I picked up a barely used VHT spec. 6 last night for a bill and a quarter. For the retail price of two bills this thing is steal - and it should be outlawed. It's what's wrong with our economy - but I just cant help indulging in the temptation before me.
I couldn't build this myself for what I paid. How in the world are we supposed to compete with what has to be near slave labor? - Doesn't there need to be a degree of fairness in a free market? Forgive me oh boutiqe builder lords - I wanna be good but - but as Gillian Welch sings in Miss Ohio " not right now"
I expected a pretty good sounding amp after all the hype, - but a cheesey box. with poor build quality and components. Wrong. - It's a solid little box with a decent speaker to boot.
I will futz with mods and add a line out etc -(please share your fav.s in detail) - but this thing gets the singing compression & sustain of my old airline / silvertones, right out of the box, and is hand wired - probably by half starved country fresh Chinese maidens ( I'm a multitask sinner).
https://sites.google.com/site/jimdramps/home/vht has good details on mods, - but I'd like to know what mods where done to the amp Nick Clark plays on the youtube vid - anyone got details?
There is no 10" Special 6. There is a 12" Classic 6.
The Special 6 comes as a head or 1x10 combo. There are two combo versions. The first one was a tad smaller making it hard to roll output tubes and speakers. The newer one has more room.
You can pretty much use any power tube that fits. IMO, the first AUTOMATIC step is getting a solid power tube. The stock preamp tube, if it is still a Sovtek 12ax7 is a great tube for harmonica. If you play a very hot mic, you may want to tube down there.
I would do internal mods before getting a new speaker. The stock speaker is actually nice for small amp.
90% of harp players would be fine just using a nicer power tube and making sure they had a preamp value that matched their mic. I use mine with a SM57 so a 12ax7 is fine. ---------- Mike Quicksilver Custom Harmonicas
Rick's blog talks about the mods in general - but I can't find specifics. the Nic Clark video cites mods by Rick - and Rick talks about mods by Bruce at Mission on his blog page http://bluesharpamps.blogspot.com/2010/11/vht-special-6-harp-amp-project-step-one.html http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sERCtSIHVfk
re. lineout mod - this page has it I believe - but you should know what you are doing before opening any amp - https://sites.google.com/site/jimdramps/home/vht h ----------
If I recall correctly, he was considering selling modded VHT's, so he probably didn't share the info. Again, see my sig for a link to some great mods. They were inspired by advice from our own 5F6H, who is an actual harmonica-player-amp-tech. So he knows his shit.
That isn't a diss on anyone else. I am just making a point to 1) give him credit and 2) add credibility to the mods. ---------- Mike Quicksilver Custom Harmonicas VHT Special 6 Mods
Last Edited by on Oct 13, 2011 12:47 PM
The Ultra is a totally different amp. IMO, not going to be as good for harmonica out of the box.
If you want a 12", go with the Classic. It is very close to the Special 6. The Ultra adds a bunch of bedroom-player type mods for guitar players.
This was a brilliant marketing plan by the company - build an amp to a price point and then create more expensive "upgraded" models. Very wise.
IMO, every model after the Special 6 will get less harp friendly and more guitar friendly until they have a version for metalheads. ---------- Mike Quicksilver Custom Harmonicas VHT Special 6 Mods
Last Edited by on Oct 13, 2011 12:54 PM
I have a special 6 and agree that it's a bargain. Soooooooo I bought the classic with the 12" and it was no where near as good to my ears. It may not be as easily modded either as the internals are different. There is some kind of printed circuit/greenboard in there. But
Mine just arrived this morning. I'm still waiting on a mic so i've only played guitar through it. Mainly i'm just staring at it wishing my mic was here.
I bought a VHT Special 6 recently and it has a rattling sound when I play through it. It's the first tube amp I've owned so I'm not sure if it's the tubes rattling or something else. I had a quick look inside but couldn't find anything obvious.
It should not be rattling. Something is loose or broken. With the amp off make sure the tubes are fully seated in their sockets. It should be something simple but . . . .
Examine the the inside of the cabinet around the speaker. Check if the speaker itself is securly mounted to the baffle.
The electrical components inside the metal chassis (or box) have dangerous voltages that could be present even when the amp is off. Dont mess around in there unless you know what you are doing.
If it's new you should bring it to the store you got it from (if possible) good luck with it.
