"Pignose" Hog 20 Review by Steve"Big Daddy
BluzHarp"Harvell!bluzharp.tripod.com
- The "Hog 20" recharging portable amp made by Pignose Industries http://www.pignoseamps.com/is one of
the most awesome amps that I have ever played.It is like expecting to get a
grenade but getting a small Atomic Bomb instead.How all that sound comes out
of a 20 watt amp with a six inch speaker is mind boggling.
The Hog 20
has some nice features for being so economical,you have volume,tone and as
they put it,"Squeal/overdrive/distortion".You have a 1/4 inch jack for your
mic or instrument in the front and another 1/4 inch jack in the back for
headphones or to be used as an output for directing a low-level signal to
another amplifier or recording console.
Here are the settings and
equipment that I use to get a Good/Nasty sound from my Hog 20.I use a "Shaker"
dynamic harmonica microphone set wide open(volume control) or one notch
back.On the amp I have the Squeal on (10) ,the Volume on (5) and the Tone on
(2).I want to clarify the Tone Control,it goes from - to +.The left half is
minus and the right plus.So actually my Tone is on-(2).And as all of you know
I play "Hohner" Special 20s and "Hardwood Harps" with "Hohner" reedplates..
With the above
settings I am able to get a sweet/nasty distortion,I want to point out how
responsive this amp is to very small changes in the way you play.I have played
thru amps that had good tone but were not responsive,when I do a wah-wah on
the Hog 20 it sounds so dramatic and dynamic as compard to some amps.It did
take me a few minutes when I first got the amp to find good bass response but
that was cured by turning the Tone down!Bass response is something that I have
become very discerning about,one reason that I have gone to playing amps with
12 inch speakers when I play the big boys.On the Hog 20 I found that putting
the Tone on -(2) gave me the control and bass that I wanted and demand if I
plan to play it at gigs.
Good response is very important in an amp when
you use a lot of throat movement and articulations in your playing,it gives
you so many more options as well as more control over your technique and
sound.I have played the Hog 20 for over two hours and it was just as strong at
the finish as when I started.The manual does say to keep playing your amp till
the battery gets low before recharging so that the battery will last
longer.Not sure how many hours the battery will last but as I stated above,I
have played mine for over two hours and just plain got tired.This is a great
addition to anyone's amp harem,it is now one of my favorite amps.This Hog 20
is so loud that you can hurt yours ears,it is so powerfull that it still blows
my mind.I give this amp my highest rating,a (6 1/2) Harp
Salute!
Pignose Industries 400 W. Alondra,Gardena,Ca 90248 Phone
1-323-770-4444 Fax 1-310-538-9560 http://www.pignoseamps.com/
This
article was written by Steve"Big Daddy BluzHarp"Harvell website
bluzharp.tripod.com
Return to Main Page