Feedback w/ JT30 & tube amp

[c***@mail.com]

Friends -

Hoping you can share your wisdom and advice. My friends and I recently
released our first EP. Normally, at live gigs I just play through a 58
and the PA. But for the EP we slapped a bit of distortion on my harp
in post production. It was like night and day.

I already own a Blues Blaster and an Epiphone Valve Junior tube amp
and I fiddle around with them at home. Sounds so nice. But I have had
a bit of a problem with feedback, and it has made me super reluctant
to use this set up for anything other than my own personal
entertainment.

Is it a matter of me just taking the time to sit down and figure out
the thing? Should I just keep the volume low and then set up a 58 in
front of the amp and just steer clear of standing in front of it?
Also, do you think the problem is with the mic, the amp, a little bit
of both, or something else entirely?

I'd really like to reproduce that dirty, gritty sound. I am
considering getting a Line 6 POD, but if I can get a good sound out of
the gear I already have, I'd rather not spend the $$$$. Or maybe I
should get some effect pedals. I don't know.

If you're interested (or just bored) you can hear the whole EP for
free at http://www.michaeljantz.com/liveatjims.htm

The last track especially ("Show Me A Good Time - Good Time Reprise")
is what I'm gunning for for live shows.

[Robert Reynolds]

Post by c***@mail.com
I already own a Blues Blaster and an Epiphone Valve Junior tube amp
and I fiddle around with them at home. Sounds so nice. But I have had
a bit of a problem with feedback, and it has made me super reluctant
to use this set up for anything other than my own personal
entertainment.
Is it a matter of me just taking the time to sit down and figure out
the thing? Should I just keep the volume low and then set up a 58 in
front of the amp and just steer clear of standing in front of it?
Also, do you think the problem is with the mic, the amp, a little bit
of both, or something else entirely?

Too much of a specific frequency is what leads to feedback problems.
Some amps are too strong in a particular frequency range, and they end
up earning a reputation as having poor feedback qualities.

Adjusting the tone controls and trying different microphones could help.
Or you could try your microphones with different amps. Certain
combinations are just no good, and the best way to figure it out is
through experimentation.

You probably don't want to start spending money on things just to see if
they will work, though. Maybe you could try different equipment at
music stores, or borrow equipment from friends.

If you hit on a combination that you like, putting it on stage with a
microphone into the PA is a proven method of bringing the volume up.
I've seen some very successful regional bands doing that at their shows.
I saw a guy in Kansas City set up a little 5 watt amp at a club for
his show, with a stage mic in front of it. That makes traveling a lot
easier. This band was from Wichita, I think.

[c***@mail.com]

Thanks Robert. I guess I'll start trying to see what other amps might
work well with my mic. Would be a shame to have spent the money on
that Epiphone though to not use it -- will try screwing around with
the levels as well, as you also suggested.

The amp-into-mic-into-PA thing is something our frontman is
considering doing with his accoustic guitar and a Marshall. Has a nice
sound. I think the guy from Cake does something similar with his
guitar.

[Keith Adams]

That dirty gritty sound should be made with your technique. Just acoustic
playing. If you cant get it that way then no amount of equipment will do it
for you.
I know . You dont believe me? You will after you've tried every mic and
amp under the sun and havent found the sound. Effects pedals surely arent
the secret.
Its technique.

Post by c***@mail.com
Thanks Robert. I guess I'll start trying to see what other amps might
work well with my mic. Would be a shame to have spent the money on
that Epiphone though to not use it -- will try screwing around with
the levels as well, as you also suggested.
The amp-into-mic-into-PA thing is something our frontman is
considering doing with his accoustic guitar and a Marshall. Has a nice
sound. I think the guy from Cake does something similar with his
guitar.

[ben bouman]

absolutely right, as usual..
Ben Bouman
--
www.beta-harps.com
Ben Bouman
www.seydel1847.de
www.marbletones.com
www.marble-amps.com
www.harmonicainstituut.nl

Post by Keith Adams
That dirty gritty sound should be made with your technique. Just acoustic
playing. If you cant get it that way then no amount of equipment will do
it for you.
I know . You dont believe me? You will after you've tried every mic and
amp under the sun and havent found the sound. Effects pedals surely arent
the secret.
Its technique.

