3 Tips for Making a Harmonica Sound Awesome Through an Amp

If you play the harmonica seriously, you need to start playing through an amp. The right amplifier can make a huge difference in a harmonica's tone and allow you to play those awesome, thrilling blues licks that you've heard on your favorite recordings. However, it's not necessarily easy to plug your harp into an amp and get the tone that you want. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when running a harmonica through an amp.

Choose your amp wisely. Most harmonica players use small guitar amps with 10 or 12 inch speakers. Go to a guitar store and actually play around with a few different models before you buy an amp for your harp. Don't just toss your money down on some website--get out there and play.

The best harmonica amps are small tube amps. You don't need a lot of effects, and you certainly don't need an amp to be too large, especially if the amp has the aforementioned tubes. If possible, try to find an amp that will give you a true tube overdrive sound.

Get a good distortion pedal. If you didn't find an amp with good, natural onboard distortion, you'll need a distortion pedal to play blues style harmonica or anything other than melodic country stuff. An Ibanez TS-9 is a good choice and will set you back around $80. If that's too much for you, look around for a distortion pedal that won't completely kill the sound of your harps. Punk and metal pedals won't work as well as a slight overdrive or a blues guitar pedal, and yes, there are dedicated harmonica pedals out there for those that can afford them. They typicall cost $150-200, but they're worth it if you're serious.

Make sure your microphone is up to par. All of this will go to waste if you're not using a professional harmonica microphone. Look into famous mics like the Shure Green Bullet, which will easily hook up to a guitar amp thanks to its ¼" output. Experiment with different microphones if you can and try to avoid standard vocal mics. They won't be nearly as complementary of your harmonica's tone as a good harp mic. Again, you might be spending a little bit of money here--a Green Bullet will be at least a hundred bucks--but it's well worth the price to sling your harmonicas like a pro.

Do you have any other tips for making a harmonica sound good through an amp? Post in the comments section below.