Splitting signal between two amps

[Woody_in_MN]

I know some of you will be shocked that I don't know the answer to this. But is it possible to split the signal coming from my guitar and feed it into two different amps. I expect it is, but what is the piece of hardware that I need?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

- W

[BydoEmpire]

You need an AB (or ABY) box like this:

http://www.zzounds.com/item--MLYABY

 

Build yourself:

http://www.generalguitargadgets.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=16&Itemid=26

[pixelchemist]

a lot of people use y-cables... but that ruins the sound in my opinon... someone posted a schematic of an impedance matching splitter a while ago it was pretty easy to wire up too

[Ed Storer]

It's called an A-B-Y box. Morely makes a pretty good and reasonably priced unit. Available from G-C, MF, and others. There are units that are more and less expensive.

 

The more expensive ones don't make a "click" when switching amps.

 

If one of your amps has 2 inputs on a single channel, you can simply daisy chain the amps together by plugging an instrument cable into the second jack of the first amp and running it to the input of the second amp.

[Woody_in_MN]

 

You need an AB (or ABY) box like this: http://www.zzounds.com/item--MLYABY Build yourself: http://www.generalguitargadgets.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=16&Itemid=26

 

 

Cool Beans.

 

Thanks,

 

- w

[SirJackdeFuzz]

Or, you can use what i prefer, to use any stomp box w a stereo "out" !

 

A chorus, a vibe, a delay, a trem, you name it !

 

I like prefer teh last three !

 

Or, it you want to splitt the signal of tho heads, going int the same 4X12 cab, for instance, you can use an AB-box like sated above !

Radial (Canadian) makes world class splitter-boxes for just that !

 

http://www.tonebone.com/tb-switchbone.htm

 

http://www.tonebone.com/tb-headbone-vt.htm

 

Just out of intrest, which amps do you want to run in (((stereo))) ?

['s mel gibson]

Some stomp boxes have an extra stereo out jack. The first jack is mono and by plugging another amp into the extra jack you get a stereo version of the stomp box's effects. These box's are delay/echo and chorus FX and are always the last in your chain of boxes.

[meandi]

I use an Ernie Ball pan pedal.

Gives me either amp or depending on pedal position blends of the two

[superdistortion]

Or you can use what i prefer to use, any stomp box w a stereo "out" ! A chorus, a vibe, a delay, a trem, you name it !

That's what I use.

[Wyatt]

Simply introducing a stereo effects pedal is an easy way. Perhaps a stereo chorus or delay by Boss or DOD or similar.

 

If you want to be able to use either amp alone and both together then you need a ABY box.

 

But there may be some things to address.

 

Sometimes amps can be 180

[sxyryan]

I was just about to post a similar question but I'll try here first before cluttering up the main page with a new thread...

 

What about more than 2 amps?

 

Like if I wanted a wall of doom consisting of 45 Epi VJ combos? Or more reasonable numbers?

[mspizziri]

Radial also makes a really good a/b box

[SirJackdeFuzz]

Or, if you reeeally want to be diff . . . you can use a Gibson, or Epi Lucille sig ES-335 w (((stereo))) out's.

 

In this mode, your neck pick up goes to one amp, and your bridge pick up goes to another !

 

 

 

Example :

 

Lucille Bridge into Marshall VintageModern

Lucllie Neck into Fender Super Sonic

 

Just an idea !

[SirJackdeFuzz]

 

 

IBANEZ FLYINGPAN

 

 

Another GREAT signal splitter & extremely underrated pedal !

[boonestunes]

any stereo pedal. I've used a chorus and a delay. Like the chorus better, simply becuase when activated the delay had a dry and a wet output.

[boonestunes]

I was just about to post a similar question but I'll try here first before cluttering up the main page with a new thread... What about more than 2 amps? Like if I wanted a wall of doom consisting of 45 Epi VJ combos? Or more reasonable numbers?

 

 

amps would need to have a line out...I've recorded some with this rig, but don't take it out........

 

feed the line out of a marshall 2210 head into the input of an old fender bassman on one side, the line out of a Artist 30, into a Musicman combo. From the guitar I go into an old ibanez chorus, then out to the two marshalls.

FUN.

[sxyryan]

How do big name people run lots of heads on stage? I remember a Marshall Tucker Band Vid (Can't You See) where he is running a bunch of Twin Reverbs... no line out on those

[Grantus]

I think a loop pedal would also work

[BlueHeaven]

Just don't go 'cheapo', you will regret it.

 

And actually you can use a standard tuner for spliting a guitar singel, such as a Boss tu-2 for a Fender PT100. I've used the Fender PT100, you simply use both outputs (one will be muted while tuner is activated). Worked flawlessly with no interferance or added noise. Of course this is only if you want to use both amps at the same time or only one of the amps solo.

 

Tried a cheapo A/B/Y box and it was unusable do to interferance.

[Wyatt]

 

How do big name people run lots of heads on stage? I remember a Marshall Tucker Band Vid (Can't You See) where he is running a bunch of Twin Reverbs... no line out on those

 

 

Lots of things going on there.

 

Empty head and cabinet shells have been a stage decoration for decades. If you see more than two identical amp stacks per guitarist these days, the rest are empty. Often, as the case was for Ace Frehley, Angus Young and Billy Gibbons, they would have a huge collection of fake stacks on stage with the guitar running into a single amp, that was off stage entirely, and miked into the PA system.

 

Next, you have backups. You often see guitarists and bassists all have two of the exact same amp on stage, well, the second one is a backup, it's turned on and in standby, but the guitar isn't plugged in to it. If a tube or speaker blows in the primary amp, a tech will switch the guitar to the backup ASAP. So, often, only half of any amps onstage are being used...including acts like The Edge and Keith Richards, I believe The Edge only a couple of amps at a time but usually has 6 on stage.

 

Aside form that, splitting a buffered signal is easy, and often stage setups including complicated splits or switching that requires a dedicated switching layout.

 

Ever since PA systems became the standard in the late '60's and early '70's, there is never a reason to have several amps being used at once. In the per-PA days of the '60's, it was common to jumper amp inputs not only on a single amp, but also across amps. And then there were dedicated slave amps....power amps design to be feed a preamp signal from a master amp.

[sxyryan]

^^^

 

Thanks for clearing that up for me

[BAXANDALL]

Or, you can use what i prefer, to use any stomp box w a stereo "out" ! A chorus, a vibe, a delay, a trem, you name it ! I like prefer teh last three ! Or, it you want to splitt the signal of tho heads, going int the same 4X12 cab, for instance, you can use an AB-box like sated above ! Radial (Canadian) makes world class splitter-boxes for just that ! http://www.tonebone.com/tb-switchbone.htm http://www.tonebone.com/tb-headbone-vt.htm Just out of intrest, which amps do you want to run in ((( stereo ))) ?

 

I am splitting two heads into two different speaker cabs using one guitar right now and I got the Radial Bone for it. I wanted the added features that it provides.

 

[Woody_in_MN]

Interesting. I'll have to look at my pedals. I might have something already that will work. I mainly have Danelctro Cool Cats, but I have a Boss FDR-1 too.

 

Thanks,

 

- W

[willyburger]

This is also very useful.

 

Boss LS-2

 

It can be set up to A-B-Y, among other things, and has seperate level controls for each channel.

[Special J]

Just make sure you're paying attention to the phase issue that Wyatt mentioned when using 2 different kind of amps.