I am a old blues piano player that started on harp 6 months ago. I made my big debut last night, playing through a vocal mic. The only complaint, even from my wife, was the need for more volume. Hence, I am thinking about a starter mic and amp. For what I will do, the Epiphone Valve Junior is probably adequate. Adam says he uses a Shure PE5H with the Valve Junior and gets a good sound. The PE5H is difficult to find anywhere. What more recent mic would you recommend to use with the Epiphone Valve Junior? Thanks in advance for any info you can give me.
---------- hi kuzuken,ive got an epiphone valve jr and its a sweet amp. i use a superlux d112 bullet mic,its sounds good through the amp and its only £35 so it wont break the bank. ive tried a green bullet through the valve jr and couldnt really any difference between that and the superlux.
Ick. With all due respect the superlux (aka Peavey cherry bomb) is a cheap vocal element suspended in the middle of a bullet shell and therefore delivers the best of neither. If you want a decent mic with minimal outlay and want to learn what cupping does - get a used Shure 545, or a new Bottle'o'Blues. For a little more get a used 520 or 520D green bullet. Do not get a new 520DX. The currently available volume production mics (Shure 520DX, Hohner Blues Blaster, Bushman Torpedo (also offered under another name I forget), Superlux/Cherry Bomb use modern elements that just don't do as good a job for harp as older mics do. Old elements simply aren't available in quantities to serve a volume manufacturer. They have to be sourced one by one. Fortunately for us there are still plenty around but you'll have to get your own or work with a harp-specific custom builder to get them.
Caveat - the above assumes you're looking for "chicago blues" tone. If you are a jazz or country player, you want a cleaner sound and the above-mentioned mics will do nicely. ---------- /Greg
http://www.BlowsMeAway.com http://www.BlueStateBand.net
Last Edited by on Oct 27, 2009 10:03 PM
Is there much of a difference in sound between the shure 545 and the sm57.
I have an audix fireball that I don't think is very good for cupping, so I want to sell that and replace it with something that has a bit more of a dirty sound.
Last Edited by on Oct 29, 2009 3:38 AM
Since Greg failed to toot his own 9 hole blow I'll do it for him. I've heard great stuff about his Shure57 modified, admittedly I haven't bought one yet I'm investing in other Harp related stuff right now and I have 3-4 mics I like for various uses, amps ect. Of all I've heard of mics in the last year, if I was in the market for a mic I would go that route.
Samson r21. Cheap reliable vocal mic. cut down and top smash4ed flat it sounds even better with harp. i use mine wireless with a valve junior head and 2 12 inch jensens, but it sounds good straight into the PA too, with digitech pedal if I want dirty sounds.
