Comments on the Harp Commander from the maker HarpL Archives

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Harp-L Archives

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Date: Fri, 9 Aug 2002 16:54:42 +1200
From: "G."
Subject: Comments on the Harp Commander from the maker

Hey there,
I asked Ron if I could forward our recent offlist discussion to you guys to
read.

I have been a big advocate of the POD 2 for a while, I've experimented a lot
with it and I've found the sort of tone I'm after and decided that the POD
has filled its need and its time for me to move on in the "rig" department
to something a lot simpler.

I still think if you're new to amps and wanting to try a lot of things out,
or if you're recording in studio or simply want something to jam on at home
its a great tool and it has been very useful to me.

Of course anyone interested in purchasing a POD 2 in good condition with a 4
button footpedal, its own bag and a registered copy of PatchWizard POD
control software feel free to make an offer offlist. :-)

Anyway - I've included our four post discussion in chronological order.

> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: "G."
> > > To:
> > > Sent: Thursday, August 08, 2002 6:50 AM
> > > Subject: Harp Commander
> > > >
> > > > Ron,
> > > > Have you thought of using tubes instead of solid state transistors
in
> > > > an altered version of the harp commander ?
> > > > I've recently learnt about the Radius 10 & Radius 40 products.
> > > >
> > > > I'm thinking of selling my Line 6 POD 2 and more interested in just
> > > > plain good tone as time goes by, than gimicks and magic amps.
> > > >
> > > > G.

> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: Ron Holmes
> > To: G.
> > Sent: Friday, August 09, 2002 1:29 PM
> > Subject: Re: Harp Commander
> >
> > > Hi There G,
> > > Actually, the Commander is based on an existing tube preamp! Have
> > > considered making this unit but the higher cost is always a marketing
> > > issue. Would love to build this if there was enough interest.
> > > Maybe a standard unit on website built to order like the solid state
> > > unit. Irony is that the SS Harp Commander sounds nearly identical
> > > to the experimental tube version. I use Field Effect transistors which
> > > work and sound much like tubes rather than
> > > conventional cheezo bipolar transistors. But the ones I am using are
> > > almost obsolete as tubes.
> > >
> > > Go figure! The digital "recreations" that the Pods and other all
digital
> > > stuff try to copy just don't feel right, just don't sound right. The
> > > companies love to build and market those because they are mass
produced
> > > by human-free, automated high volume monster assemblers in Taiwan.
> > > They can be made for a few dollars literally and sold for....Huge ICs
and
> > > surface mount, horrible sounding capacitors, etc. Too much cynicism
for me.
> > > That's why I build the older, discrete method. Tubes or FETs.
...
> > > The simpler, older equipment has a different harmonic structure than
the
> > > all digital stuff made now. The simple fact of reality is that the
less you
> > > ask electronic devices to do the better they do it. The massive
complexity
> > > of these minicomputers to recreate "any sound" is absurd. Only a 1959
> > > Fender Princeton sounds like a 1959 Fender Princeton. Use the simplest
> > > and least equipment working properly to get your sound.
> > > Only vintage stuff acts like vintage stuff no matter what the slickos
say.
8<
> > > Thanks for your input and thoughts. My goal is to create and make
good,
> > > useful tools for you guys to make your life easier, not more
> > > complicated.
> > > The magic lies in your head and hands, not "magic amps" as you keenly
> > > pointed out. Equipment is just the stuff to make you heard. Take care.
> > > Ron

> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "G."
> To: "Ron Holmes"
> Sent: Thursday, August 08, 2002 7:27 PM
> Subject: Re: Harp Commander
>
8<
> > Now... do you mind if I post my query with your response to Harp-L and
> > HarpTalk?
> >
> > G.

- ----- Original Message -----
From: Ron Holmes
To: G.
Sent: Friday, August 09, 2002 3:15 PM
Subject: Re: Harp Commander

> Hi Again G
> You are most welcome to post all this stuff. Someone needs to stand tall
and
> tell the truth in this day and sorry age of BS everywhere. The sharkskin
> jacketed high-pressure sales guys for these mega companies and their
> dreadful products are really too much. Only real is real. Of course there
> should be something for everyone. There are those with too much money and
> stone deaf that need to buy junk-that all their friends are buying-that is
> their perogative. Nothin' wrong with that. Music is for everyone! I make
> stuff I like to play thru-even as bad as I am.
>
> The FETs I use have the same time constants and nearly identical harmonic
> structure and gain structure and transconductance as the good preamp tubes
> like the older 6SL7, 12AY7. A little less gain and even same bias resistor
> values as for the tubes. I use FETs and tubes side by side sometimes and
for
> many circuits they are identical in performance and consume a lot less
> power. FETs are not used much commercially in discret form like I use them
> though and my circuits would be considered obsolete. FETS don't have quite
> as much air as tubes and are a dash less "warm" but not by much.
>
> I have built tube and an identically functioning FET circuit side by
> side-and audio-savvy folks usually can't tell the difference. I can only
> because I have built and tested so much circuitry. I do love tubes-they
are
> my first passion. But are tough to make cheaply in a box that sounds good.
> They are even durable. But FETs will last longer. And still sound good.
And
> you don't have to worry about where your next good replacement FET will
come
> from. The international tube market gives me a headache!!!!
> Take Care.
> Ron