Guitar/bass amps for biamp rig

[Benjamin]

I'm gonna do it. I have simply gotta biamp.

 

I tried it once with one of my guitarist's amps, was careful, but it sounded pretty {censored} hot. That was a Samick 60W 1x12.

 

I can run the mids and highs through to the second amp, with some effects. I will keep the Boss OC-2 for the bass rig.

 

For a reasonable budget, what would you guys recommend for a supplementary amp to my 300W Trace and 4x10?

 

Would like valve preamp, or all valve, it all depends on the budget. Would I be alright with a Marshall 60W Valvestate or something? 1x12 or 2x12?

[Darkstorm]

With a 4x10 for the low mids to lows would suggest either a 2x10 or 2x12 bass cab for the mids & highs if going budget. Otherwise something like the eden nemesis 2x10 or 1x15 ext cab with comp tweeter. Surprisingly the 1x15 handles electric guitar rather well & is actually a little less prone to accent the low mids then the 2x10 does imo.

 

For crossover suggests seperate crossover feeding the bass & guitar processors of your choice. Or if wanting to do marshall for the one side, their older preamp would do well if can find used. Though you'll actually get better sound imo useing the marshall govner or jackhammer pedals for that side of the signal. Two govners cascaded into each other does an excellent job of dong what a govner cascaded into a valaestates distortion ch does.

 

Heres what I do when needing that split signal type thing. Bass guitar feeds Zoom 3000B bass procesor or GFX3 guitar processor which also handles bass very well, and Zoom Player 3000 or 707II guitar processor. Those feed the mixer which then goes to amps. In your case could be a stereo power amp with "bass" side going to left ch and "guitar" side going to right ch.

 

I suggest the marshall pedals over the valvestate amps from experience. Cause the pedals handle lows much better without any loss to treble.

 

You'll also get better sound imo useing bass drivers (10's ussually, but note the exception of 15 with comp tweeter aka the nemesis 1x15 ext cab) rather then guitar ones. There isnt enough treble extension to guitar speakers to justify useing them imo and they of course dont handle lows very well.

 

Useing serious heavy overdrive with bass is a passion of mine and has triedthe splitting signal thing before. With as above the best solution I've found when wanting to do a split signal.

 

Last note: With excellent full range speakers aka eden nemesis & pro JBL you dont need seperate cabs. Just split the signal & maniplate as desired before it goes to the amp. Your split signal being recombined at the amp. If you dont have access to a mixer a Y cord got from radio shack (two 1/4 plugs to one 1/4 jack) will do the trick for recombining split signal after processing to go to single amp.

 

 

 

Lows to a processor, mids & highs to a proccesor. Processors to mixer, mixer to mono amp. Amp to full range cab. Done. The trick for you to think about is that of useing cabs well suited to keyboards which of course have a broader octave range then bass guitar and electric guitar combined have. For you, perhaps marshall pedals for each side for desired classic marshall sound to a marshall preamp and poweramp then to cabs such as JBL, Eden, or Genz Benz. Smashing choice I'd think.

 

Good luck with getting it done in way that suits you best.

[Benjamin]

I actually should have clarified somewhat.

 

I don't wish for it to be running the whole time, I want to use it for boost and some effects. I aim for the bass rig to be running full-range the whole time.

 

The first experiment I did was using the MXR M-80. I took the parallel out straight to my bass rig, and the effected out to the guitar amp. I set the guitar amp's volume low enough so as to not intrude on the overall sound when not engaged. When kicking on the MXR, this then boosted the guitar amp.

 

I have found a couple of amps locally, I should be able to borrow one and experiment tomorrow night.

[FreestyleIntruder]

I tried that with my mate's Mesa amp. Interesting but totally not the sound I go for personally.

 

I really like the Laney guitar amps FWIW

[Benjamin]

 

Originally posted by FreestyleIntruder I really like the Laney guitar amps FWIW

 

 

A friend of mine had a 100W basic linebacker. I played bass through it occasionally and it sounded reasonable.

 

I have found one of these locally: Marshall MG50DFX

 

I could do with a delay and reverb, so I wonder if they'll work ok.

[Benjamin]

Bump

[nishich]

I have marshall IBS 5522 200w 1x15 combo, with biamp outputs

and crossover set about 500 Hz.

first I have tried valvestate 8080, 80w 1x12, but that was not kind of sound that I was looking for. with distortion it sounded nice, but cleans were very bad,

Than I tried small bass amp marshall 25w, 1x10, and it sounded much better.

BTW, bass side goes without any FX at all, and for treble side I use some {censored}y zoom 506II fx pedall, not so bad in this combination.

[Benjamin]

Ok, cool. FX wise, I plan to run the following:

 

 

Bass ->

MXR M-80 -> (unaffected) -> Boss OC-2 -> Bass rig

MXR M-80 -> (eq'd out) -> (effects) -> Guitar rig

 

The guitar side effects will be: Big Muff, Prunes + Custard (maybe this will be a bass effect), Morley Wah, Chorus. The M-80 has distortion, so that can boost the guitar rig.

[Craken]

Ive been playing this:

 

Through this lately:

 

With good results.

[Benjamin]

Nice

 

Unfortunately not much help to me

 

My band ain't that loud (maybe we should be), I just need an extra boost and something to widen the sound.

 

I wouldn't mind that rig though...