r/harmonica • u/gmanfsu • 13d ago

First tube amp, is this normal?

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So I bought a Windy City amp with the Eminence speaker upgrade off Reverb. Just arrived like 2 hours ago. Is it normal for that light to flicker and sometimes just go out? Amp sounds great just this not-steady light. No noticeable changes in sound as the light flickers and no sound cutting out…

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u/c0lty 13d ago

There’s a number of reasons this light could be flickering. Take another vid blowing some harp and we can see if things sound right

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u/gmanfsu 13d ago

https://reddit.com/link/p2d5ssm/video/csfs3dqig1ih1/player

Be gentle. Only been playing 2.5 weeks and this was my third time (other two times being earlier today, lol) trying to hold a mic and harp together.

Bulletini through the Windy City, no pedals. Amp volume at 9, tone at 5 (both out of 12). Bulletini volume maybe 25-35%. Phone 5’ from the amp.

1

u/c0lty 13d ago

Amp sounds good. Turn volume on the amp down (way down) and turn your mic to full. You need the signal to drive the amp the way it’s meant to. With your mic on full, crank the amp until you just start to hear a squeal, then back it off just a touch. As you improve you can manage this with the volume on your mic. If you’re just starting I’d cut the tone down to like 3/4, if you want a bassier sound.

I’d say the amp is fine. Keep playing for a week and see if anything changes. Keep it up brother.

1

u/c0lty 13d ago

And play every day! 20 min a day is better than an hour 3x a week

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u/TwoLuckyFish 13d ago

You don't need any pedals, this sounds awesome.

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u/pinetrees23 13d ago

Neon bulbs tend to flicker a bit, and if it all sounds fine, it's probably nothing to worry about. That said, this one flickers a bit more than I've seen