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Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! > Best use for a Harp Attack?
Best use for a Harp Attack?
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Martin
1286 posts
Sep 26, 2017
5:59 AM
After irregular use of a Harp Attack pedal for a couple of years I´m contemplating getting rid of it. It has not in my experience provided me with anything I couldnt get from other pedals (American Sound, RP) and I´m rather uncertain of its value. (And please note that I´ve used it with hi-z microphones, which, as I´ve learnt here, is the proper way!)

The distortion is not remarkably interesting (maybe I should have gotten the Harp Break for that) and the tube quality of the sound is not compelling. (I´ve mainly gone through PA´s with it.)

Those of you who have found it indispensable in your gear box -- what are your favourite set ups for it?

Last Edited by Martin on Sep 26, 2017 5:23 PM
Dox
21 posts
Sep 26, 2017
7:27 AM
Look that:

http://www.modernbluesharmonica.com/board/board_topic/5560960/5496973.htm

but this is HarpBreak + Octave not Attak...
Martin
1287 posts
Sep 26, 2017
8:22 AM
Yes Dox, that´s the Harp Break and that´s a different beast.
Kingley
4079 posts
Sep 26, 2017
9:29 AM
I use mine straight into the PA, usually with no effects. I use it instead of an amp when I want an "amped" sound. Personally I find the Harp Attack often has too much distortion/overdrive for my taste. I prefer a clean sound which overdrives only when I choose to push it harder. Overdrive, distortion, delay, reverb, etc, etc often annoy me more than I like them. I'm not a big fan of effects and for my taste most players overuse them much of the time. They just aren't for me.
Martin
1288 posts
Sep 26, 2017
11:40 AM
@Kingley: Wouldn´t you then be a candidate for Straight to PA? Less botheration. (Sometimes I´m there myself, but it depends on the PA and mic etc.)
I seem to recall that you are a blues player -- but of course if one finds the right type of cleanliness etc.

Possibly I had hopes for a *more* amped sound from the HA, which perhaps makes the Harp Break a more attractive future solution.
Kingley
4080 posts
Sep 26, 2017
12:01 PM
"Wouldn´t you then be a candidate for Straight to PA?"
That's what I normally do these days. However sometimes it's nice to use an "amped" sound on certain numbers. That's when I use a Harp Attack.
Yes you're correct I am a blues player predominantly. Not all of us blues players want that huge overdriven sound that is popular with many all the time though. That muffled, heavily distorted sound very quickly bores me most of the time and I prefer too use a different approach.
20REEDS
42 posts
Sep 26, 2017
2:57 PM
I feel the presonusTubePre can be utilized for the same purpose as the harp attack, however is more flexible in that it has both hi-z and lo-z inputs and outputs.
Although replacing the tube has been recommended.
Martin
1289 posts
Sep 26, 2017
5:22 PM
@Kingley: Didn´t you have a video of you playing w/ a HA pedal and no amp? I tried finding it but something told me "Kingley blues harp" wasn´t the way to go. Or it´s taken down.
I´m interested in knowing how other people sound going straight to the board -- not via a Bassman or Harp Gear or whatever, where the amp colours things.
Kingley
4081 posts
Sep 26, 2017
10:14 PM
Yes you're right Martin. Here's a few of them for you. All of these are playing direct into the PA with a Harp Attack and no amp. Two are with Shure 545 mics, the other one is with a Shure 520D ( Green bullet with 99A86 element). With no effects other than maybe a minor touch of reverb from the PA.


Harp Attack 1


Harp Attack 2

Harp Attack 3

Last Edited by Kingley on Sep 26, 2017 10:20 PM
Bruce S
45 posts
Sep 27, 2017
6:25 AM
@Kingley; Some great examples there!
I'm using my Harp Attack direct to PA more when out at jams as I don't have to carry an amp. I use mine with a passive DI Box. From experience I've found some PA's don't like the Harp Attack's output level and the distortion can sound harsh. In these cases using a -20dB pad on the DI Box seems to cure the issue.
Martin
1290 posts
Sep 27, 2017
6:56 AM
Thank you, Kingley, much appreciated. As for the Green B, I think we´re on the same page when it comes to output. I must say I prefer the 545 here, with its raspier sound and a bit more bite -- as long as we´re in the blues vein. The GB has always seemed a bit dull to me.

I assume you have one of those DI boxes in the chain there as well, since the 545 is a lo-z mic? Or perhaps it isn´t -- or (gasp!) you´re not technically correct?

What Bruce S says above are complete news to me, but since I have a DI box coming in the mail I´ll make sure to try that with the HA before I get rid of it.
Bruce S
46 posts
Sep 27, 2017
7:54 AM
The 545 can be wired for either High-Z or Low-Z; it's a matter of dropping out the XLR connector and changing the position of a little plug inside. If it's wired Hi-Z then you need a "pin 3 hot" XLR to 1/4 plug cable, like the ones used with the Bluesblaster. I have kept mine set up Low-Z, and use an IMT if I'm running into a High-Z input (Amp, Harp Attack etc) as I find it more versatile that way. If I was going to use it purely as a harp mic I'd wire it up High-Z.
Martin
1291 posts
Sep 27, 2017
8:56 AM
Thank you Bruce. All of that is sorta mysterious to me, but I´ve been educated by a few extensive treads here on the forum, and who knows? any year now I might actually get it.
Kingley
4082 posts
Sep 27, 2017
9:09 AM
Both of my 545 mics are wired for Hi-Z. No, I wasn't using a DI box in any of those clips. Although I do use one if the PA doesn't play nice. I use it in the way Bruce mentions (set to -20db).

Thanks Bruce. Congratulations on the new job.

Last Edited by Kingley on Sep 27, 2017 9:09 AM


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