Post by c***@mail.com
Thanks Robert. I guess I'll start trying to see what other amps might
work well with my mic. Would be a shame to have spent the money on
that Epiphone though to not use it -- will try screwing around with
the levels as well, as you also suggested.
The amp-into-mic-into-PA thing is something our frontman is
considering doing with his accoustic guitar and a Marshall. Has a nice
sound. I think the guy from Cake does something similar with his
guitar.

[Robert Reynolds]

I have a question. How do you make a harmonica sound "gritty"? Where
does a tube overdrive sound come from, if not from a tube amp?

I understand that you'll never sound good if you don't know how to play
the harmonica without an amp, but to say that your tone comes 100% from
your acoustic playing seems a little bit ridiculous.

Post by ben bouman
absolutely right, as usual..
Ben Bouman

[T-Bone Bruce]

Part of the sound comes from overdriving the microphone element. Some
mic elements sound great overdriven- these make good harp mics. Some
mic's sound bad when overdriven. The secret to overdriving the element
is a good cup on the mic.
The chain runs: Overdriven mic---> overdriven preamp---->overdriven
power amp--->overdriven speaker.

Post by Robert Reynolds
I have a question. How do you make a harmonica sound "gritty"? Where
does a tube overdrive sound come from, if not from a tube amp?
I understand that you'll never sound good if you don't know how to play
the harmonica without an amp, but to say that your tone comes 100% from
your acoustic playing seems a little bit ridiculous.

Post by ben bouman
absolutely right, as usual..
Ben Bouman

[Keith Adams]

It comes from using the correct amount of lung power. It stresses the reeds
but doesnt push them to the point of not performing at all. Bens got it
down as I'm sure a bunch of other people do here. A SS amp or a PA works
just fine for somebody whose got the technique down. The technique method
sounds a hell of allot better than an overdruiven tube amp because
electronic distortion isnt musical. Its just an amp thats being pushed too
hard to function properly.

I have a question. How do you make a harmonica sound "gritty"? Where does
a tube overdrive sound come from, if not from a tube amp?
I understand that you'll never sound good if you don't know how to play
the harmonica without an amp, but to say that your tone comes 100% from
your acoustic playing seems a little bit ridiculous.

Post by ben bouman
absolutely right, as usual..
Ben Bouman

[Mukluk]

Post by Keith Adams
It comes from using the correct amount of lung power. It stresses the reeds
but doesnt push them to the point of not performing at all. Bens got it
down as I'm sure a bunch of other people do here. A SS amp or a PA works
just fine for somebody whose got the technique down. The technique method
sounds a hell of allot better than an overdruiven tube amp because
electronic distortion isnt musical. Its just an amp thats being pushed too
hard to function properly.

If you cup tightly and use tongue blocking, you can can easily get a
harp to sound overdriven thru an amp. PA or acoustically. For
example, if you slightly lift the part of your tongue that you use to
block out the holes to the left of a note your playing (tongue block
style), you can get an overdriven sound to your playing. Then playing
this way thru an amp adds volume and can also add some distortion and
more overdrive too. Tube line-ups, speakers, etc ... are also
factors in tone. Kinda hard to explain this one, maybe I'll make a
quick video or mp3 of what I'm talking about. I think preaching good
technique is great advice for any harp player. Having good tone/
technique acoustically can only enhance the sound coming out of
whatever gear your playing thru....right?
Chuck

Post by Keith Adams

I have a question. How do you make a harmonica sound "gritty"? Where does
a tube overdrive sound come from, if not from a tube amp?
I understand that you'll never sound good if you don't know how to play
the harmonica without an amp, but to say that your tone comes 100% from
your acoustic playing seems a little bit ridiculous.

Post by ben bouman
absolutely right, as usual..
Ben Bouman- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

[Robert Reynolds]

Post by Mukluk

Post by Keith Adams
It comes from using the correct amount of lung power. It stresses the reeds
but doesnt push them to the point of not performing at all. Bens got it
down as I'm sure a bunch of other people do here. A SS amp or a PA works
just fine for somebody whose got the technique down. The technique method
sounds a hell of allot better than an overdruiven tube amp because
electronic distortion isnt musical. Its just an amp thats being pushed too
hard to function properly.

