Harmonica and Other Trivia for Gear Heads

I've been asked on virtually every gig about what harps, amp, microphones etc. that I use, especially lately as I've returned to my blues roots and I'm playing a lot more of the little devils.  I love to discuss these things so I decided to devote a page to the subject.  Besides it gives me another chance to opinionate.  Cool!

HARPS

I can state categorically that the best out of the box harmonica currently on the market is the Seydel 1847 .  If you are really serious about your playing then it is mandatory that you have a serious instrument.  Quality costs but cheaper is not necessarily the best value for money.  And my Momma always taught me that it's all about value for money.  You can find some very interesting information about Seydel as a company at their website as well as their various models.  But let me tell you my personal experience and why I can heartily endorse them.

There are two versions of the 1847, the Classic and the Silver.  The Classic has a maple comb.  The Silver has a white plastic comb and German silver plated reed plates.  The Classic also features a slightly oval shape to the holes.  It's an extremely marginal thing between the two but personally I prefer the Classic with the maple body by a hair.  I am prejudiced towards wood and the oval shaped holes seem just a little nicer to play but again I'm really splitting hairs.  I have both models and love them both.  It's strictly a matter of personal taste. 

The other thing I really like about the 1847 is the lack of engraved hole numbers on the cover.  I never understood the need for them in the first place.  I mean, you can't see them when playing and if one is a beginner learning out of a book that says blow hole 4 surely if you can read the book you can count to 10!.  The absence is noticeable in a smoother surface to run you lips over as you're going up and down the instrument.  And have no doubt, the Seydel 1847 is a proper musical instrument.

I could bang on for days about Seydel but suffice to say, just like going from a cheap guitar to a quality guitar, the instrument will improve your playing and most importantly the joy of playing.  Everything becomes easier and things just flow because you're not fighting the instrument.

One final thing, Seydel USA is a much better company to deal with than either Hohner or Lee Oskar/Tombo.  I had a little trouble tracking them down but I actually received a personal phone call from Seydel USA in reply to the message I left.  Rupert Oster, the US distributor, was very helpful and informative.  A marked contrast to the void known as customer service that I have experienced with other companies.

                                                                               Harp Microphones

My primary gigging mic is a custom Burl Maple bodied custom from Greg Heumann at BlowsMeAway Productions.

                                       

 As you can see it is insanely beautiful.  It contains an original Shure 1951 black label Controlled Reluctance element. This element was the best out of the two black label CRs that I sent Greg to test and determine which was the better. Needless to say it sounds fantastic.  It is also extremely comfortable to hold and play. The original Shure 520 that the element was harvested from weighed 13oz. This weighs all  of 4.7 ounces and has a smaller diameter.  Greg is fantastic to deal with, keeping you in the loop at every stage with photos of the wood choices available, photos of every stage of the build, and he is more than happy to offer advise. He's also quite happy to offer an opinion when asked which is great, though he will just as happily do whatever the customer wished even if it goes against his advise.  I went with what he advised and am more than happy with having followed his direction.  If you're looking for something completely unique from a true craftsman be sure to investigate Greg's products.  I also use his inline volume control even his cables. His engineering is superb.

 

I also have two Shure 520s, one is a black label CR which as far as I can determine the mic was manufactured somewhere around late 1949.  It came in its original box and packing!  I'm pretty sure it was used very little if at all.  That has certainly changed. We dubbed this the ugley mic. I had Greg install a screw on connector and remove the resistor from the original element.  The 520 has a white label CM from the early 60s which Greg installed after swapping out the CR which now resides in the wood bodied custom. This mic also came in it's original box including the registration card. It is in 9.9 out of 10 condition. Again Greg installed a screw on connector.

In the past for amplified harp I've used Shure 545, the JT30 Astatic, the Shure X777, the Shure 520D (the first made in Mexico reissue of the 520) and a Shure 520 with the Controlled Magnetic element.  Some players prefer the JT30 to the Shure 520 but again it's a matter of personal taste.  The Astatic type mics cut like a chain saw and are very aggressive but personally I miss the lack of warmth.  A good hot 520 can be as aggressive as you like but there's some bottom to go with it.  Although I prefer the CR elements the CM elements are also great.  I had to sell mine to buy the CR, something I really regret having had to do.  By the way, the Mexico 520s pretty much suck in my view.  They are nothing like the originals and yet are nearly as expensive.

