MJ
327 posts
Dec 04, 2011
4:17 PM
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Has anyone played or owned Harpgear 35? I am considering moving up to a 30-35 watt amp and am looking around.. I have read that the HG35 is slightly cleaner than a Sonny Jr or Mission 32-20. I don't mind a little dirt but do not want just grit, as I also play on the slightly clean side.
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Greg Heumann
1365 posts
Dec 04, 2011
4:24 PM
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Most amps can be played pretty cleanly - just loosen your cup. I've heard several HG amps - this one is my least favorite - the one I tried was very feedbacky. The Double Trouble and HG1210 are both very good amps, so are the Sonny Jr's. No experience with the Misson.
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/Greg
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MJ
328 posts
Dec 04, 2011
4:48 PM
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Thanks Greg. I saw that the Cruncher has 2 8" speakers and a 12". I have never found a 12 " speaker to my liking, but that doesn't preclude that from happening. I have always thought that the 10" speaker worked best for harp. I wonder if the Sonny Jr people would consider using 2 10s and and 8 if I were to order one from them. What are your thoughts on the 12" speaker. Don't you own or once owned a Cruncher?
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rbeetsme
492 posts
Dec 04, 2011
5:25 PM
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I can say with certainty that Gary has tried every combination of size and speaker type while developing his amps. Gary is absolutely obsessed with deigning and building the best amps for the harmonica player. As a longtime player, tech and designer, he is one of the foremost authorities on what harmonica players need. Look no further.
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Greg Heumann
1367 posts
Dec 04, 2011
6:14 PM
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Totally agree with rbeetsme - Gary is obsessive about picking every component that goes into his amps. I have owned an SJ410 which became a Super SOnny before I sold it, a move I regret; a Cruncher hich became a Super Cruncher and has the best tone of any amp I've ever heard, and The Avenger which is not quite as smooth as the SC but sounds awesome in its own right (I've put up vids of examples here in the past) and will cut through at any level. Both the Avenger and SC aso sound great even when played at low volume levels, which not all amps can claim. MIXING speaker types and sizes has a lot to do with smoothing out an amp's tone - Gary has learned that. I don't think you should have any preconceived notions about speaker size.
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/Greg
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MJ
329 posts
Dec 04, 2011
9:31 PM
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Thanks for the great input guys. I have been leaning toward the Cruncher over other brands, but some of the questions I have had, have been answered by you.
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KingBiscuit
133 posts
Dec 05, 2011
4:29 AM
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Hi MJ,
I had a HG 35 and it didn't do it for me. I sold it and the guy that bought it really loves it. I looked at the different Sony Jr. amps and decided that for the difference in price, I should just go ahead and get the Avenger. The Avenger is hands down the best harp amp I've ever played. This thing will cut through the mix like nothing I've ever heard and has tone out the wazoo. I have played some loud, I mean really loud, jam sets with it and I can be heard without going through the PA. A couple of really good players have done sets with it and have said "That's the best harp amp I've ever played". Gary has been very supportive, e-mailing me to see how the amp is going, etc.
I agree with the statement above, "Look no further.".
For what it's worth,
Dan
Last Edited by on Dec 05, 2011 4:31 AM
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HarpNinja
1960 posts
Dec 05, 2011
6:06 AM
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IMO, from what I've heard, read, discussed, and tried, the HG amps tend to be cleaner/jazzier. The Sonny Jr amps seem to really fit the vintage vibe, and the Meteor amps tend to be on the gritty/dirtier side.
I think one misnomer of the best amp discussions is the bigger picture. Nine times out of ten, people comment based on their need rather than the OP's. I went through this for years. I just wanted a warm clean amp sound that would work well with effects (in hindsight very similar to John Popper's live sound) and wasn't more amp then I'd need.
While searching that out, I continually was given advice that was great for a more often heard bluesy harmonica sound. I was pointed to Sonny Jr, Meteor, etc.
So since you said you play on the clean side...
If you must get an amp, the larger HG stuff like the 1210 would work great for that (assuming a relatively clean mic). The odds of you play that loud enough to get it really raunchy are probably slim. Otherwise a Super Reverb or RI Bassman (not modded for a saggier blues tone) would be the ticket. The problem with smaller amps then that is it can be hard to keep them clean at similar volumes.
I've had a lot of success miking my VHT (again, the Blackface Fender tone tends to be cleaner) or going through a pedal to the PA.
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Mike
Quicksilver Custom Harmonicas
VHT Special 6 Mods
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tbirdflier
34 posts
Dec 05, 2011
8:50 AM
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I own a HG35 and I have to agree that the amp does have a relatively clean sound to it. I play with a biscuit mic which has a black label controlled reluctance element. When I cup the mic tightly I get a more blusey sound out of the amp. It is easy to carry this amp around as it weighs about 34lbs. I also have a Meteor 50 which has a very horn like sound to it which I like very much. It is a heavy amp and I use a handcart to transport it to jams I play at. I use both amps and am happy with both, it's nice to have two choices. Never tried a Sonny Jr. so I cannot comment on that amp compared to the HG35.