If you cup tightly and use tongue blocking, you can can easily get a
harp to sound overdriven thru an amp. PA or acoustically. For
example, if you slightly lift the part of your tongue that you use to
block out the holes to the left of a note your playing (tongue block
style), you can get an overdriven sound to your playing. Then playing
this way thru an amp adds volume and can also add some distortion and
more overdrive too. Tube line-ups, speakers, etc ... are also
factors in tone. Kinda hard to explain this one, maybe I'll make a
quick video or mp3 of what I'm talking about. I think preaching good
technique is great advice for any harp player. Having good tone/
technique acoustically can only enhance the sound coming out of
whatever gear your playing thru....right?
Chuck

That's right, good technique is a good thing. Also, if you like the
sound of harmonic frequency overdrive produced in an overdriven electron
tube, then you might want to get an amp and set it up to get the sound
you want. Saying that "electronic distortion isn't musical" really
misses the point. Electron tubes produce harmonic frequencies when
overdriven, which can be quite musical. That's probably why so many
people like electronic instruments.

To say that "it's all in your technique" is not true. Technique is
important, and you'll never be much of a musician without it. But an
amp is also a musical instrument, and it can add a whole dimension to
your sound that isn't possible without the amp. If you don't see the
truth in that, then either you've never used the right amp or you've
never learned what a good amp can do. When I finally figured out how to
get an amp to sound the way I wanted it to sound, it opened new doors in
my playing.

Technique is good. Equipment is also good.

[Chromatonic]

I think Keith means that Solid State Distortion is not a sound most of
us Blues Players find attractive.

OTOH, a tube amp must be designed in a way that works well with the
mic & speakers being used to really sing....

Tongue Blocking, contrary to the statement below, has nothing to do
with getting an overdriven sound. That comes from the mic and the
Player's mic technique (a tight cup). Even getting an overdriven sound
is not guaranteed to be a GOOD sound (see above)...

Lung power is not what makes tone. Good embouchure, diaphragm control
& hand techniques make good tone. Trying to blow your way to good tone
will just run through a lot of harps. In fact, lung power doesn't even
guarantee your acoustic playing will be LOUD - that's an issue of
projection. Don't believe it? Try taking some voice lessons - singers
have to learn to project without blowing their lungs out.

Check out Robert Bonfiglio some time - the man can play harmonica in
front of an orchestra acoustically!

What any amplifier does is simply to amplify the sound you give it.
Amps that add their own (tube) distortion happen to be the kind we
harp players like best. BUT, if your tone & technique sucks, you won't
sound incredible through any amp. If your tone & technique are strong,
you'll have the ability to sound good through anything, because YOU
sound good. You may not sound 'like Walter' through a SS headphone
amp, but good tone is good tone. Master your acoustic tone first, and
you'll have an easier time getting whatever amp you have to work with
(even the PA) sound great. Again, not to say you can make any amp
sound 'like' an overdriven Champ, but 'good' nonetheless.
-C

Post by Robert Reynolds

Post by Mukluk

Post by Keith Adams
It comes from using the correct amount of lung power. It stresses the reeds
but doesnt push them to the point of not performing at all. Bens got it
down as I'm sure a bunch of other people do here. A SS amp or a PA works
just fine for somebody whose got the technique down. The technique method
sounds a hell of allot better than an overdruiven tube amp because
electronic distortion isnt musical. Its just an amp thats being pushed too
hard to function properly.

If you cup tightly and use tongue blocking, you can can easily get a
harp to sound overdriven thru an amp.

<SNIP>

Post by Robert Reynolds

Post by Mukluk
Having good tone/
technique acoustically can only enhance the sound coming out of
whatever gear your playing thru....right?
Chuck

That's right, good technique is a good thing.
To say that "it's all in your technique" is not true. Technique is
important, and you'll never be much of a musician without it. But an
amp is also a musical instrument, and it can add a whole dimension to
your sound that isn't possible without the amp.

