I am thinking of getting a Lone Wolf Harmonica Box and can't decide which one to get, I wanna get a tube amp sound like Studebaker John such as this song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=On_8EVyqU5Q&feature=related harp solo about 1m.30s into the song. Any advise would be most grateful
before folks chime in and rave about how great they are...let me add my two cents. Not good, and robs tone. Very disappointed... I got the Lone Wolf Harp Delay... ....after careful trouble shooting,..it's was not my rig.. I still have mine sitting on the shelf, from a couple years ago.. When I first heard the hype, I bought one. After I hooked it up, though, it sucked tone right out of my amp. Very disappointed, I shelved it and forgot about it. Then, later on MBH, I heard about people having the same problem. Lonewolfs response was to buy another pedal, and THEN you could get results. Having not heard this from the start, it sounded like bullshit to me.. I do believe they had no deception in mind when they sold it to me in the first place....probably a glich, in the design. Maybe they're ok now. Still... I would send it back, if I wasn't so lazy....ha! I had to try it, though. SUCKER! Maybe you can get better results. Wanna buy it? Tested once and shelved for two years. I'm pretty happy with my Ibanez CD10 delay. I've been using them for years. The 9 volt battery last for ever...They're real dependable...and add tone, instead of removing it. I don't care to have more than one pedal between me and the amp. Something is wrong if you have to do that...eh? Thanks for asking...
---------- Why is it that we all just can't get along?<
Last Edited by on Sep 06, 2011 1:25 PM
Mojokane, glad you have a pedal you like, but I have tried an awful lot of delay pedals in A/B comparisons and have found that the couple of Lone Wolf delays (V1) were the most transparent of all that I have tried.
Do I think that it makes 'no difference' to the "straight in" tone (with no pedal)? No, there is a difference as with just about any device that you put between mic & amp. The Lone Wolf V2 delay was built at the request of players who wanted a brighter sounding delay as I understand it, rather than to correct any tone robbing deficiencies of the V1.
As ever, I strongly recommend auditioning any gear, electronic, or otherwise, before buying.
If you had retured your pedal to Randy I'm pretty sure that he would have refunded you...no one to blame but yourself on that score.
Is Studebaker John still using a Brown Fender 4x10 Concert?
Last Edited by on Sep 06, 2011 1:40 PM
Yeah, that's the first negative I think I've ever heard like that. Sorry you had that experience, but I guarantee Randy would refund you had you sent it back then. He's a really great guy, a rare breed.
As for which pedal to use-what are you going to run it through, or are you looking for a pedal to take the place of an amp? ---------- Todd L. Greene
thanks guys, I realize it's on me for not saying something sooner. I almost didn't post. Maybe I could dust it off, find the adapter somewhere in my hoarders lair, and send it back. Kinda too late, eh? Right on all counts. It's a rare amp that doesn't need anything,for sure. I'm off today, adding the finishing touches, to what I hope will come close to the Snake Skin Wonder amp of MP's. It's truly an awesome combo. Incredibly, it's the 5 watt Kalamazoo Model One. It's powering Rola alnico 2X12's. You would never believe it. Tone to the bone...for my tastes. No need for a pedal, if there was ever one..here's MP...funny part with the bourbon intro, eh? I appreciate the feedback. But it's still sitting on my shelve lookin mighty lone wolfy...
I need to add, regarding Marks tone, with the Kalamazoo. He using a one in a thousand brush crystal biscuit, too. And he's simply got "it" inside his soul, too. Something a pedal can never provide, eh? ---------- Why is it that we all just can't get along?<
Last Edited by on Sep 06, 2011 2:11 PM
I am using the Harp Break (no tubes) with a 1967 Champ, non vintage GB. I go thru the Boss DD2 Delay then thru the Harp Break. I think it adds to the bottom end and gives you some more "crunch". ---------- If it ain't got harp - it ain't really blues!!!!
Thank you everyone so far for giving there views on this please keep them coming in, I am thinking about the Harp Tune + as after a lot of listening around I believe it sounds better then the other Lone Wolfs. Douse anyone have one of these and what do you think of the video I sent in the 1st comment as that's the sound I would love to get. But and it's a big but, though a PA I will use it with.
I use a DeltaLab DD1 digital delay with both of my amps,Harpgear 35 and a Meteor 50. As far as I can tell it does not rob either amp of any tone and I like the slight delay I have dialed in. It's a very simple pedal and inexpensive, as far as the Lone Wolf devices go, I have not tied any of them. Just my 2 cents...
woogieman007 wrote: "I am thinking of getting a Lone Wolf Harmonica Box and can't decide which one to get, I wanna get a tube amp sound like Studebaker John such as this song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=On_8EVyqU5Q&feature=related harp solo about 1m.30s into the song. Any advise would be most grateful."
