Harpster
1 post
Aug 11, 2015
10:41 PM
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I want to know what you guys opinion is on the sound of Huey Lewis' harmonica playing. I have have been trying to match this sound but have been unsuccessful. How do you think he gets this tone and sound?
http://youtu.be/efo4vxjAdws
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Owen Evans
75 posts
Aug 12, 2015
7:21 AM
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Amazing how an old Mississippi sax (Marine Band) and a real sax blend so well together that they can sound like one. Through about a 5,0000 watt PA system it's hard to tell how the sound is obtained. It's easy to see he knows how to cup that electrical taped bullet mic though whenever he moves his right hand off of it and it goes quiet. Now he plays Gold Plated Custom Made Dannecker Harps of which I have never played but I believe the attention to detail that goes into his new harps certainly removes any equipment problems. That's the harp of the matter ;-)
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1847
2668 posts
Aug 12, 2015
7:55 AM
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he used a 1959 fender super amp to record sports
from what i understand. sounds like that is what he is using here.
i watched a video of him recently, looked like he used a sonny jr.
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tomaxe
55 posts
Aug 12, 2015
8:00 AM
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I have always enjoyed Huey lewis' harp playing.
Harpster, when you say you have been "unsuccessful" matching Lewis' sound, can you be more specific? To my ears, this is a pretty classic simple blues/rock harmonica tone—a JT30 or Shure bullett mic through a good tube amp will give you the basic sound. A little reverb from your amp or a pedal might aid you in getting the effect he's getting from blasting through a huge PA system in an arena, but until you are playing in front of 15,000 people that particular effect may be hard to accomplish—LOL.
But the short and sweet of it is: this is a competent, professional musician playing his ass off. His technique is solid and he knows exactly what he wants to do. The Paul Butterfield influence is very evident to my ears...if you happen to be unaware, you may want to check out the great Paul Butterfield Band Live album (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvmk86uvyfM) to get some of those great licks—and sound— that Huey obviously picked up.
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Harpster
2 posts
Aug 12, 2015
8:50 AM
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I did notice that Lewis' sound was a lot like Paul Butterfield, but what I meant by unsuccessful was that through the amp it either sounds way to distorted or so clean it sounds like you're playing without a mic.
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1847
2669 posts
Aug 12, 2015
9:03 AM
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i found this online
Finally I'm here in the present. I have been playing through a tweed 1959 Fender Super with 2x10 Jensen speakers powered by 2 6L6's ( specifically Tung-Sol new old stock 5881's ). John Cola of Huey Lewis and the News told me they used this model amp for recording most of the harmonica and guitar solos on the " Sports " album. Their amp may have been the 6V6 version of the tweed Super, I don't know.
so it may of been a earlier version of the super
i think they switched to 6v6 in 1956 for one year
then switched back to 6l6 tubes
but as tomaxe says a bullet mic into a fender amp should get you there.
those northern cal players seem to favor the green bullet over the jt 30
i think that is what huey uses as well
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1847
2670 posts
Aug 12, 2015
9:19 AM
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it doesn't sound like he is using a fender amp
i dont see one either hmm....
maybe he is running the bullet straight to the pa?
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shakeylee
359 posts
Aug 13, 2015
6:19 PM
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he is often pictured with a red jt30,that probably has a CM/CR in it. i believe it was built by chuck gurney,of fat bottom mics.
if you are trying to get a similar tone,you might want to check out videos of his acoustic playing. most tone comes from that,rather than the gear.(although i am a known gear head,so i understand :) )
here is a link to a video of him playing acoustic:
http://www.modernbluesharmonica.com/board/board_topic/5560960/1171496.htm
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www.shakeylee.com
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shakeylee
360 posts
Aug 13, 2015
6:20 PM
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if you live near philly and want to play a jt30 with a cm/cr into a fender,feel free to contact me :)
in the video you linked,it looks like he is playing a taped up 520.
it sounds like he is playing a stick mic like a 545 or 57
haha,i guess that doesn't help :)
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www.shakeylee.com
Last Edited by shakeylee on Aug 13, 2015 6:33 PM
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