I’ve been looking at getting pedals for my harp, only to discover that Joyo make a guitar pedal called the American quite cheaply. I own quite a few Joyo pedals never considered they might work for harp. Instead of the American, I have the California? Does any one know if this would work like the American or would it be different? And any advice on pedals at all really would come in handy, for example I’ve never used a sound gate as I learned pretty quick to control my sound via my volume button on my mic so that’s never been all that much of a problem but I’ve been looking into things that might give my sound a bit more punch and depth any suggestions would be welcome. Recently got back into playing harp seriously again but I’ve got to be honest I’m somewhat slightly nervous of too much technology and somewhat scared of it too
@Andy2 Andy I feel for you about too much technology. Playing at a recording studio there’s so much technology, stuff I have no idea what it does let alone how to use it. It would be easy to get so that some harp gig bags need a roadie. Does this technology defeat the simple portability of harps? When I travel, especially when flying which is quite often in my work, I take one ten hole 2 1/2 octave 10/40 chromatic in C and a small mic just in case there’s an opportunity to jam. (There usually isn’t). Personally I can’t use all the gubbins on my 'phone, let alone anything else. I’m not scared of it, just don’t want to rely on it, sods law it’ll probably go wrong! As a certain meerkat would say in the advertisement 'keep it simples’. Jay1
I’ve been looking at Lone Wolf pedals and, several others. I’ve got a Vox valvetronic which has an amp modelling system on it this allows me to basically model any Amp including AC30 and a Fender Bassman (my dream amp but out of my pocket according to the wife:grinning:
) I’m just wondering if I’d need a pedal with to cut back on feedback, but I guess I won’t know til I try it ( the Neighbors will love it 
) but tbh I had a good look at the Amp as I’d literally forgotten how many features there were on it. I don’t need effects there’s more than enough on there. But I will test it for feedback and if it does then I’ve answered my own question and I’ll get a sound gate. But if it reacts like a bassman I probably won’t need anything
@Andy2 On the very rare occasions when I use an amp it’s either a Blackstone 10 amp V3 that can be fed via mic to whatever or a Peavey Backstage Plus bought over 30 years ago. The Blackstone has more toys than I know how to use, If I get any feedback I just turn the gain down because I don’t know (or want to know) any better. Sound engineers speak a different language to me, I have enough trouble with the day job. Jay1
These are quite expensive. I would say that to start out go for the Joyo pedals mentioned (American is fine) as they are less expensive and still sound good. If you don’t like them, then you have not lost that much money. The wife will love you. 
As far as feedback goes: first learn how to control it without any gadgets. Adjusting volume, not playing in front of the speaker, etc. It is amazing what you can do without any extra gadgets.
– Slim 
Hi Slim I have discovered how to draw down the feed back by adjusting the gain etc. however I’m wondering if a sound gate would take the hassle out of it especially every time there’s a different room where I haven’t played with dodgy acoustics
Hi Andy @Andy2
I have never used any pedal for eliminating or reducing feedback. I’m sure someone else around here can be more helpful than I.
– Slim
@Andy2 - I’m sure you can make the California work. Just got tweak it till you get it. Try turning the tone all the way down, and find the sweet spot with the gain knob. Here’s me shooting out American vs Harp Attack.
Of course, I use the Harp Attack on gigs cos it’s just plug and play. But it ain’t cheap!!!
Thanks for that @Luke I’ve got quite a few pedals for my guitars but I got fed up them and now they take up space I think a little experimentation is in order
There sould be enough controls on your vox amp to “do the same job” as the joyo pedals you mention. If you’ve got a bunch of guitar pedals, try them all out, see what works, what dosen’t.
As far as i understand it, the joyo pedals you mention are basically pre-amps that will try to sound like famous expensive amps with gain/eq controls, but it’s probably worth playing with the settings on your vox amp which are trying to do the same job anyway. Does your amp have an effects loop? If it does, putting the joyo pre-amp into the efx return and bypassing the onboard pre-amp section might make the most out of the joyo. I forget which is spoofing which but i think there’s a fender one, a vox one, a marshall one etc in the line up.
From my guitar playing, I’d still say just getting the eq and the gain right on the amp (or pre-amp pedal, if you use that) is the most important thing for tone.
I’ve never used a noise gate for my guitar playing but I could see they’d perhaps be useful for harmonica, knocking out everything below a set level in the signal rather than dimming the whole signal to avoid feedback. If you do try one let us know how you get on with it.
Thanks @Piglet this is some great info, I was playing at one time through a pretty good valve amp hence the effects for my guitar, but I sold the amp to a friend and I got this Vox amp primarily for the Amp modelling facility and it does have a valve on it. So I was in two minds do I use a pedal on this or can I go through the amp and if so do I need a sound gate to control any feedback ( technology errr is not my strong point) my valve amp was a nightmare tbh weighed a ton, fed back a lot but once it was on the sweet spot it was great. But the weight of it was too much for me, I have several health issues which I’m gradually sorting out but at that time the sheer weight made me struggle. I was knackered before I even started the gig!
I’ve only just ordered a mic for harmonica (superlux D-112, £35) so I’m going be doing my own experimenting soon. My guitar amp is an epiphone valve jr which I love but is limited (not even a tone knob!) so I’ve used pedals for years. I’ve also ordered a tiny modelling amp because the valve jr is too loud for living in a 1 bed flat, it needs turning up to get cooking.
I had an Epiphone valve it was a 40 watt sounded great. But it was bloody heavy
Valve jr is 5w but it’s bloody loud for 5w, built like a tank and I changed the speaker a few years ago and the valves when the stock ones failed. I don’t think I’ll ever part with it, it may not be the perfect amp but it is mine. I’m looking forward to seeing how it sounds with a harmonica (until my beloved gives me “the stern look” at least)
They stopped making them 15(?) years ago but I think it’s the same design with an added tome knob that’s in the monoprice/harley benton 5w valve amp.
Yes they are amazingly loud, I sold mine very cheap to help out a friend that had been burgled. I loved the Vintage look but you had to be Schwarzenegger to take it anywhere