Thanks for the info bonedog. I haven't had a chance to have another look yet but will soon. The first few times I used it I had a tambourine on the ground near the amp and I thought it was just that vibrating, as that is exactly what it sounds like. The amp still sounds great though, so hopefully it's something simple.
Here's my stock VHT Special 6 being played at low volume with a 99A86 CM element. No effects, bright switch off, volume on about 9 O'clock, tone around the same I seem to recall.
How does the VHT hold up against the Epiphone 5w v jr?
I have heard of the VHT but didn't pay much attention to it until this thread. I've just googled the VHT price and I can get it here in the uk for as little as £122.
Is the VHT similar to the Epi?
Would I really notice a difference between the two?
"Would I really notice a difference between the two?"
Ant - Yes you'd notice a huge difference in tone. I had a Valve Jr and the VHT is far, far superior. It's the closet thing I have heard to a HarpGear 5F1. You'll love it's sound. It's right up your alley! :-)
Kingley, thanks, that's the demo I needed to know. Doesn't hurt one bit with your skills either. Pure TB, octaves, hands, tone (yours). Harmonica I actually like listening to.
Thanks Kingley. Looks like I'm going to have to get one then(yet more harp stuff to lust over) I've just got a second job for the Xmas period so I'm working 7days at the moment so hopefully I can get one in a few weeks. ----------
In terms of modding this thing, I just noticed that VHT sells an adapter to let you plug an EL84 into the 6V6 socket for output. Might get you a little more breakup and better mid range punch. ---------- Hawkeye Kane
@528Hemi "Does the harpgear 2 warrant the huge price difference?"
The VHT is made in China where parts & labour are vastly cheaper than in the US. When you compare the HG2 to other US built amps of a similar type like the Fender 57 Champ, Victoria 518 & Kendrick 118/Vagabond you realise that the HG2 is quite reasonably priced.
I understand that China can produce and build things much cheaper then in the USA.
I wanted more of a comparison of tone between both amps. Is one fatter then the other? Does one have better lows? Is one going to give a more compress tone? etc. In this economy if I can save $$ and still get a good Chinese built 5 watt harp amp on par with american made boutique amps, why not? I bought a new Ford this year so not feeling guilty about not buying american made. :)
I own both the VHT and HG2. They can sound very similar depending on mic and tubes. The VHT is not a poor man's HG. It is an equal regarding tone (with mods). It isn't the same quality build.
Volume...same. Bottom end...same.
Difference? HG is nothing but amazing tweed. VHT is great Blackface, and is tonally more versatile, but that maybe isn't a big deal. I don't use the extra stuff. It can get close to tweed, but to make it harp friendly is tricky.
Fwiw, the VHT can be set darker than the HG, but I don't like tat.
I would only buy a HG used. The Vht can be just as good for $300. It is heavier, as a 10" speaker, and is more flexible.
The tone of the HG has the edge, but live, maybe no difference.
"What would you say sets the harpgear 2 and this amp apart besides the huge price difference?"
The HarpGear 2 is a different beast altogether. It's specifically made for harmonica and is louder, lighter and more tonally superior to the VHT. It's hand built in the USA in small quantities and has a full customer support service in Brian Purdy it's creator. The VHT is close tonally to the HarpGear 5F1 which was based on the Fender 5F1 circuit and incorporated some modifications for harmonica.
"Does the harpgear 2 warrant the huge price difference?"
Yes. Because of all the reasons that Mark (5F6H) stated above. Also because of the customer service from Brian Purdy. If someone has the money then I wholeheartedly advise them to buy a HarpGear 2 as a small amp. Brian Purdy is one of the best people I have dealt with and he will go to extraordinary lengths to make sure a customer is 100% happy. If however a person is on a budget, then I recommend the VHT Special 6 as the next best thing. Of course at the end of the day it's all personal opinion. What I would say to those that doubt the VHT is to go and try one out at a local store and then let your ears decide.
Swiss army knife for tone, effects, and mods....VHT.
Due to being such low wattage, I think a dirty blues tone from either is easy. I don't here a huge tweed/blackface difference, but the HG has more tweed crunch and presence.
