Best in what way? One that I like the best, or someone else does? Does it have to be loud enough to gig with?
Amps were usually made for more than one year, many are still being made 50-60yrs after being introduced...so keep the year reference for wines ;-)
OK, enough facetiousness...any Fender 4x10" from 1958 onwards (up to & including the Devilles) is a good bet (there is not any real point in getting too finicky about models as listed in brochures/schematics as the actual amps were often updated under the hood with no published reference), as are the brown tolex 3x10", or repros based on them perhaps made up from a Bandmaster head. A good few folks like the 1x15"s too.
As well as Fenders, you might consider amps based on those designs from other companies...the speaker configurations maybe customised also.
All the above relates to stage amps, for use with a regular electric band...for lower volumes/quieter bands/recording any amp that gets you a sound that you dig & can't stop playing is best.
In either case, any amp that you have got to know well & dialled in, getting the best out of it, is what you want. You often have to live with things for qwhile before you get to this point, partly because you need to familiarise yourself with them, partly because players tastes change & evolve.
Think more about tools for the job, really big hammers are good for smashing concrete & banging in fence posts, but not much use for replacing harp reeds.
Also consider that people sound inherantly different & have different styles, preferences may follow based on these aspects too.
Perhaps your next question might be something with a definitive, universally accepted answer, like "who is the best football team", or "what is the best beer"? ;-) ---------- www.myspace.com/markburness
holland made some very nice amps sometimes they pop up on ebay for a good price rod piazza used the silvertone on alphabet blues for the entire album, personally a 57 champ turned up is hard to beat tied into a bassman it covers all the basses
damn. thanks for reminding me, squeal. i've had a smokey for a while (fantastic car amp!) that i've matched up with my madcat. but this past bean blossom blues fest, i bought a bottle o' blues mic from the designer, himself. they're suppose to go together like peanut butter and jelly!
The best blues harp tone I ever heard was coming from a small Victoria amp. The player was a top pro I've heard often playing a variety of amps. The Victoria was best.
@ 1847 "rod piazza used the silvertone on alphabet blues for the entire album," Did Rod tell you this, in person? ---------- www.myspace.com/markburness
@1847 My wife and I went to whinery in Ashville NC on 4th of July about 12 years ago and a Blues band was playing in the courtyard! That was the only time I have ever seen someone useing the exact setup you described. Was this mystery Harp Man you? That was one of the best live harp sounds I've heard. Edit: I forgot to answer the question! No such thing!
Last Edited by on Sep 06, 2012 5:30 AM
chromaticblues no that was not me i am in california never been to north carolina i posted an audio track under west coast blues jams track # 2 it didnt get any hits on that particular track i thought that was some of my best stuff that is the bassman and the champ though its sounds like more of the bassman rather than the champ i try to play though the champ and turn it up sometimes that is enough! i add the bassman if i need more volume
I wouldn't dare to make such a brazen vote as to THE BEST harp amp of all time. But I will say that the best botique harp amp I've ever played through has to be the '98 Sonny Jr. SJ1A. Best non-botique I've blown through would be a SF 1976 Super Reverb.
EDIT: I amend my non-botique answer because I hold two other amps in the same amount of love and respect. Mid 1950's issue Lectrolab R500, which sounds comparable to an old Fender Tweed Deluxe, and the 1964 Valco-built Gretsch 6149. ----------
Hawkeye Kane
Last Edited by on Sep 06, 2012 10:11 AM
"personally a 57 champ turned up is hard to beat tied into a bassman it covers all the basses"
Yeah - if that combo don't give you the TONE you need, then shame on ya!
I have the Holland tied into an old little PA tube amp w/an 8 in speaker and to the little amp and I have an old 10 inch speaker with a HUGE magnet tied to the little amp...I like it!
5f6h yes rod did tell that to me personally if i can recall correctly it was the one with the twelve inch speaker. give that album another listen you can hear a completely different sound from him unlike anything he has done.
Last Edited by on Sep 06, 2012 10:10 AM
I'd agree, there is no such thing as "The best harp amp ever," just like there is no such person as "The best harp player ever." There might be a top 5 or 10 but it's an impossibly subjective question. Still, on the list of favorites of my personal experience:
Masco MA-25 PA with original 12" speaker cab (late 40s-early 50s). The sound of this thing was enormous with an incredible amount of "weight" to the tone. Extremely impractical as a gigging amp. I was in a "forced sale" situation and sold it with much regret. I did double my money and it went to a harmonica museum which was some consolation. So wish I still owned it.
Sonny Jr Avenger - 2012 I've not tried everything out there but I can not imagine a better gigging harp amp. The tone is fabulous, it can fill the biggest stage with no worries about feedback, the build quality is a work of art, still sounds great at lower volumes, and is extremely versatile with a vast range of tonal options. The thing is downright beautiful as well.
1957 Tweed Bandmaster - Best sounding vintage combo I ever played through. A little volume sensitive but seriously great tone and you can't beat the genuine vintage vibe. Very rare. The one of my experience is owned by Jimi Lee who allowed me to play through it on two occasions.
mid-60s Kalamazoo Model 1 or 2 Probably the best sounding readily available small amp out there. It won't break the bank either.
1965 National Westwood 6422TR (Valco)- Uses the same tube compliment as a Champ but I believe a somewhat different circuit and has 2x8" speakers. Like a cross between a Champ and a Zoo on steroids. Bloody mean little sucker.
---------- LSC
Last Edited by on Sep 06, 2012 10:21 AM
@1847 - Thanks for the confirmation, I did wonder about a couple of tracks & Rod did say on his video that he used the 1432 on that album...wasn't sure if he used that exclusively. Cheers.
However, I didn't think there was any suggestion that he never used it on anything else, certain other tracks sound very similar - Sharp Harp (Feelin' Good), Too Late Brother (Blues in the Dark), Rods parts on Astatic Stomp, for example? ---------- www.myspace.com/markburness
http://www.facebook.com/markburness
Last Edited by on Sep 06, 2012 2:17 PM
My choice the best harp amp is 2 amps. The "Jaybird" a 12 watt 5F1-ish amp with a 10" Weber Ferromax ceramic for small and medium venues, and my Mission 32-20 with 1 10" Jensen alnico and 2x10" Lil Buddys. Good for small ,medium or large venues.
Last Edited by on Sep 06, 2012 5:32 PM
I'm in with Rick. A guy up from New Orleans brought a little Victoria amp to a Saturday afternoon jam to play along with a local keyboard/singer friend of his. Almost wet my pant it was so sweet.
I have the Holland tied into an old little PA tube amp w/an 8 in speaker and to the little amp and I have an old 10 inch speaker with a HUGE magnet tied to the little amp...I like it! sure would like to see a picture of that! what mic are you using? i,m not a big fan of a green bullets but your sounds different somehow did they make some with a crystal element? anyway i always listen to your post very nice stuff
However, I didn't think there was any suggestion that he never used it on anything else, certain other tracks sound very similar - Sharp Harp (Feelin' Good), Too Late Brother (Blues in the Dark), Rods parts on Astatic Stomp, for example? ---------- www.myspace.com/markburness
good point i will have to dig out some of that and re-listen to it certainly he must of used the same amp on many tracks at the very least there must of been tracks that did not make it on that album that would surface later.
it's too late brother that sounds like a fender. a bassman i would presume that is the one track by him i have listened to more than any other. still i will go back and check that out
i have been wrong before and it is kinda fun to re-visit peace coop!