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For playing into a PA, I think your best bet would be the Lone Wolf Harp Attack. But why not just e-mail Lone Wolf boss Randy Landry directly (randy AT lonewolfblues DOT com) and ask? Send him the link to that video and tell him what kind of mic you play and see what he thinks. (BTW, here is where I have to insert the caveat that no amount of gear will give you that tone if you're not there yet as a player.)
As to the Lone Wolf Harp Delay, I've had one for quite awhile and love it. I've experienced zero tone loss running it into my Marble Max tube amp via a bullet with CR element or Shure 545S or SM57.
Last Edited by on Sep 07, 2011 1:13 AM
I got a bad attitude about anything between me and the amp. That said I should be using a delay and would if I liked it. My sound is what the OP is looking for, except for that short slapback. I do use an early brown Concert. 5F6H Says it's as transparent as they get -is that the v1 or v2? And, since I know you know your stuff, should I get one?
Like you, I generally prefer the amp to give me the tone I'm after "au naturelle"...but if you want delay, you have to add a delay device of some sort. This is where the complications arise & it's important to note that ...
A) I have found the the Lone Wolf Delays (V1s) to be the most "transparent" in comparison with the other delays that I have compared it with & compared to my other datum. This does not mean that it does not change the tone compared to stright in, it just means that when in-line & turned on, it changes the basic amp tone the least compared to the other candidates I have tried (I have tried a lot, but obviously not all). But (and it is a BIG but) many players I know do not simply want want a wet effect with little change in the original amp tone. Many are looking for additional character imparted by the delay unit, not just a wet effect. If you are looking for extra "mojo" from the pedal, as well as the effect then the Lone Wolf may not be for you. I also have a DD3, like the DD2 this also adds a middy grind & fatness as well as the wet effect...I couldn't say that one or the other is "better", it depends entirely on your expectation.
B) The more delay/wet effect you have dialled in, the more you will be dropped back in the mix & the looser your tone will be. I aim for a relatively short, close, single repeat, just enough to give a thicker, layered note sound. Whatever you use, if you go for a wild, bathtub echo, it may sound great at home/recording, but it may also work against you on stage.
C) The way I test for "tone suck" or any harshness/looseness/desirable/undesirable pedal effect is to try the amp straight in, then with the pedal turned off to see what losses the pedal brings. Then set the amp to gig level, listen to the effect on and try and see if there is anything I particularly don't like. Unplug the pedal & try again straight in...is that undesirable artefact still there? I can't tell you how many times I have watched someone try a pedal and say "that sounds harsh/brittle/whatever" only to unplug the unit and find that's what the amp sounds like anway...it's just the pedal is not covering up/rounding off the amp's natural characteristics! In this respect, I'm probably not after what many folks looking for a pedal are after. Some folks specifically like certain pedals precisely because they do change the dry tone. I hate DM2s for this reason, other guys can't live without them. They're not wrong, just a different approach.
I like Randy at Lone Wolf, he's a straight up guy, he stands by his products & aims to please...but I can't/won't tell you that his pedals do what you want unless we can establish what it is that you want. I'm sure he'll refund you purchase price if you return a unit in as new condition if you don't get on with it.
Sorry for rambling on, just thought I'd flesh it out for the benefit of any other interested parties. With a Brown Concert my preference would be the DD3 every time (brown concert has a tight, brawny, rasp to it typically...DD3 compliments those characteristics, I'd be more likely to recommend the LW delay for more mid-scooped sounding amps, chimier, cathode bias etc.), buy it locally, some units have turned out to be noisy so you want as hassle free exchange of unit as possible if you are unlucky enough to have an issue (rare).
I own and have gigged a LoneWolf V1 Delay. It is a very nice pedal, that is good with CM/CR and crystal mics. It does colour the sound. It "browns" it.Makes it a little darker with a roll off of the highs. It does not suck tone.
I use it at quieter gigs, or for recording.
At louder gigs, (most of them are loud) I prefer a DD2 (very similar to the DD3,just a bit warmer) As it does not roll off the highs and cuts better.
The V2 lonewolf pedal was not available when I bought mine. If it was, I would have bought it.
Its easier to "dirty" up a clean pedal, but almost impossible to clean up a dirty one.
The V1 is a great pedal, but for me, the V2 would be better. Cleanish, West Coast sound, with a lot of chromatic. ---------- The Pentatonics Myspace Youtube
"Why don't you leave some holes when you play, and maybe some music will fall out".
It was mentioned above-NO pedal will give you tone and technique, so if your playing isn't 'there' yet, a pedal isn't a Golden Ticket. However, the LW pedals are great, and all true bypass by design, which means that there should be no tone loss when they are in the chain.
