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From: Alec Drachman
Date: Wed, 03 Mar 1999 17:18:01 -0500
Subject: Amplified tone

Hi Folks,

I have a bit of spare time today so I thought I would try to start a
controversial thread. Here goes:

I don't think it is true that you must have a great acoustic tone to get
a great amplified tone.

Certainly, if you have really, really lousy tone, you will sound bad
amplified as well. However, if you have a somewhat thin acoustic tone,
an amp can really enhance the sound provided that you have a good cup on
the mic.

I first became aware of this phenomenon at this past SPAH convention.
There was a player there (I'm definitely not gonna name any names here)
that I thought had a pretty weak tone during the various blues jams and
informal lobby jams in the early part of the convention. While he was
playing, you could hear a lot of air leaking and his volume was
considerably less than most of the other players. However, when he got
on the mic (I won't say what night because I don't want anyone to try to
guess who I'm talking about), his tone was as huge as all the other
great players and the volume was indistinguishable from the players who
had been blowing him away all week.

Is the mic and amp "The Great Equalizer"? (No Freudian references,
please.)

My belief is that up to a point, proper mic cupping technique is
actually more important than acoustic tone, and that you only need a
mediocre tone to sound great through an amp.

O.K., let me have it.

Alec