[T-Bone Bruce]

Post by Chromatonic
I think Keith means that Solid State Distortion is not a sound most of
us Blues Players find attractive.
OTOH, a tube amp must be designed in a way that works well with the
mic & speakers being used to really sing....
Tongue Blocking, contrary to the statement below, has nothing to do
with getting an overdriven sound. That comes from the mic and the
Player's mic technique (a tight cup). Even getting an overdriven sound
is not guaranteed to be a GOOD sound (see above)...
Lung power is not what makes tone. Good embouchure, diaphragm control
& hand techniques make good tone. Trying to blow your way to good tone
will just run through a lot of harps. In fact, lung power doesn't even
guarantee your acoustic playing will be LOUD - that's an issue of
projection. Don't believe it? Try taking some voice lessons - singers
have to learn to project without blowing their lungs out.
Check out Robert Bonfiglio some time - the man can play harmonica in
front of an orchestra acoustically!
What any amplifier does is simply to amplify the sound you give it.
Amps that add their own (tube) distortion happen to be the kind we
harp players like best. BUT, if your tone & technique sucks, you won't
sound incredible through any amp. If your tone & technique are strong,
you'll have the ability to sound good through anything, because YOU
sound good. You may not sound 'like Walter' through a SS headphone
amp, but good tone is good tone. Master your acoustic tone first, and
you'll have an easier time getting whatever amp you have to work with
(even the PA) sound great. Again, not to say you can make any amp
sound 'like' an overdriven Champ, but 'good' nonetheless.
-C

Post by Robert Reynolds

Post by Mukluk

Post by Keith Adams
It comes from using the correct amount of lung power. It stresses the reeds
but doesnt push them to the point of not performing at all. Bens got it
down as I'm sure a bunch of other people do here. A SS amp or a PA works
just fine for somebody whose got the technique down. The technique method
sounds a hell of allot better than an overdruiven tube amp because
electronic distortion isnt musical. Its just an amp thats being pushed too
hard to function properly.

If you cup tightly and use tongue blocking, you can can easily get a
harp to sound overdriven thru an amp.

<SNIP>

Post by Robert Reynolds

Post by Mukluk
Having good tone/
technique acoustically can only enhance the sound coming out of
whatever gear your playing thru....right?
Chuck

That's right, good technique is a good thing.
To say that "it's all in your technique" is not true. Technique is
important, and you'll never be much of a musician without it. But an
amp is also a musical instrument, and it can add a whole dimension to
your sound that isn't possible without the amp.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

When I'm talking about overdrive I want to make the distinction
between that and distortion. Distortion can be just plain unmusical,
but added harmonics from a slightly overdriven tube are pleasant,
euphonic sounds for many of us. Even tube Hi fi freaks will accept a
certain amount of tube "distortion"(added 2nd order harmonics) as a
good thing
Good technique is undoubtably important: garbage in, garbage out...as
they say. If you're good you'll sound good: Good players can get the
most from a sub-optimal setup, and will sound better than someone with
all the great gear but poor tone. but how much better will they sound
through a good setup?
I'm really working on getting good tone acoustically right now because
I'm in a duo with an accoustic guitarist, and I really love playing
that way. But there are times when I like to plug into an amp and tear
it up a bit too...

[Keith Adams]

No what Keith is saying is that you can create a distorted overdriven type
sound acoustically on a harp if you know how to. Just because a person cant
do it themselves doesnt mean that it cant be done. And done without much
effort I might add Add an overdriven tube amp into the mix and you've got
the sound that so many harp players like. IMO the reed stressing sound
reproduced cleanly is more than enough in the way of distortion. Its rough
and raunchy but not muddy and unmusical.
To each their own.

