Microphone Choices:

ANALOG SPACE... The Final Frontier...At The Harmonica Microphone Bench

So, you're looking for that BIG sound? Just imagine playing an amplified harp solo in the Taj Mahal. Now THAT room has reverb! Thanks to its huge size and scale and immense smooth/hard reflective surfaces, the Taj Mahal is capable of producing natural reverb that's fatter than any pork chop and lasts so long it would make the Energizer Bunny weep. Flutist Paul Horn did on-location recordings there that are truly surreal in their sonic scope... But will you or I be flying to India to record harp any time soon? Not likely... Thankfully, the battle to pack big space into small packages has been raging since the '50's and has benefited many a harpster along the way. Proceed...

We've noted the development and utilization of the slap-back tape echo by Les Paul and the studios Sun and Chess as well as the single-serving models created by ECHOSONIC and ECHO-PLEX. We've noted how the spring reverb concept developed by Bell Labs was adapted by Hammond Organs and became the Accutronics Type 4 reverb pan that was adopted by Leo Fender for inclusion in his Vibroverb Amp and 6G15 reverb tank. Space has been expanding for the adventurous Harp Jockey ever since...

As your friendly RONCO announcer might say, "But wait! There's still more!" More makes, more models, more methods. BEFORE the EURO/BEFORE the PEDALBOARD: Before we descend into the Stompbox Jungle, let's look at the other stand-alone units that you might encounter as you search for sonic expansion: DANELECTRO, Nat Daniel's company from New Jersey, included reverb in its amps early and often (and as a separate option). As they were widely marketed through Sears under the Silvertone label and were comparatively inexpensive, they were the first taste of "Verb" for many of us. For example, their famous "Twin Twelve" had a reverb unit contained in a sheet metal rectangle, mounted to the top of the amp's chassis. Its sound has been described as "canny" and "cheap." Bingo. GUILD marketed a unit in the USA that was in fact the WEM WATKINS COPYCAT, manufactured in England and designed by audio wizard Charlie Watkins. Neither the GUILD unit nor the COPYCAT are highly valued by guitarists, so still might be a relative bargain-IF you like what they do for your sound.

FENDER did produce a tape echo unit that I'd found to be more limited and problematic than the ECHO-PLEX. 'Nuff said. From Milan, Italy came the BINSON ECHOREC with its single record head and multiple play heads surrounding a metal electrostatic drum (no tape!). Brighter sounding, more flexible, and favored by some guitar players, so there are fewer deals to be found. The KLEMPT ECHOLLETTE "S" from Sennheiser of Europe was a tape unit favored for use with PA systems and considered by some to be the cleanest of this crop. They aren't common, but worth a try for their sonic abilities.

A late arrival to this parade was the ROLAND SPACE ECHO RE-201. Introduced in the early '70's, it utilizes a tape cartridge like the later ECHO-PLEX and looks a bit like a Binson, but is flexible enough to still be in demand by performers today. Seems every keyboard/synth player has had one of these, and so they do show-up in the marketplace from time to time.

NOTE: As you shop, look, and listen, be aware that production of these various units spans a period of vast technical development and change, meaning that most of them were produced in earlier TUBE form before switching to "Solid-State". So, who's your Daddy? You be the judge...

THE STOMPBOX JUNGLE... Next time, on THE MIC BENCH

YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED (Email them to me at HARPMICMAN@earthlink.net)
Next time, on THE MIC BENCH.

For pictures and descriptions of most of the microphones listed visit http://www.harmonicamasterclass.com/vintage_collection.htm