I actually bought and installed this pedal several weeks ago, but it’s still new to me…
I recently became very dissatisfied with my live harp tone. When recording in studio, I was able to use a variety of pre-amps at my disposal (one of which was a Line 6 POD), and I was able to get as much nastiness and “squank” without feedback.

However, when trying to play through a harp mic into a guitar amp, there are a myriad of opportunities for the Squeally Monsters to attack…also, while my ’63 Reissue Vibroverb had always been a good amp for both harp and guitar, it sometimes was a bit too clean for the harp sounds I was craving.



After a bout with microphonic tubes, I decided to go all out and formulate the best way to get all “Little Walter’d” up and get some of those nice harmonics and growls without feeding back. I changed the preamp tube of my “NORMAL” channel to a 12AU7, which has considerably less gain than the (normal) 12AX7 tube found in this amplifier (stock). While that effectively eliminated feedback, it also effectively made my harp sound like poo…and wimpy poo at that!

I tried every one of my harp microphones (1940’s Astatic 200S, 1950’s Astatic 77A, 1990’s Shure 520D, “Green Bullet”), hoping one of them would be hot enough to get some grit…all to no avail. Little or no feedback, yet the tone was still too clean.

Then I tried to set up an overdrive (Ibanez TS9, MXR M-66 Classic Overdrive, Danelectro DO-1 Daddy-O) or distortion pedal (MXR M-86 Classic Distortion) for creating some nastiness, but they just created feedback.

This led to me re-vamping my Pedalboard. After reading several reports that confirmed a sneaky suspicion I had, I removed the ISP Decimator G-String Noise Reduction pedal. It works great for guitar, but for harp, it just doesn’t quite “cut it.” Fortunately, I had not yet sold my old Rocktron HUSH pedal, which had worked much better for reducing harp mic noise and feedback, so it was returned to the Pedalboard.

I tried to use a MXR Ten-band EQ to tweeze out the offending frequencies (while using the gain and volume sliders to push the signal into overdrive), but it didn’t work for the harp, either…I loved it for guitar, so it’s going to go to the “secondary” Pedalboard I’m building to leave in the studio back in Texas.

Finally, I found a guy named Randy Landry who builds pedals and refurbishes/customizes/modifies amps for harmonica use. His company is called Lone Wolf Blues Company (website here: http://www.lwharpamps.com/ ). He also hosts a forum on his website for all things harmonica. A lot of the information the users discussed is so technical it goes over my head (tube amp builds, modifying microphones, etc….right down to arguments over what type of capacitors and resistors to use in amps, mics, etc.). I learned a lot just reading the various posts.

I talked to Randy, and he recommended a particular pedal for my needs; the first one didn’t work for what I wanted (it was a good-sounding pedal, but just not what I wanted), and he gladly accepted it back for a full refund. However, after reading a few more posts and a couple of more conversations with Randy and his wife, Missy, I decided to get them to send me their Lone Wolf Blues Company “Harp Break” pedal. It is a low gain distortion/overdrive pedal; I know that doesn't make sense, but that's what it is.

The 20db Bass Boost knob is really killer; it makes all my harp mics sound fatter and richer.
The LED's used to provide the clipping produces a soft clipping distortion as the LED begins to conduct that is very similar to vacuum tube distortion. The soft clip is visibly evident by the dim lighting of the LED on the face of the pedal and as the DRIVE is increased the LED clips harder and begins to glow brighter, the brighter the LED, the harder the clip.



By the way, where else will you not only get to buy a boutique pedal for $148, but the guy who builds it will talk to you about your wants and needs?

In my search, I learned a couple more things about harp playing and harp equipment I had not picked up in the twenty-plus years of playing the instrument. Several websites touted using a Shure SM57 for harp. I always thought that would be too clean-sounding, but lo and behold, it sounded great!

The only problem is the small head on those mics make it hard to hold them while playing, and the less-than-airtight grill makes it a little harder to “cup” the mic (harp players will understand that terminology). Another guy (BlowsMeAway Productions, website here: http://blowsmeaway.com/index.html ) who custom-makes wood-bodied microphones also makes a device called the “Bulletizer.” It makes a harp mic out of a SM57…it is a little simple device that makes you say, “Why didn’t I think of that?”, but it works awesomely…and I’m going to have to save up and get him to make me one of his custom microphones…maybe Lady Armadillo will get one for me when I graduate college(!)





