[Harp-L] Nic Clark playing the VHT Special 6 amp
Rick Davis
circuit has been voiced specifically for blues harp. The speaker is an
Eminence Lil' Buddy, and the power tube is a JJ Tesla 6V6S. The preamp tube
is stock.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sERCtSIHVfk
In the video the amp is on 3 (9 o'clock on the volume control) and it
sounded huge.
--
-Rick Davis
The Blues Harp Amps Blog
http://www.bluesharpamps.blogspot.com/
MARK BURNESS
________________________________
From: Rick Davis <bluesh...@gmail.com>
To: Harp- L <Har...@harp-l.org>
Sent: Tuesday, 7 December, 2010 15:25:58
Subject: [Harp-L] Nic Clark playing the VHT Special 6 amp
Richard Hunter
>Here is a video of Nic Clark playing the VHT Special 6 amp. The amp's tone
>circuit has been voiced specifically for blues harp. The speaker is an
>Eminence Lil' Buddy, and the power tube is a JJ Tesla 6V6S. The preamp tube
>is stock.
>
>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sERCtSIHVfk
>
>In the video the amp is on 3 (9 o'clock on the volume control) and it
>sounded huge.
I checked out the video, and the amp sounds good.
On the Blues Harp Amp Blog, I read the following:
<So, I paid $200 to Amazon.com for the amp. It arrived in five days, no shipping charge. The speaker <sells for $75. There is no real need to change the stock tubes unless you are an inveterate tinkerer <(like me). The tubes sound fine. For $275 you can own a killer little harp amp that beats the pants off the EL84 amps like Kalamazoo, Epiphone, and Fender Pro Jr.
<
<With the circuit mods the amp steps up to a whole new level and becomes a true harp amp. It has <the tone and feel you crave... It's a boutique harp amp for a fraction of the cost.
I figure that the cost for the final product--the one in the video--is closer to $350, if you figure that most people will have a tech do the mods. (I'd certainly have a tech install a line-out if I wanted one, which I would.) That's a good price for a small tube amp that's usable for relatively quiet performances, e.g. practice, recording, gigs in small rooms like coffeehouses (and for loud shows with a line-out to the PA).
It's not much different from what most people would pay for a similar amp--5 watt class A circuit with 12AX7 preamp tube and an 8" or 10" speaker--from Crate, Epiphone, Fender, Peavey, etc., with mods from a respected harp amp tech. I do think the 10" speaker makes a difference--I'm about ready to declare that 10" speakers are tops for harp, period.
So if you already own a 5 watt amp, what do you do? Sell it and buy a VHT 6? I see some people on this list apparently doing that now.
Regards, Richard Hunter
author, "Jazz Harp"
latest mp3s and harmonica blog at http://myspace.com/richardhunterharp
more mp3s at http://taxi.com/rhunter
Vids at http://www.youtube.com/user/lightninrick
Twitter: lightninrick
Richard Hunter
However, I would be very uneasy playing with a loud band if I was only armed with a 5 watt amp, especially if there was no way to line-out that amp to a PA. Most players would find a 5 watt amp to be insufficient for a gig with most amped bands in a room with 80-100 people in it, especially if those people weren't sitting and listening politely.
In other words, there's a reason why people buy bigger amps. I can't think of any working pro playing with a band who does most of his or her gigs with a 5-watt amp. That goes for guitarists as well as harp players.
I also agree that most harp players should have a good 5 watt tube amp. They're generally inexpensive, good-sounding, and fun. Most harp players will also need an amp that's bigger and louder.
Also keep in mind that if everybody in the world buys a VHT Special 6, everybody's gonna have the same amped sound. (Yes, I know it's the player, not the amp. But still.)
