I know I and others have asked about Mick's live harp on Out of Control (an also on others apparently?) a few times, but can anyone please provide me with what I need to be seraching for on eBay to get a similiar sounding harp, or better still links?

I know you obviously need to be able to play it correctly in order to get the right sound, but nothing I have ever previously bought sounds anything like the one Mick uses on Out of Control in concert. I definitely think it's a key/tone issue.

I think Mick may use Filisko harps or at least he did. Custom made harps..then he plays electric not acoustic which means he plugs a mic into an amp that is driven rather than just the PA.

I would suggest a well tuned Marine band special 20 into a small tube amp like a Fender Blues Jr.

He used Lee Oskar in the Voodoo Lounge years, don't know about now...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lee-Oskar-Major-Diatonic-Harmonica/dp/B000Q847LE



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014-10-21 01:53 by TDive25.

I would add that an amateur will find it a lot easier to sound like Mick with a blues harp vs. a marine band harp.

Marine band harp, small tube amp, and the right kind of mic should do the trick.





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014-10-21 02:48 by 71Tele.

As a harp player (and vocalist), I was very much first inspired to play by Mick's playing on "Midnight Rambler", "Stop Breaking Down", and the like. Then I started studying folks like James Cotton, Magic Dick, Paul Butterfield. What I have discovered is that their particular "sounds" have less to do with gear and far more to do with how they "cup" a mic and their breathing and tongue techniques and such.

Bullet mics, such as shown by 71Tele, are favored by most, as well as various tube amps (a popular favorite is the Fender Bassman). But I have found a lot of this stuff to be incredibly overpriced because every harp player wants that. The original blues guys were grabbing whatever was there and cheap. Little Walter famously played what was in front of him (for the most part). I play through a Hot Rod Deville 212 (way too big but only way I can cut through those damn guitar players) with various old mics, but best sound I ever got was through an old solid state Peavey with a beat up Radio Shack mic. Just wasn't loud enough to play out.

There are many great harp sites if you're interested in more.

Quote
71Tele
Marine band harp, small tube amp, and the right kind of mic should do the trick.

Ha! We just used that harp mic in the studio. The overdrive is sensational!

For unknown reasons that pic frightens me.

It comes new to me that jagger uses Filisko harps. Actually he doesn't really need these kind of harps, which are particularly suited to advanced techniques such as overbending, which Jagger doesn't use. To my knowledge, he still uses lee Oskars, but this information may not be up to date. I'll try to find some picture from the latest shows!

Quote
Wild Slivovitz
It comes new to me that jagger uses Filisko harps. Actually he doesn't really need these kind of harps, which are particularly suited to advanced techniques such as overbending, which Jagger doesn't use. To my knowledge, he still uses lee Oskars, but this information may not be up to date. I'll try to find some picture from the latest shows!

Does he use a different harp for CYHMK and OOC? Maybe it's only for those songs that he uses the Filiskos?

Filisko harps are boutique and extremely expensive. The idea of spending more than 40 bucks on a harp is beyond me -- I own dozens though. In the moderate range of harmonicas I prefer the Hohner Pro harp -- I find it to be more durable. Any of the Hohners are fine down to the Big River price range which is a good bargain. Lee Oskars and Suzukis never did it for me.

Furthermore on mics -- there are myriad bullet mics as well as many variations of the Shure Green Bullet pictured. Like guitars two will not sound the same necessarily. Also a factor is the element -- a lot of the great blues sounds came from now antique mics with crystal elements. Unfortunately (as I have found!) they are extremely delicate and one drop to the floor or less will kill them.

Quote
MILKYWAY

Quote
Chris Fountain
For unknown reasons that pic frightens me.

If that crazy thingmajig attacks you, don't come knocking on my door

Anyone play those chord harmonicas? Them things be crazy...





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014-10-21 23:52 by 71Tele.

From what I've read over the years Mick has played harp through a bullet mic plugged into a Fender Champ turned all the way up.

Which I have done. And the sound is incredible. Details beyond that don't really matter. That's the real deal. You do that, you're fine.

After a quick research it turned out that Jagger is allegedly playing "B-radical" customized harmonicas from Harrison Harmonicas...

[nelsakerlund.com]

I must say, I've never heard of such harmonicas before. Anyone tried them out already??

EDIT: maybe I didn't have time to get informed on these harmonicas, since it seems that the firm quickly ran out of business...: [www.hunterharp.com]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014-10-22 14:24 by Wild Slivovitz.