Shredder
56 posts
Nov 20, 2009
8:41 AM
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Just wanted to let some information out I discovered last night at practice.
I have had a vintage 20 watt Lafayette tube amp for a month now that's been modded for harp, gigged with it one so far. Iv'e been using a green bullet mic. The tone was great and sounded good.But some times I felt like the guitar was canceling out some freq. and I wasn't hearing what I was blowing, seems like it just wasn't cutting thru the mix.
Well last night I thought I would experiment and run my FireBall thru the tube amp. I normally play the Fireball thru a clean amp for songs that done't need the break up of a tube amp.Iv'e been using the FireBall for 2 years now and really like it, this is a quality harp mic that hasn't really been given it's due in my oppinion.
WOW! to my amazment I got more clairity along with that fat tone and break up that we are all looking for plus I can run a little more volume on the amp. before feed back. I can clearly cut thru the mix and the guitar mixes with the harp like a beautiful womans perfume in the air.
Me and the Guitar player each agree the bullet dosn't like the Lafayette amp. and the FireBall gets top billing.
I will make this statment, I have been playing thru a Hohner HooDoo box for almost a year and the Bullet sounds better thru it than the FireBall.
OK I said my piece, hope this help's some one some where down the line. Done't be closed minded like I have been and think that you have to play a bullet style mic to get the best sound from your amp. it an't so.
Mike
Last Edited by on Nov 20, 2009 8:42 AM
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Hobostubs Ashlock
135 posts
Nov 20, 2009
9:05 PM
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yea ive heard Tony Eyers of harmonica academy and Adam from here both highly recomend the fireball mic.I think the next mic i get might be a fireball im running a green bullet right now myself,I hadnt thought about running directly into one just mic my amp,you say they work good directly did you cup it or run it from a stand?
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jbone
205 posts
Nov 21, 2009
7:20 AM
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is that a matched impedance mic? ie in a tube amp is it set for high-z?
i "discovered" a good crystal mic some years ago and it changed my whole outlook on harp playing in a band or duo. sweetness of tone and clarity made it excellent for 3rd position stuff and more country/folky stuff.
there was definitely i time i wouldn't even consider using anything but my green bullet with a cm element. ignorance and closed mindedness can sure hold us back.
sometimes a bit of mud and distortion are just what the doctor ordered, but sometimes a nice clean clear tone from a mic is unbeatable.
i have yet to try a fireball. to me a round head mic just doesn't fit my hand so well. but i can see where if an sm58 or 57 at times is the way to go for clarity, a fireball is a definite possibility.
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rbeetsme
33 posts
Nov 21, 2009
8:02 AM
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Your experience brings up an important point, different mic and amp combinations give different results. This is how we all became gearheads. There is no one mic fits all solution, unless you play through the same amp and play the same style all of the time. I've acquired way too many mics over the years but have narrowed the players down to 3 or 4. Same with amps. I've learned which combinations work best together. BTW: Had one of the original Fireballs, liked it a lot, but preferred some of my vintage mics, so it went unused and eventually went away.
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Shredder
58 posts
Nov 21, 2009
2:02 PM
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@ Hobostubs,I just ran out of my Lone wolf delay pedal direct into the amp and then mic the amp with a SM57 to the board.
When I was experimenting and playing the blues"Texas flood" I was cupping the mic. I can get a good seal. The size, shape of the mic makes it easier to cup than the bullet/ takes up less room. I do have to use a line matching transformer, I have the Audix one to go from XLR to 1/4 male-- here is the link
http://accessories.musiciansfriend.com/product/Audix-T50K-Inline-Impedance-Matching-Transformer?sku=330710
When I play clean I some times use a stand, I have to turn up the gain on my boost pedal cause the harp is further away from the mic. I like this cause I can get the hand articulation to come thru the amp/mix board.
@jbone I use the tarnsformer mentioned above. You mentioned clairity What I found out is I get all the grit as the bullet but the clairity of the notes come thru and doesn't get lost in the mix.
My Guitarist said Stevie Ray would split his signal from a dirty amp to a clean amp and mix them to the mains. The listner hears the tube break up but can still hear the clairity of the notes.
I did this with the harp and it works but with this combo I discovered you don't need the 2nd amp.
@rebeetsme , to bad the FireBall was passed over It's been a work horse for me.
My plan now is to use a Morley pedal and do away with playing 2 mic's"Dirty/Clean" I will just send a signal to the tube amp for dirty and a claen signal to the board for clean songs. Less gear to haul around or fail.
Just another note I do use a clean boost pedal when I make a lead break to get above the band It's an Electro harmonics LPB1
Mike
Last Edited by on Nov 21, 2009 2:08 PM
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