ZoneIII
1 post
May 05, 2009
4:18 PM
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Hi! I'm new here and, even though I'm 59 (60 in July - where does the time go?), I'm just a beginning blues harp player. I'm at the point where I would like to get a small portable amp and a mic. I don't want to spend a lot of money because this will only be for my own use at home. The Pignose 7-100 had been recommended by some good harp players and it sounds good on videos that I have seen on YouTube. But while reading reviews on the Pignose 7-100, one reviewer recommended the Roland Micro Cube instead of the Pignose and reviews of the Roland Micro are extremely positive. It has far more features than the Pignose 7-100 and it also appears to be built with higher quality. But that person uses it for guitar so his needs are different. However, it sounded very good in a blues harp video that I found. Has anyone here used a Roland Micro Cube and, if so, do you recommend it for blues harp? I realize that there are other good small portable amps out there as well but I would like to keep the cost down to about $150. I also realize that everyone has different tastes but I am not able to try different amps personally. Besides, being a beginner, I probably wouldn't notice fine differences anyway. The most important thing is that I want to get that dirty Chicago blues harp sound as much as possible. One other consideration is that I have a 12-string guitar and it might be fun to amplify it. I would appreciate any advice anyone here can offer. Thanks in advance.
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ZoneIII
2 posts
May 05, 2009
4:46 PM
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While searching for more info on this topic, I found a link to a similar thread in this very forum. It has some very helpful information. I am now aware of yet another small amp that perhaps I should consider... the Vox DA5. So any comments about that amp would be appreciated as well. The problem is that most of the reviews I find on these three amps (Pignose, Roland, and Vox) are generally by guitar players so I would like to hear opinions from harp players.
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jonsparrow
241 posts
May 05, 2009
4:57 PM
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i dont have any of those so my opinion wont count for much but if i were to get one i would pick the pignose. no pun intended.
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Tryharp
187 posts
May 05, 2009
4:59 PM
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Zonell,
I own both a pignose 7-100 and a microcube. You say that the dirty Chicago sound is the most important thing for your decision, if this is the case I would go with the pignose. Although you can mess around with the settings on the cube and get a lot of good overdriven sounds, I dont believe you can get the sound with the edge and bite the piggy has. If I was playing dirty style, I would choose the piggy everytime.
Now, the cube is a very versatile little amp, where the piggy only does distorted, your twelve string will sound like Angus Young through it, whereas the microcube you can have a range on nice sounds from clean through to distorted. You can also plug in a mic and sing through it, and you have a range of effects including reverb, trem, tone etc.
I have used a SM57 and a turner hi Z bullet through them both.
Both great little amps with different strong points.
Tryharp
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Blackbird
75 posts
May 05, 2009
6:51 PM
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I have the Vox DA5. Very competitive with the Roland Microcube, but one possible advantage: Switchable wattage. It's a 5 watt amp, but you can switch it to half a watt, 1.5 watts, or 5 -for battery life, as well as getting overdrive faster when you set it to .5 watts and play. I use it with a green bullet and when I went to the store to decide between the microcube, and the vox, I went home with the vox but it was a tough choice. the microcube is lighter, I think, and similar effects but different combinations, I believe. The switchable wattage, was the thing that did it for me, as well as the sales agent making the prices of both the same so he'd ensure a sale.
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Maciekdraheim
29 posts
May 06, 2009
5:39 AM
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And I will reccomend something different. It's a Danelectro HoneyTone N-10. It's a timy 1 watt solid state amp but with hell-of-a tone! It's one of the cheapest avaiable, about 25$ and really loud for it size. I use it with my Astatic 10-C (ceramic mic from 1963) and I love it, used it during reherseals or whenewer I didn't want to turn my Tube-Epiphone on. You can find my video with Danelectro on: www.youtube.com/harmonicapl. You will be happy with that little fella!
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jaymcc28
43 posts
May 06, 2009
5:40 AM
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@johnsparrow:
"... i would pick the pignose..."
Thanks for a good laugh in the morning. People at work have no idea what I'm laughing at.
Nose picking and farts = Always Funny.
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zonkyeah
1 post
May 06, 2009
6:30 AM
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I have to agree with Maciekdraheim, I have the honey tone and she does sound dirty and good with guitar.
I am not linked to danelectro or make any money from them, just saying.
Thanks!!!
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the frozen canuck
30 posts
May 06, 2009
6:32 AM
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welcom ZoneIII,
i use a traynor TVM10 10 watt recharble amp,which holds a charge for approx 18hrs & a apex 127 bullet mic .The amp here in Canada sells for approx 135.00 & the mic for 160.00cdn
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Greg Heumann
26 posts
May 06, 2009
7:24 AM
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One word. Kalamazoo.
----------
/Greg
http://www.BlowMeAway.com
http://www.BlueStateBand.net
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MJ
37 posts
May 06, 2009
10:23 AM
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"One word. Kalamazoo." Amen to that.
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lumpy wafflesquirt
53 posts
May 06, 2009
11:05 AM
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I got a gal in Kalamazoo !!
sorry too many years as a big band trombonist :^)
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ZoneIII
3 posts
May 06, 2009
11:37 AM
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Thanks everyone! That's great info. I will check out the other amps mentioned but it sounds like I have a lot of good amps to choose from.
As far as using it with my 12-string, that's not a big issue. I may not even do that and I don't want to alter the body. I totally restored it recently. The most important thing is that Chicago sound for harp. Another person who posts instructional videos on YouTube (I can't remember his name now) raves about the Pignose.
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ZoneIII
4 posts
May 06, 2009
11:43 AM
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LOL! The Honeytone mentioned actually sells for under $20 online and it gets good reviews. I don't see how you could go wrong it it. If it isn't good enough, your ownly out $20. In fact, I might just get in addition to any other type I buy. :-)
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ZoneIII
5 posts
May 06, 2009
11:46 AM
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BTW, Tryharp, it's really good to get feedback from someone who owns both the Pignose and Microcube. I really appreciate that.
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