Post by Chromatonic
I think Keith means that Solid State Distortion is not a sound most of
us Blues Players find attractive.
OTOH, a tube amp must be designed in a way that works well with the
mic & speakers being used to really sing....
Tongue Blocking, contrary to the statement below, has nothing to do
with getting an overdriven sound. That comes from the mic and the
Player's mic technique (a tight cup). Even getting an overdriven sound
is not guaranteed to be a GOOD sound (see above)...
Lung power is not what makes tone. Good embouchure, diaphragm control
& hand techniques make good tone. Trying to blow your way to good tone
will just run through a lot of harps. In fact, lung power doesn't even
guarantee your acoustic playing will be LOUD - that's an issue of
projection. Don't believe it? Try taking some voice lessons - singers
have to learn to project without blowing their lungs out.
Check out Robert Bonfiglio some time - the man can play harmonica in
front of an orchestra acoustically!
What any amplifier does is simply to amplify the sound you give it.
Amps that add their own (tube) distortion happen to be the kind we
harp players like best. BUT, if your tone & technique sucks, you won't
sound incredible through any amp. If your tone & technique are strong,
you'll have the ability to sound good through anything, because YOU
sound good. You may not sound 'like Walter' through a SS headphone
amp, but good tone is good tone. Master your acoustic tone first, and
you'll have an easier time getting whatever amp you have to work with
(even the PA) sound great. Again, not to say you can make any amp
sound 'like' an overdriven Champ, but 'good' nonetheless.
-C

Post by Robert Reynolds

Post by Mukluk

Post by Keith Adams
It comes from using the correct amount of lung power. It stresses the reeds
but doesnt push them to the point of not performing at all. Bens got it
down as I'm sure a bunch of other people do here. A SS amp or a PA works
just fine for somebody whose got the technique down. The technique method
sounds a hell of allot better than an overdruiven tube amp because
electronic distortion isnt musical. Its just an amp thats being pushed too
hard to function properly.

If you cup tightly and use tongue blocking, you can can easily get a
harp to sound overdriven thru an amp.

<SNIP>

Post by Robert Reynolds

Post by Mukluk
Having good tone/
technique acoustically can only enhance the sound coming out of
whatever gear your playing thru....right?
Chuck

That's right, good technique is a good thing.
To say that "it's all in your technique" is not true. Technique is
important, and you'll never be much of a musician without it. But an
amp is also a musical instrument, and it can add a whole dimension to
your sound that isn't possible without the amp.

[Keith Adams]

Robbie I think you say this because you build amps that are incapable of
making a faithful reproduction of the undistorted sound that they are
amplifying. I'm not saying either one of us is correct or not in their
opinions.
Its just a couple of opinions. I hate the overly distorted sound that most
harp players strive to achieve. To me its just muddy mush with no note
seperation. In the case of electric guitars. Distortion is a crutch for
beginners to hide behind. Believe me. I cant play guitar worth a damn but
can actually sound pretty good when running through a distortion pedal. The
same holds true in the world of harmonicas. No matter what you say though.
Distortion isnt musical because it doesnt allow true in tune clear notes to
be made. It makes garbled mud.

Post by Mukluk

Post by Keith Adams
It comes from using the correct amount of lung power. It stresses the reeds
but doesnt push them to the point of not performing at all. Bens got it
down as I'm sure a bunch of other people do here. A SS amp or a PA works
just fine for somebody whose got the technique down. The technique method
sounds a hell of allot better than an overdruiven tube amp because
electronic distortion isnt musical. Its just an amp thats being pushed too
hard to function properly.

If you cup tightly and use tongue blocking, you can can easily get a
harp to sound overdriven thru an amp. PA or acoustically. For
example, if you slightly lift the part of your tongue that you use to
block out the holes to the left of a note your playing (tongue block
style), you can get an overdriven sound to your playing. Then playing
this way thru an amp adds volume and can also add some distortion and
more overdrive too. Tube line-ups, speakers, etc ... are also
factors in tone. Kinda hard to explain this one, maybe I'll make a
quick video or mp3 of what I'm talking about. I think preaching good
technique is great advice for any harp player. Having good tone/
technique acoustically can only enhance the sound coming out of
whatever gear your playing thru....right?
Chuck

That's right, good technique is a good thing. Also, if you like the sound
of harmonic frequency overdrive produced in an overdriven electron tube,
then you might want to get an amp and set it up to get the sound you want.
Saying that "electronic distortion isn't musical" really misses the point.
Electron tubes produce harmonic frequencies when overdriven, which can be
quite musical. That's probably why so many people like electronic
instruments.
To say that "it's all in your technique" is not true. Technique is
important, and you'll never be much of a musician without it. But an amp
is also a musical instrument, and it can add a whole dimension to your
sound that isn't possible without the amp. If you don't see the truth in
that, then either you've never used the right amp or you've never learned
what a good amp can do. When I finally figured out how to get an amp to
sound the way I wanted it to sound, it opened new doors in my playing.
Technique is good. Equipment is also good.

