So I just recently got a shure green bullet harp mic and it works real well. So far I've played it through numerous means of amplification such as PA systems and guitar/bass amps. The best sound yet has been my peavey bass amp on "vintage" mode and overdriven.

Still I think a tube guitar would work better and I woulden't mind buying one as I could use it for my guitar as well. It looks like the fender blues junior lll is the best looking amp in my price range.

Any body ever use this amp with a harmonica? Would this amp give me those Chicago blues type sounds?

Also, would it be weird if I walked into a music store and asked If I could try my harmonicas through a guitar amp? I feel like they may possibly not want me doing that?

Any way thanks for any help!

,will p

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Basses:
Fender '51 P bass RI
Squier affinity jazz bass
Guitars:
Squier tele custom
Amps:
Peavey Max 115
fender rumble 15

I'd go with a 4x10 Bassman - - like most of the pro harp players I've seen have been using.

_________________
Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

Don't leave home without it!

As a member of both the guitar and harp playing fraternities, I can feel your pain, brother (or sister, I don't know which you are)...

I have wrestled with the "Take Two Amps" conundrum, "Try To Find A Happy Medium" conundrum and everything in between.

The Blues Jr. sounds very nice for harp; whether it works in a live situation depends much on your band. You either have to have a band that plays lower volumes/wattages or you have to mic it up.

I have been playing through a 1963 RI Vibroverb (brownface 2x10 combo made in ~1993) for both guitar and harp for years. 40 watts is more than enough to keep up with anybody, volume-wise...however, it's hard to get natural breakup with that amp without either feedback problems or without blowing the heads off of everybody on the front row. I have used an equalizer pedal with a volume slider to push/break up the front end of the amp and tweak out the feedback-ing (is that a word?) frequencies, but recently the eq died and I haven't yet replaced it.

Miami Mike is right--the Bassman 10 amps are great. I don't know which model he was referring to, but the best guitar/harp amp I've ever had (outside of the Vibroverb) was an old silverface Bassman 10 from the early 70s. it was a 4x10 combo with master volume, and it had an awesome, huge sound for both guitar and harmonica. I sold it because of house payments and the fact that the thing was a beast--it weighed a ton! Those four 10" bass speakers could cause a hernia...I would have kept it except I really needed the money.

Another amp you might look at is the basic (made in China) Vox AC15; somehow, that amp is louder than the Blues, Jr. (even though they're both 15 watts), and it sounds great for both guitar and harp. I borrowed a friend's for a jam session one night and was very impressed. One word of caution, they weigh a ton, too (but I had some neck and shoulder surgeries a few years ago and that might not be a problem for you).

I also really like the Egnater Rebel 20 and Rebel 30 amps; I slightly lean toward the Rebel 30 a bit more because of the two switchable channels...you can make one clean and one dirty. For the money, I think it's one of the best amps on the market for harp/guitar.

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Good Vibes To Y'all!



Screamin' Armadillos
Texas Roadhouse Music
Guitar/Slide Guitar/Harp/Vocals

That's the one, vintage tweed 4x10 combo.

_________________
Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

Don't leave home without it!

I have played through a few of the tweed 4x10 reissues, but never an original tweed 4x10 Bassman.

My Bassman Ten was one of the silverface/black tolex/master volume models that are so reviled by purists...it was a great guitar amp, too.

I know this is sacreligious, but I actually like a master volume on an amp. It means yuou can play with more breakup at a lower volume (by diming out the slave/channel volume and adjusting the master volume accordingly).

...and if you are able to play a larger gig/venue, you can just turn down the slave volume and turn up the master volume, and voila! You can have the natural overdrive of pushing the amp into that realm.

_________________
Good Vibes To Y'all!



Screamin' Armadillos
Texas Roadhouse Music
Guitar/Slide Guitar/Harp/Vocals

my harp guy uses a blues jr, a peavey blues, and a bassman.
they work well fo him even if he has to mic them.
his bullet mic's are custom made so YMMV.

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63supro
"The good thing is in a club situation, most of the patrons are trashed and really can't tell the difference."

[quote="Screamin' Armadillo"]As a member of both the guitar and harp playing fraternities, I can feel your pain, brother (or sister, I don't know which you are)...

I have wrestled with the "Take Two Amps" conundrum, "Try To Find A Happy Medium" conundrum and everything in between.

The Blues Jr. sounds very nice for harp; whether it works in a live situation depends much on your band. You either have to have a band that plays lower volumes/wattages or you have to mic it up.



Thanks for the advice! (I'm a boy BTW, my names "WILL pumpkin" so I'd think that suggests something, of course you were being cautions so no big deal!)

_________________
Basses:
Fender '51 P bass RI
Squier affinity jazz bass
Guitars:
Squier tele custom
Amps:
Peavey Max 115
fender rumble 15

Sorry about that--I didn't know if that was your name (as in "Will Pumpkin") or a verb (as in "will pumpkin"). Although, now that I think about it, how does a person "pumpkin"?

Do you play other instruments besides harp and bass?

Do you play them at the same time, or are these separate ventures?

_________________
Good Vibes To Y'all!



Screamin' Armadillos
Texas Roadhouse Music
Guitar/Slide Guitar/Harp/Vocals

I'm really a bass player, but also dwelve into the world of guitar from time to time. Harmonica was something I picked up as more "portable" instrument and I was actualy kind of a natural with it. Beacuse I picked up so quickly I started pursuing it further and got into blues harp and whatnot. I finally got my green bullet I ordered in last week and have already use for some jams! Sadly I'm running out of harps because there going out of tune and I don't have the money at the moment to buy some!
(to much bluesy not bending )

I own a bob Dylan sort of harmonica neck holder but have found that multitasking isen't my strong suit. I can play harp with a bass or guitar- but generally my bass playing suffers quite a bit!

_________________
Basses:
Fender '51 P bass RI
Squier affinity jazz bass
Guitars:
Squier tele custom
Amps:
Peavey Max 115
fender rumble 15

I too picked up harmonica as a second instrument (or third, if you count voice as an instrument), and was shocked at the ease of playing it. In my experience, playing harp is somewhat akin to singing; you can either do it or you can't.

You can get better with practice (just as a singer improves vocal range, strength, pitch quality, and pitch conciseness with practice), but I have seen several very talented/well-trained musicians who cannot play the harp/harmonica worth a crud, even with practice. Only when I saw those musicians (who could play circles around me on guitar) struggling with the harp did I realize it is a "gift" that not everyone has.

I haven't ever attempted to play harp & guitar at the same time, but since my band recently went from quartet to trio, I might give it a shot.

Who are your influences (as far as harp is concerned)?

Mine are:

Little Walter Jacobs (in harmonica, there are two time periods: Before Little Walter and After Little Walter)
Kim Wilson (the greatest blues harp player ever, including Little Walter)
Big Walter Horton (aka Walter "Shakey" Horton)
Sonny Boy Williamson II (Rice Miller)
Slim Harpo
Howlin' Wolf (very distinctive harp player, even though he's better known for singing & guitar)
Mick Jagger (the first song I ever learned for harp was the live version of "Midnight Rambler" off the "Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out" album)
James Cotton
Jerry Portnoy
...and probably a hundred more I forgot to mention.

_________________
Good Vibes To Y'all!



Screamin' Armadillos
Texas Roadhouse Music
Guitar/Slide Guitar/Harp/Vocals