I've played through all of Randy's pedals at his shop, and I own a few of them-HarpAttack, DelayV2(slightly brighter than the V1), and the HarpOctave, which really serves more as a bottom end boost than a true octave effect. EDIT-7LJI's analogy of the two Delay models is spot-on. With my style of playing, I don't like the darkening effect of the V1 when compared to the cleaner, slightly brighter V2
I like both the HarpBreak and the HarpAttack as stand-alone pedals with a PA system, or even as distortion pedals in a chain before an amp. Even though the HarpAttack has a pentode tube in it, I actually prefer the Break. but, that's my opinion. It just sounds better to me in the 'break up'. Something about that Russian-made tube's breakup is just too harsh for my liking.
The Tone+ is a great pedal for adding 'umph' and bottom end to any amp, and I would imagine some folks use them straight into a PA as well. ---------- Todd L. Greene
The most transparent delay pedal I've ever used is the Wampler Faux Analog Echo. Works great with my Super Reverb Reissue which is very finicky about pedals. I actually prefer the darker tone of the MXR Carbon Copy, but the Wampler is perfect for the SRRI.
The MXR claims to be true bypass, but I don't think it actually is. But I'm not bothered by that since I leave it on all the time when I use it with my SWR Baby Baby Blue and it is unbuffered. The Wampler is truly true bypass-- when it's disengaged, it's like it's not there.
I've never tried a LW and I have been reluctant to do so because the LW website expressly states that the LW Delays have buffered inputs, yet also claims that they are true bypass. It's not possible to have buffers AND be true bypass, so what Mojokane is saying doesn't surprise me. I generally stay away from pedals with buffers. But, there's plenty of players who do like the LW, buffers and all.
@Mojokane: What type of mic were you using with the LW?
Last Edited by on Sep 07, 2011 7:07 AM
LW pedals are all true bypass. I use HarpAttack (newer version) and I happy with it, it's vital part of my amped tone. I tried HarpDelay V1 and sold it as I disliked how it affects tone, it reduces highs. It really cool for fat blues tone, but I wanted a bit more high frequencies for clean jazz playing, I thought about HarpDelay V2 but suddenly I get MXR Carbon Copy for nice price and I'm completely happy with Carbon Copy. I also tried HarpBreak, nice fat tone, completely different from harp attack. You have to compare and to choose. Harp Attack have more distortion and more dynamics, while HarpBreak have more bass and fat. I'd prefer to have both, but now I have only HarpAttack.
---------- Excuse my bad English. Click on my photo or my username for my music.
It took me a while to figure out that "eh" meant it was my turn to talk. You Canucks like your liquor too eh? At least my seasonal neighbors and their friends do. Bloody ceasars, tomato juice in beer, etc.
I own all of the Lone Wolf pedals except for the later delay. All work flawlessly, all very transparent. Service and delivery second to none. I also own a Dan Echo with the Ron Holmes (harp commander) bypass mod. Its nothing like Randy's box. I might suggest you either got a bad box, or something else is robbing power.
Last Edited by on Sep 07, 2011 11:38 AM
I just emailed Randy also for advise address given by a above member, The Harp Attack seams to be on the cards but would still like to hear some comments on the Tune + Box, as that's the one I was thinking of getting. Thanks all so far.
If you are after the sound in your link but you are playing threw a PA the best Lone Wolf pedal to go for would be a Harp Attack pedal that is designed to give the sound more brake up & overdrive. a High impedance mic threw a Harp Attack pedal & then a DI box before the PA should do the trick.
I have a Lone Wolf delay pedal which I liked I found it added to the tone & helped with feedback a bit. It gives you a slightly darker tone which I like.
It sounds like the unhappy customer got a dodgy pedal.
I think the best sound you can get is a good HIZ mic straight into a suitable amp with no effects.
The Harp Tone pedal is just a equalizer it might help if you have a amp that isn't suitable for harp or if you need a bass & treble control but I doubt it will help much threw a PA.
tone + has a gain, but is mainly a way to balance treble and bass. i also have a crystal mic that it really makes sound much better because it makes the impedance more friendly for my amps. if you have an amp with say a single tone control, then it could be very useful.. a bassman style 3 tone stack would get less improvement out of that pedal. It probably is not the best choice for straight into the PA by itself
According to you, dear comrade, you once owned the same delay....and were not happy, too..
"I tried HarpDelay V1 and sold it as I disliked how it affects tone, it reduces highs".
just sayin...
I'm still curious about the others, getting such rave reviews and all. And Randy sounds like a knowledgeable and straight up guy. Maybe I should email Randy, to see if...or see what he would recommend for the type of mic and amp I have. The Tone+ sounds cool.
---------- Why is it that we all just can't get along?<
I've tried the Tone+, as others say it's just a boost to the bottom end if you're using an un-harp-friendly amp
I wasn't so I didn't find it useful. It also didn't improve much the p.a. sound - I use an early 90s bullet for what it's worth. As I've tried this in a sample of one p.a. and one amp YMMV of course
I guess it may be useful if you don't know what amp you're going to get, say when sharing gear with another band or in a jam.