I also learned that when using a noise gate for feedback reduction for harp, the noise gate should go BEFORE any other pedals…the harp mic will be noisier than any other component, so eliminating the noise it creates will keep the (minimal) noise created by a harp effect pedal from getting noisy…that counter-intuitive to what I do with my guitar pedals (where the Noise Gate goes last, except delay effects pedals).
So my Big Ol’ Board of Sonic Bliss is now configured as such:


So, using a Shure SM57 microphone w/attached “Bulletizer” through the Rocktron HUSH pedal, the LWBC Harp Break pedal into the NORMAL Channel (loaded with a 12AU7 preamp tube) of my Fender ’63 Re-issue Vibroverb, here’s a sound sample:



…and since I didn’t wear my Giant African Chicken Boots, I will share some pics of my Armadillo Shorts:




Have mercy!

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Good Vibes To Y'all!



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

Thank you...a product of my misspent youth.

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Good Vibes To Y'all!



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

Another sound sample. This one with a 1940's Astatic 200S microphone, and a little bit of vibrato/tremolo/whatever from the amp. This mic sounds a bit smoother and richer...mmm, harmonica coffee...

What were we talking about?

Oh, this:



Ceramic Cow Skull Accessory:

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Good Vibes To Y'all!



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

Sounds pretty good! Some nice harp playing too!

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Check out my new FB music page!

https://www.facebook.com/TheDevilandMe.Music

sounds great and a very informative post....what was it someone once said it ain't the getting there it's the journey.... thanx for the info

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Common sense and a sense of humor are the same thing, moving at different speeds. A sense of humor is just common sense, dancin'

Who knew? that there was that much nuance in a mike, amp, and pedal for a harp... thanks for the education... It is an underated instrument and you play it well. I now know what a screamin armadillo sounds like...

I really appreciate everybody's kind words about my playing...I'm a bit rusty on harp, haven't played it nearly as much as I used to.

In recent years, the harp has (unfortunately) become the red-headed step-child of blues bands. Everybody wants to be the lead guitarist (me, too ) and seldom do you see (a) a band with a harp player or (b) a guy who is solely a harp player--not also a "second" guitarist.

This journey started last January when I was asked to play harp with my cousin at one of his gigs. It was the first time I had played harp all evening (no guitar or singing) in several years, and I had forgotten how much I loved the instrument.

I will probably keep on tweaking stuff with my harp set-up...there's a couple of preamps that are highly touted (they can go either into a PA and sound like a old, small tube combo amp or go into a bigger amp and still sound good); I'm gonna check those out.

I also have a couple of mics I'm trying to restore, so we'll see how things develop...

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Good Vibes To Y'all!



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

Oh man, what a thread full of juicy goodness! Not least the playing - I love it!

There is so much to learn here, not least the careful, thoughtful approach to reasoning the whole thing through. Total respect.

BTW:


Is he really called Randy Landry? Sounds like something from an old Danny Kaye film: "The chalice from the palace is the one with the malice" - etc. (Does anyone know what I'm talking about?)

Anyhow. You don't often hear me use the worn out word "awesome". But those shorts are AWESOMENESS made material! Thank you so much for sharing those. A show stopper.

Cheers - C

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A very enjoyable post my friend! Definitely a lot to learn and you do it all so well. Thanks for posting.

Kinda sounds like "Survivorman" sitting around his campsite.

You're too kind--I'm rustier than an iron chain in salt water. Sometimes when you lay off of a particular instrument, the frustration due to the "rust" is over-ridden by the new, fresh approach to certain licks and tricks...I can't do exactly what I used to do, but there's some things that have popped up that I had never done before.


Partially due to less money (to fool around with things that don't/won't work), and partially due to experience, I try to do as much "prep" work to make sure that whatever I'm going to buy will meet my needs/wants...it doesn't always work out that way, but there's a lot less stumbling around blindly than when I was younger (and playing Buddy Holly's Strat I bought from his widow).


Yes, the man is a walking tongue twister...
He has an amazing little enterprise, modifying/building amps, building harp and guitar effects and maintaining a harmonica forum on his website...all down in Louisiana amongst the 'gators and the frogs.


Lady Armadillo bought those for me...they are ridiculously wonderful and sublimely silly, all at the same time...and one of the few ridiculous items of clothing she doesn't cringe when I wear them.

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Good Vibes To Y'all!



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

Would that be "A Conneticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court"?

Thanks for posting SA. Very cool. Back in the middle sixties I got to see The Siegel–Schwall Blues Band and Corky Siegel was great at harp, the late great Alan Blind Owl Wilson was a favorite, Bob The Bear Hite could play too, Charlie Musselwhite blew everyones socks off though when I saw him at the 'Gon in 70 and he was still cooking when I saw him in 91 at Shades. You sound real good SA I would jam with you Bro.

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you can save the world with your guitar one love song at a time it's just better, more fun, easier with a fender solid body electric guitar or electric bass guitar.