[Robert Reynolds]

Post by Keith Adams
Robbie I think you say this because you build amps that are incapable of
making a faithful reproduction of the undistorted sound that they are
amplifying. I'm not saying either one of us is correct or not in their
opinions.

I suppose you could say that about any musical instrument. A trumpet
really distorts the natural raspberry sound made by the musician's lips.
It's just a matter of preference. The guitar string amplifies only
the harmonic frequency of the string, which is a distortion of the
natural sound of your finger flicking something.

The greatest factor in the classic super cool tone that a lot of harp
players search for is signal compression. Technically, this is a
distortion of the original signal, just like everything else is.

Post by Keith Adams
Its just a couple of opinions. I hate the overly distorted sound that most
harp players strive to achieve. To me its just muddy mush with no note
seperation. In the case of electric guitars. Distortion is a crutch for
beginners to hide behind. Believe me. I cant play guitar worth a damn but
can actually sound pretty good when running through a distortion pedal. The
same holds true in the world of harmonicas. No matter what you say though.
Distortion isnt musical because it doesnt allow true in tune clear notes to
be made. It makes garbled mud.

I know exactly what you're saying about distorted guitar. I think
that's what modern rock is all about. Most of these guys can't play,
they just dial in a sound and bang their guitars on the wall.

I'm not trying to argue, but what musicians tell me about my amps is
that they have a high cool factor without garbling the notes. Several
guys have said that they have had to become better musicians because the
amp is so subtle and reveals every nuance of their playing. But it
still has a lot of harmonics and signal compression, which you could
accurately call a distortion of the original signal. Add just a touch
of overdrive in the tubes and in the microphone, and you have a real
musical instrument that you can use to add accent and character to the
notes you're playing just by cupping, blowing harder, or playing chords.
But it really doesn't hide anything.

Naturally, if you're good at playing the harmonica you can create great
sounds in addition to what you can do with the amp. Put it all together
and you have a really nifty musical instrument. I really don't see how
this is any different from playing any other musical instrument, none of
which has a "natural" sound in the first place.

[Butcherknife]

Post by Robert Reynolds
I have a question. How do you make a harmonica sound "gritty"? Where
does a tube overdrive sound come from, if not from a tube amp?
I understand that you'll never sound good if you don't know how to play
the harmonica without an amp, but to say that your tone comes 100% from
your acoustic playing seems a little bit ridiculous.

there are a combination of things that contributes to fat harmonica tone.
to have a fat tone amplified you must also have fat tone acoustically.
but to say you'll never get a distorted sound from you amp unless
you have good chops acoustically is total bullshit.
if you don't have good acoustic chops it's going to sound thin
be you can get a distorted sound from the amp and effects.

fat and distorted are two very different things to me.
you can get a fat tone acoustically but you can not get a
over-driven sound acoustically. now if your playing a junk
harmonica with allot of reeds buzzing and rattling well
i reckon that would get you a distorted sound acoustically.

[Chromatonic]

I think Valve Jrs sound cool! I play mine through either 4x10s or
2x8s...the 8s for lower volume, the 4x10s get pretty loud & have a BIG
sound. With a crystal like your BB, I don't run my volume much over
1/3 of max - for more volume, just tighten up your hands to make your
cup real airtight (you should feel your breath pushing/pulling on the
flesh of your hands). I actually have had good luck playing a lower-
impedance mic through this amp - I can drive the power tube harder
(with the volume control) and get sweeter distortion out of it that
way.

(I'd recommend staying away from 12" speakers for harp.)

