Members Selsaral Posted March 20, 2010 Members Share Posted March 20, 2010 When we plug a microphone into any guitar amp and play harmonica, we get really bad feedback. When we go direct into the PA with the same mic, we are fine. What's going on? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Doctor49 Posted March 20, 2010 Members Share Posted March 20, 2010 you are standing in front of the guitar amps and behind the pa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Selsaral Posted March 20, 2010 Author Members Share Posted March 20, 2010 Actually we played a lot with placement and evev when far from the amp or right in front of the PA, it's night and day. Appreciate the suggestion tho. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ianlange11 Posted March 20, 2010 Members Share Posted March 20, 2010 If you are using a standard microphone (and not a cheap one) I'm guessing that the microphone is picking up a wider range of frequencies than a guitar amp is used to and those are what is making it feedback. I know of a pretty big club that uses all cheap microphones (smaller frequency band) for the PA to avoid feedback issues. Try a cheaper mic, or maybe buy a harmonica microphone, although it will not be the same clean harmonica tone, but if you want to go into the guitar amp thats probably not what you're after anyways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members badhabit Posted March 20, 2010 Members Share Posted March 20, 2010 Harp players who play harp through amps usually use harp mics that are more resistant to feedback. Those mics have a limited frequency response. Also, to get the mic and harp to get that Chicago growl, many harp amps are low powered, to distort more easily. That said, I got a few buds who blow through a 59 Bassman RI and they sound awesome. You need to adjust the tone to be not too trebly as well. Some amps and mics are just not a good fit for harp. Most modern guitar amps are not that well suited for plugging in mics for harp. OLD Fenders ( tweed era ) and similar work well. There are amps specifically built for amplifying harp. One amp guy I know who's sorta famous converts old Bogen and Masco PA amps into harp amp heads and the harp players love them. Special harp mics as well. Most modern mics don't work that well either for getting that Little Walter tone. Proper hand cupping is essential too. The Hohner Blues Blaster, the Astatic JT-30 Roadhouse and the Shure Green Bullet are the most popular NEW harp mics. They're ok for a beginner. The serious guys typically use custom modified harps with old Shure controlled magnetic elements. The bodies can be old Electro-voice, Astatic, RCA, Shure, Turner and others from the 30's, 40's and 50's. But most swear by the Shure controlled reluctance or controlled magnetic elements. Those mics cost anywhere from about $150.00 on the low side to over $500.00 and more. You can build your own pretty easily if you know what you're doing. This cat here collects, modifies and sells old mics for harp players. His prices are fair and he's a good player. Plus, you get to hear the mics. http://www.youtube.com/user/GoldenBugAnd this guy on Ebay has some nice builds as well. http://cgi.ebay.com/CUSTOM-HARMONICA-HARP-MIC-VINTAGE-SHURE-HI-Z-99A86_W0QQitemZ230450754019QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item35a7ef71e3 There are lots of others. Be careful buying from inexperienced builders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Doctor49 Posted March 20, 2010 Members Share Posted March 20, 2010 Actually we played a lot with placement and evev when far from the amp or right in front of the PA, it's night and day. Appreciate the suggestion tho. worth a try but good thing there are people here who know more about it than I do! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SirJackdeFuzz Posted March 20, 2010 Members Share Posted March 20, 2010 When we plug a microphone into any guitar amp and play harmonica, we get really bad feedback. When we go direct into the PA with the same mic, we are fine. What's going on? Get yourself a Green Bullet Harp mic http://www.shure.com/ProAudio/Products/WiredMicrophones/us_pro_520DX_content rmhmR37BhXE http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=shure+green+bullet+mic&search_type=&aq=f - more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SirJackdeFuzz Posted March 20, 2010 Members Share Posted March 20, 2010 Just for fun : SM57 for a harp mic . . . EzgY_SEpQNY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members csm Posted March 20, 2010 Members Share Posted March 20, 2010 Crosstown Lightnin's in-house harpmeister, Buffalo Bill Smith, uses either a bullet mic or an SM58 into the 2x12 version of the Fender Blues DeVille. Sounds like THIS: [YOUTUBE]f6wbSVrI_lE[/YOUTUBE] Cant remember which of the two mics is most feedback-resistant, tho' ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members badhabit Posted March 20, 2010 Members Share Posted March 20, 2010 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzgY_SEpQNY YUCK! That sounded like {censored}. Yeah, SOME harp players like Paul Butterfield, used standard Shure mics but usually plugged into the PA, not into an amp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members badhabit Posted March 20, 2010 Members Share Posted March 20, 2010 Cant remember which of the two mics is most feedback-resistant, tho' ... The harp player is using a bullet mic here. The SM58 is clearly mounted on a mic stand in front of him. A Blues Deville could work if the treble was rolled back. A bullet mic naturally has less upper freq ( treble ) response than a SM58, which actually is not a flat EQ'ed mic and has an upper level freq. bump. This will cause feedback more easily in the upper freq. range ( treble ). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Wyatt Posted March 21, 2010 Members Share Posted March 21, 2010 Too bad Buffalo Amps folded. He was starting to make these little pocket-size feedback inhibitor preamps for harps last Christmas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ianlange11 Posted March 21, 2010 Members Share Posted March 21, 2010 Our harp player has been using an Astatic designed Hohner made JT30 and he loves it. He uses a Bassman RI with the bass all the way up. He used to use a silverface Deluxe Reverb and got great results too, even though they lack a great low end. I believe in this video he is using a modified vintage Astatic mic and hes using the bassman: [YOUTUBE][/YOUTUBE] Vimeo link has better sound quality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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