HarpNinja
3644 posts
Dec 17, 2013
10:23 AM
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So, I am doing something wrong. I got two Harp Attacks to try and am having issues with them. I am 100% convinced this is on my end.
With both, I get what sounds like a Kinder AFB+ tone when that pedal is cranked waaaay too far.
http://mikefugazzi.com/files/117447/harpattack.wav
I tried the correct 18v power supply and then batteries. I am running an SM58 into an impedence transformer and into the pedal. I then take a 1/4" out of the pedal to either a QSC K10, DI, or my desktop mixer.
When I sing into the mic, it sounds clean, but when I cup and blow it sounds like this. Any thoughts on what I am screwing up?
I have several LW pedals and LOVE them. Randy has been fantastic to work with, and we've emailed back and forth on this too, but I am not sure what else to try. I am positive I am doing something wrong and the pedals are fine, and really want to figure this one out.
Is it an impedence thing or something? I am very certain this is user error!
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My Website
Last Edited by HarpNinja on Dec 17, 2013 10:27 AM
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Kingley
3317 posts
Dec 17, 2013
10:53 AM
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Don't set the pedal so high. I use drive at 9 o'clock, volume at 12 o'clock and tone at 9 o'clock. Anything higher than that sounds very distorted to my ear. I suspect you're using far heavier settings then that. If you are then that's why it's distorting so much. I find that less is definitely more when it comes to the Harp Attack. Here's what mine sounds like with the settings as above. The harp comes in around the 4 minute mark.
Last Edited by Kingley on Dec 17, 2013 11:06 AM
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HawkeyeKane
2218 posts
Dec 17, 2013
11:04 AM
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Side question....I know that Richard Hunter and others have used the DigiTech RP route directly to PA, but also sometimes to a keyboard amp which is pretty much a small portable PA itself. Has anyone ever tried runnning a bank of LW pedals through a keyboard amp perhaps?
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Hawkeye Kane
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MJ
655 posts
Dec 17, 2013
11:58 AM
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I normally set my Harp Attack like Kingley and have good results. The Harp attack will get pretty gnarly if you're not careful. I usually treat it somewhat like Master volume and volume, keeping the level higher than the drive.
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HarpNinja
3645 posts
Dec 17, 2013
12:04 PM
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It was at 10 o'clock across the board.
Hawk, my PA speaker is just like a keyboard amp...love this rig:
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My Website
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Kingley
3318 posts
Dec 17, 2013
12:19 PM
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Try turning the Harp Attack volume up and the drive down slightly, that should help. Also try just the Harp Attack on it's own with no other pedals inline first. That way you can experiment with settings to find what works best for you without interference. Then once your in the ball park, start adding other effects in one at a time to taste.
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HarpNinja
3646 posts
Dec 17, 2013
12:34 PM
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10-4...I have it just on its own, but like I said, I am sure I am miss using it somehow. I didn't know if mic connection or mic choice might be an issue.
I'll tell you what, though, I had Just the HarpTone+, HarpBreak, and V2 Delay on my small board and went from clean to all out rock distortion with a SM58...awesome rock rig!
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My Website
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Kingley
3319 posts
Dec 17, 2013
10:23 PM
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I've tried it with various mics (545, bullets with crystal and CM elements, SM57 and SM58) and the result is always the same. You MUST set the volume significantly higher than the drive or it WILL sound overly distorted. It works in a similar way to an amp. I can get cleaner Bassman style sounds to a full on overdriven Champ style sound just by altering the volume and drive settings. I never alter my tone setting on it. My volume setting never goes lower than 12 o'clock and never above 2 o'clock and the drive is never higher than 11 o'clock. In fact the more I use it the more I find I'm setting the drive lower and lower. I've played with the drive barely on ( 7 o'clock), volume at 2 o'clock and tone at 9 o'clock, and it sounds great.
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Baker
358 posts
Dec 18, 2013
5:18 AM
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I have found a few quirks with mine. I'd second all of the above comments about keeping the drive low and using the volume.
I've also found that you need to leave it on for a while or it can sound a bit crappy. I'm assuming this is because it has a tube in it and it takes a while to warm up. I think LW state somewhere that this pedal is not really designed to be turned on and off during a performance. Rather you turn it on and leave it on.
Another thing I tried was plugging it in in to a solid state amp that was voiced for acoustic instruments. I assumed it'd be fine but couldn't get a good sound. Actually sounded a little like your clip so might be worth tying in a different amp too, just to see.
The best results I've had with it are straight into a PA. It hasn't sounded quite as good plugging into solid state amps.
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HawkeyeKane
2219 posts
Dec 18, 2013
7:15 AM
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These results are sounding very similar to what I do with my ART tube preamp directly into a PA. Set the Gain low and the Output high, and its got very warm tone with just the right amount of distortion.
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Hawkeye Kane
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