For a new, inexpensive, little amp that sounds SUPER cool, check out
the Fender Champion 600. It sells around $200 street price, and it
sounds better with crystal mics than the Valve Jr, which sounds thin
with Ultra-High-Impedance mics.

Another strategy would be using a Dynamic, CR, or CM mic for a ton
more bottom end.

I've never heard anyone good sound out of a Zoom for harmonica.

Just a player, a harp, a mic and tubes..

[c***@mail.com]

Thanks, Chromatonic. If Robert's suggetions don't work, I'll look into
the Fender Champion 600... or maybe just try a regular 'ol 58 through
the Valve Jr.

[Robert Reynolds]

Post by c***@mail.com
Thanks, Chromatonic. If Robert's suggetions don't work, I'll look into
the Fender Champion 600... or maybe just try a regular 'ol 58 through
the Valve Jr.

If you do that, you'll need to use an impedance transformer, which you
can get at most music stores. It will look like a cylinder with an XLR
input on one side and a 1/4" plug on the other.

[r***@yahoo.com]

Post by c***@mail.com
Friends -
Hoping you can share your wisdom and advice. My friends and I recently
released our first EP. Normally, at live gigs I just play through a 58
and the PA. But for the EP we slapped a bit of distortion on my harp
in post production. It was like night and day.
I already own a Blues Blaster and an Epiphone Valve Junior tube amp
and I fiddle around with them at home. Sounds so nice. But I have had
a bit of a problem with feedback, and it has made me super reluctant
to use this set up for anything other than my own personal
entertainment.
Is it a matter of me just taking the time to sit down and figure out
the thing? Should I just keep the volume low and then set up a 58 in
front of the amp and just steer clear of standing in front of it?
Also, do you think the problem is with the mic, the amp, a little bit
of both, or something else entirely?
I'd really like to reproduce that dirty, gritty sound. I am
considering getting a Line 6 POD, but if I can get a good sound out of
the gear I already have, I'd rather not spend the $$$$. Or maybe I
should get some effect pedals. I don't know.
If you're interested (or just bored) you can hear the whole EP for
free athttp://www.michaeljantz.com/liveatjims.htm
The last track especially ("Show Me A Good Time - Good Time Reprise")
is what I'm gunning for for live shows.

Hi,

The Epi is a great little amp. I did a lot of gigs on my Combo model
awhile back when it was my only amp. It is a little prone to feedback,
especially with a Blues Blaster which has less bottom than my vintage
Green Bullet CM. I did a couple of things to fix that.

First, I used a Green Bullet instead of a Blues Blaster - every amp/
mic combination is different and unique...my Blues Blaster works
better on my Kalamazoo, my Green Bullet works better on my Epi.

Second I kept the volume low and mic'd the amp to the PA...just hang
your 58 in front of the amp and let the PA carry the sound. Of course,
don't stand right in front of the amp or too close. The disadvantage
of low volume is you don't get much tube amp distortion until you get
past 12:00 on the volume.

Third, I found a Sabine Solo Feedback Eliminator on eBay for $30 (sels
new for $300) which helped me get the Epi's volume up to where it
could really start getting some more crunch.

Fourth, and this may be the most important, I learned how to properly
cup the microphone to lower feedback - you need a very tight cup,
especially with a Blues Blaster (http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=nX3aBs7qZGA).

Fifth, I swapped the 12AX7 preamp tube for a good quality 12AT7 - my
first amp mod. Then I started learning more about mods and added a
tone control...when you turn up the bass, down the treble you reduce
feedback. I eventually added several mods, one designed specifically
to reduce feedback. It's not expensive and turns the Epi into a
serious amp. This guys webpage is a good place to start leanring about
Valve Jr. mods: http://duhvoodooman.com/VJr/VJr_mods.htm

Good luck,
Robert

[Mikel Lee]

You can buy an anti feedback unit. Two manufacturers would be Roland,
Kinder. Not sure how much the Roland is but the Kinder is $359 US.
Here's a link: http://www.kinder-instruments.com/afb+.htm. I've
also read where the Boss or AD-3, 5 or 8 works as it not only has some
nice echo and chorus effects but also anti-feedback . Those run
around $160 on Ebay.