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[Joe]

I know we talked about this topic before,
UMMM I'm just wondering if well what should I
buy.

I want an Amp that I can hook my IPOD up to and obviously a mic. Also want an amp that has some effects like reverb or delay.

Mic not sure just want a good mic for the harmonica with a volume control?

Something portable operated with batteries or 110 volt. Not too small Not to big.


That's what I want to get started.

Harp On!!

[Whiskat]

Check out the Roland Microcube. It's around 100 bucks and it has a lot of effects! Runs on batteries.

I haven't tried the bottle-O-blues mic myself, but I suspect this is a good starter mic.

[Joe]

Thanks Whiskat,

I was thinking Roland street cube I think its a little bit bigger.

I already have the bottle-O-blues mic I was thinking something better
quality. But maybe not maybe that's good enough for me not like
I'm going out to a gig or anything.

Harp On!!

[Flipside]

Joe,
I did a lot of research before I purchased a mic.  I eventually bought the audix Fireball V.

http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/product/Audix-FireBallV-Harmonica-Microphone?sku=270693&src=3WWRWXMB&ZYXSEM=0

I based my purchase on the reviews I saw.  It is a bit pricey at $129, but I have had no problems and it is comfortable in my hand.  Needless to say, I am very satisfied with it.  

I use it two to three times a week (3-4 hr. practice sessions & gigs) and I can also sing with it.

I would like to get my hands on the bottle of blues.  I don't think that is a beginner mic as many pros use it.  So I think what you have is a great start to your mic collection.

As far as amps, I use my keyboard amp, a Behringer K900fx or I go thru the Yamaha powered mixer that the band has.  I wouldn't necessarily recommend them for the harp though..Maybe someday I will use a good tube amp for that bluesy sound..

Well that's my two cents.  Keep on harpin

Flipside

[Joe]

Thanks Flipside I ordered my audix fireball the other day along with a madcat,
I figured I would use the fireball for tunes and the madcat for blues.

Still learning not out doing any gigs or anything YET!!!!! but I think now I should get ready
and be ready if the opportunity presents itself.

Harp On!!

[paulbunyn]

Now I too am looking at amps and mic in the near future. What is important to make shure the amp has or can do that makes it a good one for harp for a good  starter?

[Joe]

There's no doubt a lot to choose from PB, I have a roland micro cube and thats perfect for me just the right size
with some effects to play with reverb delay etc.... It's definitely loud enough for me.

A great practice AMP.

I also like the shaker madcat mic to go along with it. The chord is short but it fits my space.
Inside my Snapon truck perfectly.

harp On!!

[paulbunyn]

When I get the chance to buy I will be buying used from a pawn shop! Will  any guitar amp do? Do I need to make sure it can do anything special?

[gregmatic]

Guitar amps aren't usually recommended.  They have too much gain and cause feedback from what I have read.  I think an amp for a bass guitar works better for the harmonica if you aren't going for an actual harp amp.

I got a MicroCube on Craigslist for $30.00, so the deals are out there if you are patient.

[paulbunyn]

Thanks! That's the info i was looking for! As i said I will be looking in pawn shops to start!
Can you believe it, I live 2 counties from Memphis Tn. and between here and the river you can't find a Blues radio station much less harp equipment! It all has to be ordered online.

[Barry]

Hi Joe, check out Brian Purdy's Harpgear 2 amp. I just purchased one from him (a bit pricy) and they are made just for harmonica and they are GREAT. To get great effects look into Lone Wolf Harp Delays these also are made just for harmonica. Jason Ricci, Paul Butterfield and Adam Gussow all used Shure 57's mics.

Barry

[harplayer]

I bought an Electro-Voice M43 /U mic on ebay for around $35. It's a dynamic low z mic. I found with this mic I can crank most amps up with little or no feed-back, which is really good on tube amps. You want to push a tube amp to get that tone. I liked it so much I bought another. I noticed they are getting more expensive though.

[Whiskat]

Guitar amps aren't usually recommended.  They have too much gain and cause feedback from what I have read.  I think an amp for a bass guitar works better for the harmonica if you aren't going for an actual harp amp.

I got a MicroCube on Craigslist for $30.00, so the deals are out there if you are patient.

I have two guitar amps. The microcube and an old tube amp with no label. They're alright, but they never gave me what I wanted. So I've just been plugging into the PA or used whatever amp is available instead of bringing my own amp to jams.

However! I've recently started playing bass, and I bought a VOX T-25 amp for it. Yesterday I got it out on the porch and I plugged a mic to it and gave it a go with the harp. It was sweet! I used the Bottle-O-Blues mic, and I was able to get a nice, but smal overdrive, and the tone was very good!

So I'll second your opinion on bass amps, this is also something I've heard many times before from more experienced harpsters.

[harplayer]

That's why the Fender Bassman is so popular with harp players Kat.
One of my amps is a 10 watt Matrix solid state that I bought at a garage sale for $5. Couldn't pass it up. Plays alright by itself, but if I hook my Boss AD-3 processer to it, it sounds amazing. It's my favorite for playing at home. Just not loud enough out in public. And I hate to mic them, specially at a jam because even though the crowd can hear it, I usually can't. If I can't hear it, I don't know what the hell I might be playin'. I could be a whole hole off and not know it.

Where else can you say "whole hole" and get away with it??

[Frank]

We've been talking about this topic on another forum and I've been doing a bit of research on it and it seems that an Acoustic Guitar Amp would probably work better then a straight Electric Guitar Amp. Most Acoustic amps are made with two inputs, one for a pick-up and one for a mic so the impedance would be right for a mic.  Although I can't comment on weather or not you'd have the effects on board that you're looking for.

[harplayer]

Fender has an accoustic guitar amp that's pretty nice. I know a guy that has one. One of these days I would like to hook up to it just to see how it does. I would think it would have some onboard stuff that would help reduce feed-back. It's a big amp though. Probably 50 watt all tube.
KONA makes a nice amp for to play harp on. I have a 20 watt that sounds good. It has an accual spring reverb and a clean-distortion switch that you can control with a foot-pedal. Feed-back is low and will play loud. They make smaller ones and I think they make one to hook i-pods and such to. I bought mine new at a benefit auction. They sell for about $125 I think. I've seen them on e-bay, new, But don't remember the price.