A/B switch, Y cable, Reverb tank--what's wrong?

[Rufer]

Hi,
Let me preface my post by saying I know a looper pedal would probably do the trick better but I'm hoping to find out why what follows doesn't work.

I want to use an A/B switch (I bought the DOD 270 a/b box) to route either straight to my amp OR to my reverb tank and then to my amp. I had Redco make a Y cable for me.

The configuration that I envisioned would work had the guitar signal going into the Common jack of the A/B switch. A would have 1 leg of the split Y cable. The merged section of the Y cable goes to the amp. B from the A/B switch goes to the In of the reverb tank. The second side of the split Y cable goes from the out of the tank.

Shouldn't this work? It doesn't.

Any way I can get the switch to change from the clean to the wet? Only one side will work when using the Y cable plugged in the configuration I have above. I can unplug the A or B from the A/B switcher and either will work but when both sides are plugged in only one side of the switch works.

The switch is fine. Right now I have my guitar into the common and A feeding one amp with a straight cable and B feed the other amp likewise and the switch works as it should.

Each end of the Y cable work fine on their own.

Any ideas? Is it the type of switch? The Y cable and the switch?

This is probably a dopey question but any help is greatly appreciated.

To add the equivalent picture to my 1,000 words, here is what I have:



Thanks.

[RefD]

by reverb tank do you mean a bare tank or a full-on reverb unit like a Fender?

cos a bare tank at least needs active driver and recovery stages.

[Rufer]

It's a Fender '63 reissue outboard tank.

[bluesman]

the 63 reissue reverb has a 1/4" jack on the underside of the chassis. This is for a foot switch to switch the reverb in & out of the circuit. the external A/B switch shouldn't be necessary to do what you are wanting to do.

[Rufer]

Thanks. I know about the jack and footswitch. I'm trying to bypass it when not in use.

[RefD]

Thanks. I know about the jack and footswitch. I'm trying to bypass it when not in use.

then get a pedal loop, they're not all that expensive.

i have had that DOD A/B box since the early 90s and it's been a great paperweight.

[RickvH]

A Y-cable is intended to act as a splitter (one output to two inputs).
It's not intended to act as a merger/mixer (two outputs to one input).

The output of the reverb tank is likely loading/shorting out the A output of your A/B switch.

One option might be to use the Y-cable to split the guitar signal: one leg to the reverb and the other leg to an input on the A/B switch. The output of the reverb goes into the other input on the A/B switch and the output of the A/B switch goes to the amp. Then the switch will select between the guitar and the reverb tank output. (hopefully the guitar won't mind driving two inputs)

[Rufer]

Ah, that makes perfect sense. Confirms my dopiness too. I may just return the A/B box, chock the Redco Y cable up to a learning lesson and hope I have a need for it someday, and get a pedal loop.

Thanks for your help.