Sunday, November 1, 2009

Amps

I am not going to lie.  I've been through a lot of amps.  I rolled gear like crazy when starting out because I was to naive to realize you could do things like use different tubes and speakers.  I also had awful mic technique and was still trying to dial in my own style.  Then I got a Kinder AFB+ and got really bad because I could plug into just about anything.

I unloaded a totally awesome HarpGear Double Trouble and Bassman Ltd a while back.  NiteRail went on hiatus and I wasn't really gigging beyond really small rooms with my own band.  I ended up with a Vibro Champ and an Allen Old Flame, which is a fantastic 2x10 blackface inspired amp.  However, it has a master volume which isn't always great for harp or the Kinder.  I just sold it.

So now I have two Champs that will end up being underpowered for some gigs.  I need at least a medium amp.  I am thinking of trying to pick up a used Double Trouble.  I can't think of anything else around the volume.  I don't want to lug a 4x10 around.  Really, I am not that tone obsessed.  For me, it is always a matter of being able to hear myself over the drums and guitar.  Ok, almost always the guitar.

I LOVE the sound of a SF or BF Champ, but they can't always cut it at a gig no matter what the set up.  The only amp my guitarist plays is a Princeton Reverb now.  That's all I got to go up against.  And I have no problem using an amp stand or having the amp tilted up in front of me.

2 comments:

  1. Maybe someday I can get a nice amp. Can't afford those great ones. On the plus side, I have to focus on tone in the meantime!

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  2. Remember to practice cupping a mic. I didn't do that forever. Than I started gigging and had all sorts of troubles. Finally, I started carrying an SM57 along with a harp around the house.

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