Ask Amp Tech Expert Skip Simmons

Hi Skip,

I was just browsing some great looking older amps and was wondering if you had any thoughts on their quality and price. I didn't get a chance to try them out yet (I had a harp on me, but the guitar shop didn't have any mics), but I will. Here's the info from the tags: 

Fender Champion 600 1951 $1095

Danelectro DM10 1960s $299 

Alamo Mild #3 1953 $595

Fender Blues Jr. Used $295

Fender 1968 Bassman + 2x12 Cab $699 

Fender silver faced 1968 Princeton reverb $899 

Fender Pro Jr. $419

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Hi Skip- I'm considering a Masco 25 for harp which is for sale.  In your interviews with Dave there is not much mention of this model.  It has previously been worked on by an amp tech in Dallas named Paul Gooch who replaced "electrolytic and paper caps and various resistors". He also added 2 1/4" jack plugs for 2-8ohm speakers.  Then there are 3 1/4" jack plugs--one says phono, one says input 1 and then input 2 ( I have pictures).  He thinks it is 1952-1953 model with thin red Masco "meatball".   continue reading...

Hi Skip,

I've got a couple of amps from my guitar playing days and am wondering if there is anything I can do to make them sound good for harp. One is a Peavy Classic 20 combo tube amp and the other is a solid state Fender Princeton Plus 112. Neither sound very good through either my green bullet (the new dynamic model) or my Audix Fireball. Is there anything I can do with any of those combinations, or should I be on the lookout for a new amp more suited to harp?

Thanks very much. 

Hello Skip, Do you have any opinions/comments on the Pignose 7100 amp for home use in a non-professional setting.  I also asked a similar question in the Gear section of the forum but would truly appreciate your opinion. Thanks Mic

How are the pre-cbs Fender twin amps for harp?  I'm inheriting one and would like to know what kinds iof things I 

should do to improve sound for ampliflied harp.  I believe its all original stock.  I've never used one for harp before.

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.

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Skip

I picked up the Sennheiser e906 mic on Adam Gussow's endorsement.  Used it for the first time in a rehearsal studio last night and it amplified my Sonny Jr. nicely.  My question is about feedback and crosstalk.  I was surprised to find out it is a cardiod mic, and thus is picking up some signal from the flat side of the mic that is pointing toward the house and away from the face cloth of the amp.  There was some squeeling, but I didn't troubleshoot if it was indeed that mic.  There was a floor wedge monitor about 10' in front of my amp.  continue reading...

I really want to learn how to repair my harp-cables (switchcraft screw-on connector 2501F).

I have fixed the "1/4-Inch male" before but never the screw-on part. Is there any instruction books or videos online? If not can someone please explain to me a good method to repair/solder the screw-on part on my cables?

Thanks/ Jonathan A

I just got a nice masco me8, and I was changing out the  electrolitic caps and I noticed the 10uf bypass cap on the tone control has the positive connected to ground and the negetive is connected to the tab on the pot. I didn't change that one and the amp runs fine. Is that the way its suppose to be?

Hey Skip,

Thank you for always saving me from the rabbit hole that is the internet, where I scour it for useless scraps of questionable ideas about harmonica amps! I really appreciate the excellent advice and information. I am so grateful to have such a phenomenal resource! continue reading...