2 amps, 1 guitar.

BobbyRay · Post by **BobbyRay** » Wed Sep 03, 2003 10:53 am

How do you split a guitars signal to more than one amp w/ out suffering loss of signal from the pickup? I do not want to use pre out or slave out cause no matter what you do , the second amp will be colored buy the first. Using an a/b both box will not work because it splits the signal in half coming from the pickup (less output from the pickup changes the way the amp sounds).

Tapeop mag. just reviewed a direct box (Radial JDV Mk3) that will do it for list of $450.00. Is there anything out there less expensive?
Will using a stereo footpedal in bypass work the same? (does the footpedal compensate for the loss of gain when splitting the signal)

Meriphew · Post by **Meriphew** » Wed Sep 03, 2003 10:59 am

ABY box.

kayagum · Post by **kayagum** » Wed Sep 03, 2003 11:04 am

IMHO, the cheaper ABY boxes really kill tone. Some other options:

Z Vex SHO (has dual outs- the option I use, and recommended by others on the board)

VHT Valvulator
Lehle
Framptone
Matchbox?

Check out the harmonycentral.com effects database for comments.

rhythm ranch · Post by **rhythm ranch** » Wed Sep 03, 2003 11:14 am

Try to find a copy of Craig Anderton's Projects for Guitarists. It has a recipe for a buffer board that will provide proper impedance and isolate your pickups from anything further downstream. It also provides multiple outputs.
Good luck,
Mark

teleharmonium · Post by **teleharmonium** » Wed Sep 03, 2003 11:25 am

First off, passive splitting of a signal with an A/B/A+B box or just a Y cord is not as big of a deal as you might think, give it a try first to see if it bothers you. It's not like you are going to get 1/2 of the signal in each side when they are both active, actually you get nearly the same signal as the original, IIRC the impedance change makes a bigger difference than anything else when you do this.

In any case, a passive A/B switch does not allow you to send the signal to both outputs at one time, it's one or the other, so if you want switching without both amps being active at one time you could go that route.
Many A/B/A+B boxes have internal active buffer amps, some of them like the Divided by 13 Switchazel let you use the internal amp as a clean boost so you can actually get more gain than the input signal, not just buffering up to the level of the input signal. I've heard the Lehle is good, and the Roger Mayer Crossroads is too; I would avoid the Framptone, I have heard reports of them going bad. I think all of these are buffered.

If you go into one channel of a two channel, 4 input amp and jump out of the other input on that channel and run that line to another amp, you may not actually be going through any amp circuitry other than the wire that runs between those input jacks and the jacks themselves, I don't know for sure but I think you are just splitting the input in the same way that a passive A + B switch will do.

Which amps are you going to use ? Have you already listened to them with a simple input jump from one to the other ? I would do that first before spending any money, sometimes you love the sound that you didn't think you would want in theory. I've used pairs of amps many times in that way and never felt that there was a problem or that I was getting less than I should have been getting from either amp. A line out may be a different story, I would be less likely to trust one of those, but I can tell you for certain that when I jump from a Selmer Zodiac into a Vox AC15, there's a lot more right with it than there is wrong with it.

BobbyRay · Post by **BobbyRay** » Wed Sep 03, 2003 12:50 pm

Thanx for the suggestions everybody I will do some searches on the brands you listed.

teleharmonium wrote:
"In any case, a passive A/B switch does not allow you to send the signal to both outputs at one time."

I used what's called an A/B Both box.
I think it's a dod or something.

I do not know the technical terms however I'm pretty sure a Y cord drops or cuts the ohms coming from the pickup in half. That seems to affect my amp alot, I would think it would affect all amps.

rich · Post by **rich** » Wed Sep 03, 2003 1:56 pm

we use the y cord thing alot. we also have some wierd effect pedal with 2 outputs we go into and just make sure to never turn the thing on.

Meriphew · Post by **Meriphew** » Wed Sep 03, 2003 2:28 pm

If you're looking for a cheap solution I would just get a decent ABY box. If you have $150 then you might pick up a VHT Valvulator. I have a Valvulator on my pedal board, though I rarely use it to "Y" off to 2 amps.

BobbyRay · Post by **BobbyRay** » Wed Sep 03, 2003 2:42 pm

can that box use both A & B's ouput at the same time?

aurelialuz · Post by **aurelialuz** » Wed Sep 03, 2003 2:55 pm

morley makes an ABY pedal. a friend has one, i've used it a lot. you can use A, B or both. only needs a 9v if you want the LEDs to work. couldn't be easier and i've not noticed any change in tone. cheap too.

i still need to put in the obligatory plug for the zvex SHO. the most useful pedal i've ever owned and it would solve your problem too.

alex

mrhawkinson · Post by **mrhawkinson** » Wed Sep 03, 2003 4:17 pm

The Morley ABY has served me well. I use it after a buffer (in my case, the Carl Martin Compressor).

Many 'stage tuners' have two outputs. I have used the Arion and the pedal-type Fender and it works fine.

My latest solution is the Nobels SPLIT-4, which is a 1-in, 4-out active guitar splitter. I bought a used one for $30 at Music-Go-Round. I used it on my last tour, and it worked just fine.

-p

toothpastefordinner · Post by **toothpastefordinner** » Wed Sep 03, 2003 4:24 pm

My (admittedly ghetto and limited) solution was to put 2 outputs on a fuzz face clone I built a while ago. And put one amp in the hallway......

drew
toothpastefordinner.com

ryangobie · Post by **ryangobie** » Wed Sep 03, 2003 5:43 pm

a lot of my friends use morley ABY boxes due to the lack of a bass player. splitting the signal and then running the one through a super shifter and volume pedal into a bass amp and the other into his effects and a 5150. everyone i know who has used it has seemed pretty happy with it.

on a slightly related note, i went to my friends bands last show. it's only 2 members, a bass and drums, but he used 2 ampeg 8x10s, 2 4x12's and a 4x10. but he ran his bass through 4 heads without splitting it...hmm

deadair · Post by **deadair** » Wed Sep 03, 2003 5:52 pm

hey ryan whats up? didnt expect to see you here.... anyways.....

i have a morley that i'm pretty happy with, havent done any extensive testing with it to see how much it degrades the signal as i've just been using it for live shows.

it came with a little flyer that said something like "using two amps with one guitar creating buzz? check out our noise ebtek noise eliminator" or something..... anyways, i have noticed increased noise from doign this, and it made me think of checking this product out, but it also seems a little silly, anyone else have this problem or a good way around it?

as for prior mentioned band, he normally does have a morley aby, and i couldnt see, but i would think it was somewhere at that show being used.

ryangobie · Post by **ryangobie** » Wed Sep 03, 2003 6:12 pm

haha hi will...when i saw them in NYC he had the ABY, but i was talking to AJ while he was setting up and didn't see him with any that's why i bought it up...but yeah, i'm all over the internet...think i could come take a look see at your set up one day?

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