[Harp-L] Was Loud Guitar, now Loud Harp Amps

[Mudharp@xxxxxxx]

Regarding Rick Estrin's use of the Harp King in order to compete with his  
band mate's guitar volume, Iceman wrote <<snip>>
 
<< Fighting fire with fire will probably  
eventually cause  left ear hearing loss. Also, the harmonica sound from a 
Harp  
King give  a tone more like Rod Piazza and takes away from Rick's  
individualized  and instantly recognizable sound.>>
 
With all due respect I've heard that argument before regarding the Harp  King 
making you Piazza-toned and based on my experience I can't buy it. I've  
played through a friends Harp King and once I got it dialed in I thought I  
sounded quite like myself tone wise -- that is to say, decidedly not like  Rod 
Piazza (not that that would be terrible). The amp has controls that can  color your 
tone in many directions and I felt it captured my  personal sound really 
well. Also, last winter I heard Dennis Gruenling play  through a HK when he 
stopped in Chicago during his tour with Dave Gross. He  sounded more like Dennis 
Gruenling than ever. That is to say, incredible and  with his own hornlike tonal 
coloring, which didn't remind me at all of Rod  Piazza. 
 
I can't speak to Estrin's hearing loss, and the volume thing is something  
else altogether. Is it a drag that the trend is toward loud and  that specialty 
harp amps are helping to level the playing  field with guitarists now? That's 
debatable I guess. I'm not a fan of loud.  But I gig with a Meteor these days 
and it gives me what I need to be heard  when I need it (and just as 
importantly, to hear myself) without any  compromise in reproducing my own sound. I 
like that and I like that the boutique  amp market is sort of thriving. I 
wouldn't mind gigging with a Harp King  either, if I could get someone to carry it 
for me.   
 
tom albanese  




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