For acoustic style playing I use a Shure Beta 87A. This is a condenser mic of studio quality but rugged enough for live work.  I have the sound guy back off the treble and mid to about 10:30.  Be careful at sound check to be sure there is no feedback as you close in on the mic.  Remember that acoustic playing does not require an airtight hold on the mic as with amplified playing.  It's a very different technique.

Harp Amps

Sonny Jr Super Cruncher:

I recently took delivery of my Super Cruncher and it is by far it the best amp for harmonica I have ever played through. I can not imagine a better harp amp unless it was the Sonny Jr Avenger which is a bigger amp and more than I need.  The tone is fantastic. The responsiveness is like nothing I ever experienced. It is truely an extension of the instrument, and I have played all kinds of vintage and modern amps including an original tweed 57 Fender Bandmaster, original '59 Bassman, Masco, pretty much anything you can name and a whole lot you most likely never heard of. 

Gary Onofrio, a.k.a. Sonny Jr., is a tremendous harp player in his own right with a true obsession with harp tone.  He cares passionately about his product and brings the same passion to customer service. There are those who imitate and there are those who innovate. This man is an innovator by any definition. I could go on and on. Visit Sonnyjr.com and you'll discover the most impressive list of pro endorsers anyone could ask for.  I'm very proud to count myself among them.

'66 Kalamazoo Model 1:

I use the "Zoo" both for recording and for really small gigs.  It's fantastic.  Cut for days.  The first one I scored was a closet find complete with clear vinyl dust cover.  It is spotless.  There wasn't even any dust on the inside.  It had literally been put in a closet with its cover for decades.  I took it to Bill Webb at Austin Vintage who was stunned by the condition.  He replaced the capacitors as they dry out with age and replaced the power cord with a long grounded one so I don't die. 

I then aquired a second Kalamazoo, also a Model 1.  It had been recovered with an elephant Tolex and the handle replaced with a nice thick leather one.   With the this one I replaced the original CTS with a Weber 10A100.  The CTS is a nasty little speaker, which is a quality in itself, but the Weber gives a bit more volume and a somewhat warmer breakup. I also had installed a speaker side line out which gives a signal to PA which includes the power tube breakup. This is now the gigging "Zoo".  I've retired the closet find to keep it in it's great condition.

Guitar/Harp Amp

RI '63 Vibroverb Modified:

1991 Fender Reissue'63 Vibroverb upgraded with Weber Chicago Series 10A125-0 speakers.  I swapped out the cheap Chinese tubes with RCA black plate 6L6s, Telefunken 12AX7s for the Bright channel preamp, reverb, and phase inverter slots, and a Amprex 12AT7 for the Normal channel. 

I use this amp for harp as well as guitar whenever it's just not practical to bring two separate amps. I run my '83 Epiphone Riviera through the Bright channel and the harp is run through the Normal channel.  It's also better than money in the bank.  After simply holding it's value for many years the last couple of years have seen the prices rise signifcantly as the word has spread.

I love Weber speakers.  They are far and away the best replacement speaker for anything like vintage tone.  I'm sure they are good for other applications and styles as well but I'm into vintage, as you may have guessed.  The "0" designation is their smooth cone which breaks up a bit earlier than the normal ribbed cone.  The Webers  were probably responsible for the most improvement in the sound of the Vibroverb.  Having said that, the use of USA made vintage tubes was also a marked improvement.

Messing about with different tubes can be quite a revelation.  The stock Vibroverb uses 12AX7s throughout, but for harp they have too much gain.  This means that it's difficult to drive the output tubes hard without getting the dreaded feedback.  I went to an RCA 12AU7 but that reduced the gain too much.  I could wack up the front end but I couldn't get it loud enough.  I then went to an RCA 12AT7 which was better but seemed a little harsh.  I then discovered the Amprex 12AT7 in a the back of a drawer that I had forgotten about.  Man, what a difference!  The Amprex is a very collectible tube and have become much sought after.  The difference in my amp even from the RCA was extraordinary.  That Amprex is sooo creamy and much easier to drive hard before reaching the feedback threshold. The best $16 upgrade you can imagine.