BigSteveNJ
56 posts
Dec 18, 2014
6:54 AM
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Getting tired of trying to find an affordable amp (I've been unemployed for two years, I have disabilities, and have very little serious cash). Even if I had the money, I have several hernias and anything heavier than a Champ would be too much to carry.
Looking into the Harp Attack by the Lone Wolf Blues Co. I know many of you are familiar and some even use it live.
How would you rate it for overall usable tone, ease of use and reliability? I'm a 57/545/stick-mic kind of guy; never really happy with my tone with any bullets I've tried.
Alternately, what other direct-to-PA pedals, preamps, etc would you recommend?
Let's say my budget is $250. Who knows if it will be more, might be less, but let's say.
Looking for a nice, crackly, breaking sound, not a smooth, super-overdriven tone. Something that can "clean up" a bit if I back off my wind pressure.
Thanks in advance, people!
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Kingley
3781 posts
Dec 18, 2014
9:31 AM
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I'd say it's a great piece of kit. Very easy to set up, good tone and ultra reliable. It's one piece of kit I won't part with. In this clip I'm using an Ultimate 545 into the Harp Attack. The phone recording doesn't really do it justice, but it'll give you an idea.
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TetonJohn
226 posts
Dec 18, 2014
9:46 AM
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other possibility:
Ron Holmes' Harp Commander. I have one of the first ones (very small and simple) - he has been making them a bit larger and more complex with more functionality (probably more $ too). I assume he is still in that business, but I have not checked his site out in many years.
I carry mine with me to gigs in case my amp craps out -- hasn't happened -- but I would feel fine if I had to use it.
I just sold my Harp Attack (I felt no reason to have both, and I thought the Harp Attack would be easier to sell -- has more presence on the web).
Last Edited by TetonJohn on Dec 18, 2014 10:05 AM
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Gipsy
117 posts
Dec 18, 2014
9:51 AM
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Digitech RP unit with Richard Hunter's patches on board. Loads of cool sounds to choose from.
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Diggsblues
1614 posts
Dec 18, 2014
10:03 AM
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I use a old Boss octave pedal. It works like a tone and volume boost if I need it. I also sometimes put a a digital reverb in there. Interest that they both seem to effect the diatonic and chrome in different ways. I use this set up with an amp and a PA.
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9000
206 posts
Dec 18, 2014
10:31 AM
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Harp Commander from Holmes Engineering.
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Music speaks where words fail.
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DoubleJ
123 posts
Dec 18, 2014
10:36 AM
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You can't go wrong with the Lone Wolf stuff. I prefer the Harp Octave into the P.A. I own and have used the Attack, and Break as well and both work well.
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rogonzab
633 posts
Dec 18, 2014
1:54 PM
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I play all my gigs whit a bullet -> HarpBreak -> Delay (MP Deep Blue Delay clon) -> PA
I can get good tone, and it all fit in my backpack. I dont carry my tube amp (Pro junior) anymore, I dont have a car so is a PITA walk arround the city whit an amp.
My ideal PA setup would be:
Bullet mic -> HarpBreak -> Delay -> BB Sonic Maximizer -> DI box.
I hope that I can complete my PA setup in 2015.
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Sorry for any misspell, english is not my first language.
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Littoral
1174 posts
Dec 18, 2014
3:13 PM
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My answer has been the same as doublej, octave from LW. I also have everything else and that's what I often choose. 57
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MN
363 posts
Dec 19, 2014
8:28 AM
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DoubleJ wrote: "I prefer the Harp Octave into the P.A."
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I'd love to hear that. Any video demos out there online, guys? (I mean into the PA ..... not into an amp.)
Last Edited by MN on Dec 19, 2014 8:29 AM
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Littoral
1178 posts
Dec 23, 2014
7:31 AM
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"I'd love to hear that. Any video demos out there online, guys? (I mean into the PA ..... not into an amp.)"
