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Post new topic What kind of harp mic is John Popper using?
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Author Topic:  What kind of harp mic is John Popper using?
Jack Hanson


From:
San Luis Valley, USA
Post  Posted 19 Aug 2021 4:01 pm    
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Douglas Schuch


From:
Valencia, Philippines
Post  Posted 19 Aug 2021 4:38 pm    
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He uses a Shure 58. Attached is a control device for switching between amps for different effects. The whole rig is covered here:

https://youtu.be/c73iYj5-XzY

While I like his playing, and think his tone fits his style (clean tone for those high-note fast riffs), I prefer a dirtier tone. That's probably about 1/2 amp, 1/2 microphone. I know Jason Ricci uses a Shure 57 (basically same mic with different housing at the end) and can certainly get a nice, gritty tone. I use a 58 Beta when I play accoustically (not cupped, just playing into the mic). But I prefer a "dirtier" mic for amped playing (currently using the Hohner HB52 "Harp Blaster"). Just my take on it.
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Jack Hanson


From:
San Luis Valley, USA
Post  Posted 21 Aug 2021 5:59 am    
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Thanks, Doug. I thought it may be a 58 in a cumbersome housing. I have a wireless 58 that I picked up on the cheap, and it's great for playing live, eliminating the cable. But for recording and where the best sound is high priority, I usually pull out a 520 or one of a collection of old bullets, ceramics, and taxi dispatcher mics. A current fave is this Slim-X 777 from the '50s:


Into a small tube amp, it sounds nasty. But it's relatively tiny, and took a while to get comfortable with.
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Brooks Montgomery


From:
Idaho, USA
Post  Posted 21 Aug 2021 8:11 am    
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I’ve played thru lots bullets and shures , but lately my favorite mic is the Shaker Madcat.
It’s working great as a hard driving mic (Butterfield-esque ) and it has a volume control on it. It’s weird shape allows for real dynamic cupping tones.

I’ve never been a fan of Popper. He spends too much time racing around the far right side of the harp for my ears.
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Jack Hanson


From:
San Luis Valley, USA
Post  Posted 21 Aug 2021 8:50 am    
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I've got one of those little Shakers, too. Not certain of the model, but it's a dynamic mic, not a crystal. The volume control is a nice feature. I like the Shaker.
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Allan Revich


From:
Victoria, BC
Post  Posted 2 Sep 2021 11:52 pm    
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I use a Shaker dynamic too, but my current favourite is the new Sure Green Bullet. The perfect amount of natural sounding grit to my taste.
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