Harp amp for small to medium gigs
Hey Skip hope you're well.
Could you kindly suggest a few (if poss) new harp amps please. I'm currently studying L.O.A. 5 and looking to do some giging, size of venue would most likely be from approx 10 to 200 person, so I'm talking from about a pub to a small/medium sized hall.
My practice room at home is approx 25 feet x 12 feet so I would like to use the amp there too if poss.
I'm not super hung up by trying to match the exact sound of an old tube amp from the 50's or 60's, in fact I'm after a modern brand new amp that I can hopefully practice with now and one that will see me through to performing at the venues stated above.
I'm not sure if amps suitable for harps would have more than one input? if they do then I would rather spend a bit more now and have the option, I don't want to buy a "beginers" amp and be limited 5 minutes down the road.
I'm in the U.K but happy to buy direct from the U.S. if needed.
Cheers Skip hope you can help.
Greg Godden
Hello Greg- Sorry for the slow reply. Well, your question is a popular one, and one that has been discussed quite a bit at BH.com, so the first thing I would suggest is to spend a little time right here! You will find a wealth of feedback(!) from people who are in the same boat. Some are newbies, but gurus like Dave Barret himself are sharing info as well.
One advantage of buying new is the ability to try the amp at home for a few days and return it if you don't like it. Most of the big retailers like Guitar Center or Sweetwater offer a trial period so there is no reason to end up with a new amp that doesn't have the sound you are looking for. Another point I would like to make would be to get an amp that sounds good as-is. I think it is a mistake to think that different tubes, speakers or other mods will easily transform an amp from something you don't like into something you do like. Yes, these mods can make a big change in the tone of an amp but it shouldn't be something you have to worry about right now.
Most old amps have multiple inputs so the whole band could plug in at once, but all you need is one input. The number of inputs on an amp doesn't have any real meaning in your application.
Sorry I'm not making any specific suggestions but I don't have a lot of personal experience with the new amps!