|
Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! >
Unconventional? Harp Amps
Unconventional? Harp Amps
Page:
1
Chickenthief
295 posts
Sep 13, 2012
9:32 AM
|
Hi everyone.
Looks like anyone who's getting tired of seeing all of these amp threads is just S.O.L. today.
I'm looking for an amp right now and I'm intreauged by all the stuff that's out there that wasn't originally designed to amplify harmonica or guitar which gets used by harp players for just that purpose. If I'm reading the situation correctly it looks like someone who knows something about whats out there can buy a really special tube amp somewhat inexpensively.
Maybe you can school me. A basic primer on what I need to know before shopping would be gratefully received. I don't even know enough to know wether or not unconventional is the correct word. Some of this stuff is probably standard and old hat for a lot of you guys. What I'm talking about are the old PA heads, Mascos, those army surplus jobs, Knights, whatever, all that kind of stuff.
So what are your favorite unconventional harp amps? Which ones should I avoid? Where, or how should I NOT buy one? What are some other pitfalls of going unconventional? What do you own? What style of playing do you use that amp for?
Any info based on your experience would be much appreciated. Thank you.
|
Rick Davis
666 posts
Sep 13, 2012
11:47 AM
|
I've owned a Masco ME-18 amp for several years, and I love it. It has a very deep tone, and a wonderful organic break-up. I play it through a stock Epiphone Valve Jr cab with the 12-inch Lady Luck speaker.
The old tube PA heads from the 50's usually need work before being suitable for gigging. Plan on spending some money to have a skilled tech work on it. Skip Simmons is famous for working on these old amps, as is Bruce Collins of Mission Amps. Jim Rossen is excellent but I'm not sure he takes in repair/upgrade projects.
As I said, I love my Masco but it is not my regular gig rig. Combo amps can be more convenient and louder. I usually take the Bassman or the Mission amp. The Masco gets used at smaller performances and in the studio. The Masco is certainly brawny enough for most shows (it makes about 20 watts) but the Bassman and Mission are much louder with excellent tone, and easier to manage with no extra speaker cab to carry.
For more info on harp amps check my blog, Blues Harp Amps.
----------
-Rick Davis
Last Edited by on Sep 13, 2012 11:53 AM
|
Chickenthief
296 posts
Sep 13, 2012
5:49 PM
|
Hi Rick,
I saw where on your website you listed the Masco ME-18 as one of your two most favorite amps. I've never seen an indifferent description of these old amps, everyone seems to like them. I'm thinking of buying one of Skip Simmons refurbished units if he'll sell me one.
Sounds like with any luck I might be able to experiment with some old tone and not have to throw a lot of money into a new amp that will lose 60+ percent of it's resale value in a flash. I'm thinking that while a used e bay amp would be a gamble, dealing with someone like Skip would probably lower the risk factor much further than buying something on e bay which probably needs to be sent away for work anyway.
I have been tempted to get something new but I can't justify that 60% depreciation to walk out the door with a new amp right now. I'm not worried about portability for now so the unconventional PA type amps look very good to me.
Are some of these models in the Masco line more desirable than others in terms of quality, or sound?
|
Rick Davis
669 posts
Sep 13, 2012
7:05 PM
|
My "favorite amps" change from week to week, but the Masco is always near the top of the list.
The last time I saw Skip (several years ago) he had five or six original old Masco amps sitting in the back seat of his old 60s Dodge 4-door that he drives to work. I'd say that is a good place to start.
----------
-Rick Davis
|
Joe_L
2044 posts
Sep 13, 2012
8:07 PM
|
What's the plan for the amp?
Playing around the house, low volume gigs or in a studio? A PA head would be good. Few things will sound better, if you are looking for a vintage sound.
Playing with a loud band? Forget it. They are not loud enough. Plus, unless you buy from someone like Skip, you may need to get it serviced.
Skip will usually only mod the 6, 8, 17 or 18 watt heads. I played through a modded 27 watt head. It wasn't substantially louder than the smaller ones.
Skip does a great job on those things. He also does a great job converting a silver face Champ into a killer sounding tweed Princeton.
If you are looking for a first amp, buy a used Champ. Play it until you feel you need something better. If you want a bigger amp with the tone of a PA head, buy a used Cruncher. Let someone else eat the depreciation.
----------
The Blues Photo Gallery
Last Edited by on Sep 13, 2012 8:12 PM
|
rbeetsme
823 posts
Sep 14, 2012
5:30 AM
|
Most harp players favor low wattage tube amps for their natural distortion and easy break-up. Bigger amps need higher volumes to achieve the same effect. There is a lot of information and mods posted online to help achieve that effect through swapping tubes, transformers, speakers etc. I bought a lot of new and vintage amps trying to educate myself on this. Ended up with a few vintage and some newer amps. I currently have 2 mid 50's Gibsons, 2 Kendrick Champ clones, an early 60's Univox 2X10 and the Holy Grail, a Dano Commando. All work well for harp. I've never played a VHT but seems to have a big following. My recomendation for an inexpensive amp is to buy a well sorted Kalamazoo II, I've had 4 in various stages of modification, all had the tone we harp players want.
Last Edited by on Sep 14, 2012 5:31 AM
|
Chickenthief
297 posts
Sep 14, 2012
8:56 AM
|
Hi Joe, Rbeet,
I would probably be straight for another year or two if I just had something to play around the house. I've been thinking about champs and kalmazoos, champ clones.
I might just break down, go ahead, and drive the 225 miles to the nearest retailer who has a decent sized assortment of harp ready amps and try everything I can before I lay out the money.
I just thought that the PA amps looked like such a good way to experiment with that old sound that everyone likes so much without going through a lot of back and forth, but now I'm wondering how much time I would spend looking for speakers for that setup.
Maybe an education is going to be somewhat pricey in any eventuality. Finding out sure is fun though.
Last Edited by on Sep 14, 2012 8:58 AM
|
Post a Message
|