Thanks, Richard Hunter
-----Original Message-----
>From: Rick Davis <bluesh...@gmail.com>
>Sent: Dec 8, 2010 5:30 PM
>To: Richard Hunter <turtl...@earthlink.net>, Harp- L <Har...@harp-l.org>
>Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Nic Clark playing the VHT Special 6 amp
>
>Richard, I have played the VHT Special 6 amp at a loud blues jam (with and
>without PA support) and it acquitted itself well, It is not ideal for that
>(I had trouble hearing myself in the loudest moments) but the people I spoke
>to in the audience told me they could hear the amp just fine. It is
>remarkably loud for a 6-watt amp. It is not limited to only quiet
>coffehouse performances.
>
>
>--
>-Rick Davis
>The Blues Harp Amps Blog
>http://www.bluesharpamps.blogspot.com/
>
>
>On Wed, Dec 8, 2010 at 1:44 PM, Richard Hunter <turtl...@earthlink.net>wrote:
>
>> I figure that the cost for the final product--the one in the video--is
>> closer to $350, if you figure that most people will have a tech do the mods.
>> (I'd certainly have a tech install a line-out if I wanted one, which I
>> would.) That's a good price for a small tube amp that's usable for
>> relatively quiet performances, e.g. practice, recording, gigs in small rooms
>> like coffeehouses (and for loud shows with a line-out to the PA).
>>
Mike Fugazzi
If you did NOTHING to it, it'd still be a great harmonica amp. I
personally think it would be better than any of the 5w amps in its
immediate price range both for its increased options and tone.
My amp ran me a total of $275 and, IMO, is as loud as a Pro Jr or Harp
Gear Double Trouble, neither of which can be had for $275 new
(however, it is single ended and won't reach very far off stage). I
know that may go against conventional wisdom, but side by side...I
think a big difference is on stage and SE vs Cathod Based.
The stock speaker has a flat response and is roughly the same dB as a
Weber Sig speaker. The stock 12ax7 is the same used in a HarpGear
HG50 and is not at all bad for harp. The stock 6v6, IMO, isn't very
good and worth the extra $15-30 to replace it.
Personally, I don't see huge benefit in putting more money into the
amp as you reach a point of diminishing return. I'd put any extra
money into the lineout, or a mic. If you are rocking the stock
speaker, which isn't meant to color the tone, then go head and line
out. With the Ramrod in mine, I would prefer to mic it. I think you
should mic your amp through the PA whenever possible, and I do so even
with my HG50.
I currently play into two rock bands. One where I get to do whatever
I want and can tell people to turn down, etc, and one where I take all
the orders. I've posted clips here of the VHT with a full LOUD rock
band. The drummer hits hard, the guitarist plays through a Marshal
2x12, and the bass player through some huge stack. My first live show
I only brought the VHT and miked it. It was loud enough on a good
sized stage and elevated 90% of the time. I don't play hard to begin
with, but I think the biggest difference between 5w and 50w is the
frequency response and rarely the volume.
By that I mean the VHT doesn't move much air and it isn't going to
give you thump. Running through the same cab, the overall volume a
few feet from the cab was spot on with where I run the HG50 at my
smaller gigs. I don't worry about the throw because I mike it. If I
am not going to run the HG50 at 4 or higher, I take the VHT.
Wattage is often a worthless number. In my experience, 5w-30w can
sound near identical depending on the billions of variables in play.
An amp is either small or large in my book.
Stop buying these amps. I found it first, reported on it first, and
it is now my sound. Stop cloning and copying me. I am not good
enough to have so many clones ripping off my sound, man. If you end
up buying a Line 6 M13, I swear I am going to find you and throw it in
a full bath tub....I am totally kidding. I think everyone should own
an amp like this!
Mike
On Dec 8, 4:52�pm, Richard Hunter <turtleh...@earthlink.net> wrote:
> 5 watt amps are loud, sure. �In a small room without a lot of competition from other instruments, a 5 watt amp can be very loud indeed. �
>
> However, I would be very uneasy playing with a loud band if I was only armed with a 5 watt amp, especially if there was no way to line-out that amp to a PA. �Most players would find a 5 watt amp to be insufficient for a gig with most amped bands in a room with 80-100 people in it, especially if those people weren't sitting and listening politely.
