eight watts clean and 12-14 watts distorted. I've used it in a 3-piece (gtr & pno or 2 gtrs) at small venues un-miced; used a variety of mics with it; and no feedback issues. Worth a look around. It's not a question of what do I change to get the right tone. Tone comes standard with this amp.
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BnT
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Spderyak
129 posts
Mar 07, 2017
2:47 PM
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After reading some of the info here esp concerns about feed back. I took a closer look at my set up. Since I am seldom with others it has not been an issue for me.
I also have a sm58 with the ball removed (for now).
The cord was a 3 pin on the end but my amp is set only for 1/4 jack so I plugged it into The imp converter then into the amp.
that's worked ok for a while now.
but
after reading I changed out the cord so it was 3 pin at the mike but 1/4 at the other end to plug directly into the amp.
then I plugged it into the one labeled mic on the amp.
It worked great.
If I take it out and plug into the one labeled input it was muted big time (with out the impendence converter).
So what I learned is that... I didn't need to run it through a converter I just needed to plug it into the right place...at least on that amp..
older and wiser now... I hope.
Last Edited by Spderyak on Mar 07, 2017 2:48 PM
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2plankr
88 posts
Mar 07, 2017
3:10 PM
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I have owned three small amps. A VHT, a HG-2 and a Memphis Mini. In my opinion the Memphis Mini is the best hands down.
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LumberjackShark
69 posts
Mar 08, 2017
2:17 PM
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I'm sure this is in a thread somewhere, but I have a question on this..... is an amp needed? I ask this because I've been playing through the PA for a few years and seems good. I have a delay pedal I use a lot and it works well. I'm wondering if it is a must or am I good with the PA?
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Martin
1135 posts
Mar 08, 2017
3:19 PM
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@LumberjackShark: No, a PA is not a prerequisite for sounding good. Good playing (with whatever that implies), a good microphone and perhaps a pedal to tweak things a bit goes a long way.
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