RE: [Harp-L] Re: Volume Control

["Bill Hines" <billhines4@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Bob,

The 545 is pretty heavy, even if you take off the pistol grip for those
models that have it. I think the best lightweight mic is the EV-RE10.
Jason Riccie used one for a while, I have one from ebay. It's stick with
a small ball on the end so the best of both worlds there, easy to hold,
light and you can get some grit if you cup tight and overdrive it.

Bill Hines
Hershey, PA

-----Original Message-----
From: harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of Bob Laughlin
Sent: Sunday, February 17, 2008 1:17 AM
To: G. E. Popenoe; Mudharp@xxxxxxx
Cc: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Re: Volume Control

The ergonomics of holding a mike means a lot to me. I've been an
acoustic player most of my life, and switching to amplified just in
recent years, I've noticed that the GB mikes are just a bit big for my
hands, and heavier than I'd really like, ideally. I have an SM 57 beta
(the indestructible cage
type) that is a stick mike, but also a bit weighty, and the length of it
tends to pull me forward and down, into a downward-looking position. I
don't like that as much as standing straight up, or even leaning back a
bit at times. It's a "back" thing. leaning over can make my back hurt a
bit.

I'd like one of those mikes that hides in your hand, on the ring, but I
tried one once, and it just wasn't "hot" enough for me. I was weak, and
sounded way clean for my taste.

I think that the thing about a VC affecting the tone must be due to the
fact that a mike "drives" the amp, if "hot" enough, and driving the amp
harder makes for a "dirtier" tone. Less drive, less "dirt". (That's
"good dirt",,). That's why, I suppose, the "cupping" of the mike is so
important, so that the vibrations go directly to the element, and don't
escape out to the surrounding air. But if you attenuate the mike with a
VC, you lessen the affect of "driving" the input stages of the amp.

Anyway,,I'm guessing. Just guessing. Not gussing, guessing.

But I'm still hoping that one day I might pick up a mike that 1) isn't
as weighty as the GB,,and 2) is small enough to fit nicely in my hand,
while holding the harp. Is that too much to ask?

I wonder how heavy those vintage 545's are. I know quite a few players
that seem to like them.

BL