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bubberbeefalo
49 posts
Dec 05, 2011
9:52 AM
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I also own a HG35.. It is a cleaner amp than I used to play ( pre cbs Twin Reverb that ripped.) Recently I've been using the HG35 Split with a Harp Commander through a Behringer Keyboard Amp. I now get the tone I want . The clean bottom with the HG and raunchy grit with the Harp Commander but my desire for lighter road gear seems to be headed in the opposite direction.
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MJ
330 posts
Dec 05, 2011
10:17 AM
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Thanks for the further input. I have been doing some more research. Some into the HG50 1210 mentioned first by Greg. I was able to find a few clips from it. The size and sounds I heard were very interesting. After further study of the Sonny Jr amps , it seems that for a few $ more, I would consider the Super Cruncher. I still need to save up a bit more or sell off an amp or so. This is a decision I will not rush into. Ideally I would like to plug into an amp before I buy (especially at the prices these amps are).
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KingBiscuit
134 posts
Dec 05, 2011
11:41 AM
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Hey MJ,
Where are you located? We're planning on another Blues Diatonic Harp Clinic in Columbus Ohio towards the end of January. There will be at least a SJ Avenger and a SJ Super Sonny. Since the last clinic, I believe the cruncher has been traded/sold in order to get an Avenger. At the last get together, in addition to the Sonny Jrs, we had several "small" amps set up including a Kalamazoo 2, Silvertone, Premier, Crate V5, etc. The date/time will be posted here on MBH. If you are close enough to make it, you can try out any of the amps that folks bring in to share.
Dan
Last Edited by on Dec 05, 2011 11:42 AM
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MJ
331 posts
Dec 05, 2011
11:44 AM
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Dan, Sadly Ohio is 10 miles past my travel limit from California. I thank you for the thoughts and info. It sounds as if it will be a cool clinic.
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bharper
123 posts
Dec 05, 2011
2:34 PM
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MJ, I've played all the the amps you mentioned in your original post: HG35, SJ Cruncher variants, and the Mission Chicago amp. I agree with you and others that the HG35 sounds "cleaner" than the others. To my ear it is thinner as well.
Of the three amps, the HG35 is the only one that is cathode biased. HG claims the amp makes 35 watts, but I can tell you from long experience that is very hard to coax 35 usable watts out of a 2x6L6 amp that is cathode biased. The HG35 really does not have the punch and authority of the other two. They are in a different design class.
The other two are fixed bias (the SJ SC and Mission Chicago 32-20)... The SJ is brighter and cleaner while the Mission is darker and crunchier. They have similar volumes, at least to my ear. Both are excellent; The difference is tone and price.
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12gagedan
143 posts
Dec 05, 2011
10:35 PM
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Sonny may be obsessed, but he's obsessed. I have never really enjoyed the tone of any of his products. In my opinion, they muddy up the sound to the point of being "too much". In my direct experience, with the notable exception of Ryan Hartt, the Sonny owners I've encountered
( and many other boutique owners too )were looking to buy their tone. I own aN HG35. It's probably the dirtiest, most harp amp-like rig I've ever owned. I really like its sound when I'm going for a quieter thing. I got to play an HG50 1210 back in sept, and I just loved it. I love my Brown Concert too. Any one of these amps can be awesome or stink depending on the player. It always comes down to opinion. Given my tastes, numerous ranting posts on harp-l vs. a really cool dude, and the general direction of some of my heroes, with absolutely nothin in it for me, I endorse the HG35.
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12gagedan's YouTube Channel
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MJ
333 posts
Dec 05, 2011
10:41 PM
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Gee, Maybe I should buy one of each. Seriously, I appreciate all the different opinions. I will ponder while I save, and hopefully make a decision.
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Greg Heumann
1369 posts
Dec 06, 2011
4:12 PM
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MJ - where in CA are you? You're welcome to come hear/try my SC and Avenger
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/Greg
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Greg Heumann
1370 posts
Dec 06, 2011
4:15 PM
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MJ - where in CA are you? You're welcome to come hear/try my SC and Avenger.
@12gagedan - I'm surprised to hear you say that and wonder just which models and how much time you spent with them. I've owned all the following and have a lot of time with them. The SJ410 was a bit muddier than the more recent amps and harder to clean up. The SuperSonny mod ot the 410 solved that problem and gave it more cut and clarity, and proper understanding of both the tone controls and bridging yield a pretty broad range of available tones from clean to dirty. The Super Cruncher and Avenger offer even cleaner tone/more cut when desired, and dirty up nicely adding a lot of bottom in the presence of a full cup.
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/Greg
Last Edited by on Dec 06, 2011 4:16 PM
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MJ
335 posts
Dec 06, 2011
4:24 PM
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I live in the Bay Area Greg. Actually you once stopped at my house to buy a Kalamazoo 2 from me. If the time and opportunity would arise, I would like to be able to test drive one.
Last Edited by on Dec 07, 2011 7:57 AM
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