Rackit! 2.0 Review

Gear
1

Guitarists - a Heads Up!

Rack it!

Hello fellow guitar players (ukulele players, pianists, drummers, & bassists). If you’re like me, there’s a nagging idea at the back of your mind…

Wouldn’t it be cool if I could play BOTH instruments at the SAME time?

Of course there are harmonica neck holders - I have the Seydel Geckowhich is surely one of the best, and I’ve also heard good things about the Hohner Flexrack.

But what if you wanna get a dirty amplified blues tone on harmonica?

Enter the Rackit! 2.0 from BlowsMeAway Productions.

The reason bullet-style mics are so popular with bluesmen is that an airtight cup around the harp and mic causes the sound to break up and distort in that way that we all know and love .

The Rackit! 2.0 accomplishes this by mounting a Bulletini mic in an airtight gizmo, so that you can play blues harmonica HANDS FREE .

What makes it even more versatile is it’s design with 2 removable side caps for various tonal options:

1. Both side caps on - FAT, DIRTY BLUES tone

2. One side cap off - SLIGHTLY DIRTY BLUES tone

3. Both side caps off - CLEAN BOB DYLAN / NEIL YOUNG tone

:white_check_mark: PROS :white_check_mark:

:+1: Fits most popular racks , or mounts to a mic stand

:+1: Incorporates the legendary Bulletini microphone

:+1: Switch harps easily and quickly

:+1: Allows a deeper embouchure than some racks permit (more harp in your mouth)

:+1: Use amplified or acoustic, in a rack, on a stand

:+1: 3 Distinct and wonderful tonal options

:+1: Looks cool

:x: CONS :x:

:-1: NOT Cheap!!! $300 + add-ons for chords, adapters, etc…

:-1: I bought one thinking “I’ll be getting a Bulletini mic at the same time!” Yeah, BUT the process of attaching/detaching the mic is quite challenging with very small screws (I already lost 1 of the screws!)

If you wanna see it and hear it in action, check out my short review.

Another application of the Rackit! 2.0 could be for somebody who wants to play blues, but whose hands are too small to cup a mic, or who doesn’t have use of both hands. (This device creates the airtight seal needed and could also be held instead of mounted to a rack or a mic stand.)

6 Likes
2

@Luke, very interesting! Well, we already know the problem with the small screws with our harps! Perhaps a magnet will be supplied soon so that the screws can be found again. :smiley:

2 Likes
3

Looks and sounds pretty effective. It just seems kinda bulky but I’ve never really played with a microphone, so I’m sure it’s probably comparable to other apparatus with huge advantage of being hands free and airtight.

Maybe put a Bluetooth connection and make it wireless?

Super cool that you can adjust your warbling, and control how down and dirty you wanna get :sunglasses::+1:

4 Likes
4

Greg’s website does have wireless microphone systems for harmonica.

1 Like
5

Yes, @KeefDeBluesHarpRobot and @HarpinBobbyMcB, but these days there are so many wireless guitar units that are much cheaper and would work great with a harmonica mic, I think that would be the way to go. Hmmm… now you’ve got me thinking, I’ve got something to add to my wish list…

3 Likes
6

Hi Luke - I have always looked for a “no-hands” system that didn’t make me look or sound like Bob Dylan (lol) - I believe this Rackit! is the one. I have contacted my local distributor at RockinRonsMusic and for whatever reason, I couldn’t get a straight answer to my question (you touched upon it in your review) - I wanted to know, if at any time I decide I don’t want the connection cord coming off the bottom and rather have it coming off from one side or the other (left side I could attach the excess cord to my guitar strap - right side I could throw it over my shoulder) Can I unscrew it turn the mic in the holder and re-attach ???
Thanks for any help - Great review !
Steve

2 Likes
7

Hey @Whiplash62 yes you can, Steve! He also ships the bulletini grill with the unit, so you can remove the mic from the rackit, put the grill on, and just use it as a normal bulletini. BUT the screws are super-small, and if you’re like me, easy to lose (I lost one already, lol.)

When I reattached my mic to the unit, I put it sideways, and I like it that way better. The new Rackits also have screw holes for mic stand adapter, but mine is one of the first that he made that didn’t have, so I think I’m gonna send it back and have him mod it for me so that I can try that approach. I was inspired to try it from Pete Madcat’s video on the Rackit page on the Blows Me Away website:

Hope that helps. LMK if you have any other questions about it.

1 Like