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| Over the past 33 years of my professional career I have read and heard a lot of misleading information about harmonicas, microphones and amplifiers. From my own personal experience, there is no one harmonica, microphone or amplifier that can do it all. There are a lot of factors to consider. Every harmonica brand and model has its own unique characteristics. The same goes for microphones and amplifiers. |
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| First off, let`s start with microphones. For a good clean sound, nothing beats a good AKG D1000E when you want to play jazz or country. There are several types and models of microphones for blues and rock depending on how much you want to spend and how long your want your microphone to last. There are people who love the old shure green bullet microphones and a variety of others like the Astatic JT30's, Turners, and RCA microphones from the late 40's to the early 60's. Although they sound good, they may not have a very long life expectancy if they are the crystal cartridge type. They break very easily when dropped or can be damaged by changes in heat and humidity. The later models with magnetic reluctance cartridges last longer in those microphones. |
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| I myself prefer the pre-1970's Shure 545s. They have a fantastic sound quality and volume capacity that will leave most bullet microphones in the dust. |
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| As far as amplifiers go, there are many types to choose from. Of all the solid-state amplifiers I have played through, only the Polytone Mini-Brute 3 amplifier model sounds good to me. This amplifier has a three way high, mid and low switch to use with your treble, bass and mid range controls, along with a high and low input for the microphone. I have found that the best microphone to use with this amplifier is the AKG D1000E. The microphone itself has a high, mid and low switch in it as well. For nearly 20 years I've used this combination of a Polytone Mini-Brute 3 with an AKG D1000E. They have always performed with exceptional sound quality. |
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| When I want to play blues and rock, I use my Shure 545s and a Fender 410 60-watt Blues Deville combo. I can also use my Fender 112 40-watt Hot Rod Deluxe combo. It has a little different sound but a good one nonetheless. |
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| A lot of blues players usually like the Fender low volume 30 to 40- watt range like the pre-60's Bassmans and they are generally okay but they can have some quirks. Remember, those amplifiers were designed for guitar, not harmonica. |
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| You should always use the second input on the amplifier, not the first, like a guitar player. You have to be careful of the high-end gain, that's why it`s best to do this. If you want to test a microphone and amplifier, use this as a guide: |
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| 1) Remember to turn your volume down to avoid feedback. |
| 2) Turn down the treble to nearly 1. |
| 3) Turn the bass to at least 6 or 7. |
| 4) Then turn your midrange to 2. |
| 5) If it has a presence control, turn it all the way up. (Not all models have this control feature.) |
| 6) Then you can turn the volume level up. |
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| This method is the one I use to be able to judge if the amplifier and microphone are compatible. You will have to take time to adjust to equipment changes until you finally get the sound you are looking for. You should never have to play above volume 3 or 4 on most 40 to 60-watt amplifiers to be able to get a good sound in a live band situation. |
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| The Harmonica that I have been using for over 33 years is the Hohner Golden Melody. It was the first successful plastic comb model and it is still by far more airtight than any Diatonic type. You can play with much less effort and bend notes more accurately. There are other more expensive models, but to my knowledge they don't stand up to the rigors of playing six or seven nights a week like the GMs do. |
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| Depending on the kind of music you play, the microphone you have and the amplifier you use can make a difference. |
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| The best advice I can give is: do your research. Try a lot of harmonicas, microphones and amplifiers. It takes time to find the right combination. No two microphones or amplifiers react the same, even the identical brands and models. One thing you should realize is that even though you have what may be the same equipment as someone who you think is a great sounding player, you may not get the exact same sound as him. Much of the sound a player gets is from him alone, not just the gear. It's in his technique, or the use of the harmonica and microphone. Good luck on finding your equipment. |
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| There is a lot to learn about the equipment you want to use and how to apply it in whatever music style you play. |
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| Brian Brazil |
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