Pom, the first thing I would do before looking elsewhere in the amp is remove the back panel and check the metal screen mesh covering the opening on that panel. My VHT Special 6 came from the factory with the mesh not stapled on just right, so the mesh would rattle against the back panel when playing through the amp. Took me a while to figure this out because the mesh looked well fastened and the staples were in the wood solidly, but there were some spots where the mesh wasn't solidly against the panel, and that's where the rattling was coming from.
Also, just want to say thanks for bringing the VHT to our attention and taking the time to share your thoughts and record those initial videos months ago. Happened to come at just the time I was looking for an amp in the VHT's size/price range and directly influenced my choice, and I've been quite happy with the amp, considering the cost.
I did the Jim Rossen mods on my VHT, plus I swapped tubes (NOS RCA 6V6 and a 5751 preamp) and speaker (Ragin Cajun) because I had them lying around. It sounds fantastic. Absolutely wonderful. One of the cool things about it is the pull switch on the volume or tone pot (I forget which) which bypasses the tone stack. Engaging this switch gives it a real tweedy character and dramatically increases the volume. Disengaging the switch enables the tone control, which you can use to get a more blackface like tone. Awesome amp. I plan to use it exclusively when we go into the studio later this year. ----------
Josh, do you feel the Rossen mods - separate from the the tube and speaker swaps - made a significant difference? If so, can you describe the differences before and after?
Also, did you do the mods yourself or did you have someone in Boston do the work?
@LSB, I did the mods myself. That's the nice thing about the VHT: the eyelet board makes it really easy to work on.
I feel that the total of the mods, the tubes and the speaker have made the tone much fuller and have made the tone and volume controls on the amp much more responsive. Plus, I think it's more feedback resistant than it was stock. I gigged it the first day I got it (crazy!) and struggled with feedback. And feedback is unusual with a Front and Center mic. But now I can get it pretty loud and not have any trouble. Jim Rossen has a very good writeup at his Google site, but I can't seem to get to it anymore. He also tried the Alnico Magnet mod kit from eBay, and thought it was better than his own mods, but only slightly (IIRC). I installed an Alnico mod kit on my Champion 600 and it made a ton of difference, but it was a real pain to work on the PCB Champ. The VHT is another story, again because of the eyelet board.
I've also installed a line-out and an extension speaker jack that allows me to run a 2nd 10" speaker in parallel with the internal one.
Mostly, I just can't help mucking around inside these things. I read on Harp-L where someone wrote that he has two ways of fixing things. Fixing them so they work and fixing them so someone else has to fix them. That's me to a T. ----------
https://sites.google.com/site/jimdramps/home/vht Jim Rossen's VHT 6 mod page
"Fixing them so they work and fixing them so someone else has to fix them." - love it - I'nm right there with you. ----------
Last Edited by on Oct 14, 2011 5:44 PM
i have a special 6. sweet little amp. i like messing around with it at home. but it doesn't sound as good as my vox, nor is it loud enough, so it stays at home when the vox and i are out gigging.
Josh, thanks for the info. I'm tempted to take on the mods myself, but don't have the time or the workspace right now, maybe this winter though. Very jealous of the line out and speaker jack as well, but less so after today though because I just inked a deal on a barely used Harpgear Double Trouble.
Last Edited by on Oct 15, 2011 11:58 AM
Do you have one of the Vox modelling Amps?I have the VT30 which i use for home recording and its great.In a couple of weeks i have a chance to use it in a live gig situation...would like to know how you set it up for that? I use the AC30HH model at home.
Anyone try the Mesa Boogie TA-15 tube head? It's a 5w-15W-25W little wonder with 2 separate pre-amps, lots of tone shaping adjustments. The guitar guys are crazy about it. Looks interesting, really small. I like the idea of one amp but different cabs for different venues.
rbeets- I've owned both and the VHT is a better amp in many ways. It is louder with better tone. It's made of laminated plywood, not particle board. It is point-to-point wired on an eyelet board, while the Kalamazoo is less organized. And, the VHT costs less brand new with a 5-year warranty. The Kalamazoo has some vintage appeal, but the VHT is a better amp.
@Jehosaphat: yes, i play through an sm57>samson wireless>vt30. my favorite model is also the ac30hh, with a little delay. also try it using the chorus effect. this sounds great on quiet songs (Us and Them), with a ringing, ethereal quality. it is also great on loud stuff, as it really cuts through the mix. i also use the "boutique od" and "super 4x10" models, though not as much. generally gain around 11 o'clock, volume at 12, master at 2.