>
> In other words, there's a reason why people buy bigger amps. �I can't think of any working pro playing with a band who does most of his or her gigs with a 5-watt amp. �That goes for guitarists as well as harp players.
>
> I also agree that most harp players should have a good 5 watt tube amp. They're generally inexpensive, good-sounding, and fun. �Most harp players will also need an amp that's bigger and louder.
>
> Also keep in mind that if everybody in the world buys a VHT Special 6, everybody's gonna have the same amped sound. �(Yes, I know it's the player, not the amp. �But still.)
>
> Thanks, Richard Hunter
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> >From: Rick Davis <bluesharpa...@gmail.com>
> >Sent: Dec 8, 2010 5:30 PM
> >To: Richard Hunter <turtleh...@earthlink.net>, Harp- L <Har...@harp-l.org>
> >Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Nic Clark playing the VHT Special 6 amp
>
> >Richard, I have played the VHT Special 6 amp at a loud blues jam (with and
> >without PA support) and it acquitted itself well, �It is not ideal for that
> >(I had trouble hearing myself in the loudest moments) but the people I spoke
> >to in the audience told me they could hear the amp just fine. �It is
> >remarkably loud for a 6-watt amp. �It is not limited to only quiet
> >coffehouse performances.
>
> >--
> >-Rick Davis
> >The Blues Harp Amps Blog
> >http://www.bluesharpamps.blogspot.com/
>
Rick Davis
mentioned: Crate, Epiphone, Peavey, Kalamazoo. They are all guitar amps
that use EL84 power tubes, while the VHT is designed around the warmer 6V6
tube.
The new VHT amp with the circuit mods, including line out, could be had for
under $300. Speaker upgrades are so subjective I'd leave that to the
player. The stock speaker is quite good, and efficient at 97.5 dB.
--
-Rick Davis
The Blues Harp Amps Blog
http://www.bluesharpamps.blogspot.com/
Rick Davis
without PA support) and it acquitted itself well, It is not ideal for that
(I had trouble hearing myself in the loudest moments) but the people I spoke
to in the audience told me they could hear the amp just fine. It is
remarkably loud for a 6-watt amp. It is not limited to only quiet
coffehouse performances.
--
-Rick Davis
The Blues Harp Amps Blog
http://www.bluesharpamps.blogspot.com/
On Wed, Dec 8, 2010 at 1:44 PM, Richard Hunter <turtl...@earthlink.net>wrote:
Rick Davis
I would agree that the VHT Special 6 sounds great right out of the box, but
I do know the amp circuit can be inexpensively improved for harp tone. All
guitar amps have design elements that compromise their harp tone. We are
lucky that the Special 6 amp makes it so easy to modify the circuits. As
you know, it is a wonderful little amp.
The stock tubes are fine. I have a JJ Tesla 6V6S tube in mine, but I can
tell no difference between it and the stock 6V6 tube. I tried several
different power tubes -- including 6L6 tubes -- but found no significant
improvement. Same with the preamp tube: I could find no significant
improvement with other tubes, including 5751, 5965, and 12AY7. I still have
the stock 12AX7 preamp tube in it and it sounds good.
The 10-inch stock speaker is slightly stiff when you first play it but it
limbers up after a few days of hard playing. It is a remarkable amp for
less than $200.
Where the amp can be improved is in shifting the voice downward, and
removing the reedy highs that are present in nearly all guitar amps (two
different things). The speaker, though good, is a tad bright for my taste.
I like the darker, smoother sound of the hemp-coned Eminence speakers.
Speaker preference is highly subjective, as you know. And the amp need a
line out for PA support.
I would disagree that the improvements I've mentioned are a case of
diminishing returns. For under $300 you can have a what amounts to a
boutique vintage style harp amp with very impressive tone.