MN, had to find it. This is just the Octave and, as I recall, effect was 3-4 and level about 5. Straight to the 1/4 Peavy PA input, no other effects. SM57
Last Edited by Littoral on Dec 23, 2014 8:00 AM
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MN
367 posts
Dec 23, 2014
8:36 AM
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Great! Thanks so much. I just went ahead and ordered one.
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Destin
93 posts
Dec 25, 2014
2:10 AM
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Get a Harp Break Bro!
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Littoral
1181 posts
Dec 25, 2014
4:36 AM
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Harp Break, can't go wrong there, either. I use one of those sometimes too -but not with the octave.
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hvyj
2614 posts
Dec 25, 2014
2:14 PM
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FWIW, I've never understood the need for an overdrive or distortion pedal to get a "Chicago" sound using a stick mic into the PA. If you have access to the controls on your channel of the board you can simply nudge the gain or pad control up a little. This will heat up your signal more or less like a pedal does. You will need to back off the volume control somewhat to avoid feedback, and keep in mind that a little upward adjustment of the gain control goes a long way. Maybe pump the mids a little too and you've got a hot overdriven tone without additional hardware. It works.
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hvyj
2615 posts
Dec 25, 2014
2:14 PM
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FWIW, I've never understood the need for an overdrive or distortion pedal to get a "Chicago" sound using a stick mic into the PA. If you have access to the controls on your channel of the board you can simply nudge the gain or pad control up a little. This will heat up your signal more or less like a pedal does. You will need to back off the volume control somewhat to avoid feedback, and keep in mind that a little upward adjustment of the gain control goes a long way. Maybe pump the mids a little and roll off some treble, adjust the bass to taste, and you've got a hot overdriven tone without additional hardware. It works.
Last Edited by hvyj on Dec 25, 2014 2:17 PM
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Littoral
1182 posts
Dec 26, 2014
2:41 AM
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"FWIW, I've never understood the need for an overdrive or distortion pedal to get a "Chicago" sound using a stick mic into the PA."
Good suggestion, in part because a stick (57) breaks up nicely with a good seal anyway. But the modeled sound of a harp friendly pedal is designed to be a much more pleasing compression/distortion than what you get from more gain. That said, I wouldn't give credit to either a pedals or gain credit to accomplishing, even remotely, the "chicago" sound that is accomplished accoustically and enhanced with a good tube amp (see 1000 miles of TB crunch threads).
Regardless, the pedal, for me, is even more about having control of the sound in terms of level (and effect). The octave level works a lot like a Kinder for feedback control as well as allowing for dialing in the PA volume from stage. THAT is an awesome utility regardless of access to the board. The cut the octave provides is much like the EQ adjustments you suggest by an increase in the upper mids and lower highs which provides excellent cut -an often sought after quality for harp amplification.
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Littoral
1183 posts
Dec 26, 2014
2:42 AM
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"FWIW, I've never understood the need for an overdrive or distortion pedal to get a "Chicago" sound using a stick mic into the PA."
Good suggestion, in part because a stick (57) breaks up nicely with a good seal anyway. But the modeled sound of a harp friendly pedal is designed to be a much more pleasing compression/distortion than what you get from more gain. That said, I wouldn't give credit to either a pedal or gain to accomplishing, even remotely, the "Chicago" sound. That happens acoustically and can be enhanced with a good tube amp (see 1000 miles of TB crunch threads). The sound in my post above doesn't sound anything like gain and it's an octave pedal, flat PA -no extra gain, and me.
Regardless, the octave pedal, for me, is even more about having control of the sound in terms of level AND effect. The level works a lot like a Kinder for feedback control as well as allowing for dialing in the PA volume from stage. THAT is an awesome utility regardless of access to the board -controlling how loud I can get from stage (even with a good sweep on the VC). Our level in the mix is always an issue if we don't have anybody on the board, much less a pro, which is 90% of the time for most of us. This pedal absolutely solves that problem. Further, the modeling of the octave pedal actually accomplishes the EQ adjustments you suggested by increasing in the upper mids and lower highs which generates excellent cut -an often sought after quality for harp amplification.
Last Edited by Littoral on Dec 26, 2014 3:14 AM
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