No amp. I’ve been using a channel switching amp lately to try to trim down the size of my rig, mainly a Carvin X100b which has a great clean channel and a very good med gain, old style Marshall dirt channel but I miss that huge multi amp sound. Stereo delay and reverb will give you an absolutely enormous sound when you’re sat in the sweet spot, although anyone standing slightly to either side of your speakers may not understand quite what all the fuss is about. You can throw it in your backpack and off you go. Most pedals are significantly lighter and more portable than an amplifier. Then route the amp's effect send into the amp-sim's aux in, and the amp-sims output into the amp's effect return. I can even go two heads into one cab if I want using an old Peavey 412 cab with stereo and mono inputs to cut down on my gear load in or if the stage is too small to accommodate two cabs. A continuous control pedal controls volume on both. Most of us probably don’t start out with a vast array of amplifiers to choose from. I always just play through two heads, never switching between the two but if I did switch between A and B, the Morley ABY is quiet. Fender Acoustasonic 15. In some cases, the extra cabs are purely set dressing and are unloaded (no speakers installed) to save on weight. Well that’s an entirely different kettle of fish. But have you ever noticed that when you run delay, reverb or chorus through your drive or high gain channel on an amp, it doesn’t sound right? As the more mathematically astute amongst you will doubtless be well aware, employing just one additional amplifier will give you precisely twice as much potential to irritate people as you’d get with a single amp rig. Plug one guitar normally into the amp, and the other into any digital amp simulator. Do NOT use an A/B/Y splitter box etc. However, depending upon your requirements, you should ideally deploy a gizmo that caters for negating the load splitting of running into two inputs, allowing you to change the phase of one of the outputs, and which offers an isolated output to prevent ground loop issues. I have used the this set up since 1985 and always got compliments on having the best sound on the sunset strip or where ever we played eventually all over the world! In other cases, you’re J. Mascis of Dinosaur Jr. and you utilize your multiple Marshall stacks to their fullest potential. This, therefore, necessitates the use of the guitar amp setting guide. As an example, the legendary Eric Johnson—well known for his obsession with great tone—famously uses a pair of CBS-era Fender Deluxes for cleans, and a pair of 1959 Handwired Marshall Plexi Reissues for dirt with an A/B pedal to switch between them. My fave trick is to get two amps with tremolo and run them simultaneously with the tremolo on each amp set a little different. If you have a posse of enormous roadies, you could even go all Mark Tremonti and have a couple of amps for your clean tones (often Fender combos, in his case) and then an A/B/Y setup … “What about digital amps and modelers?” you further probe. Is the CABINET “stereo?” In other words, are there two or more speakers in the cabinet that each have their own input and are not electronically connected? To begin, don’t start by dialing up the same settings from your previous amplifier, for two reasons: first, the new amp likely won’t sound the same as your old amp. I use a Morley ABY pedal (around USD 50.00) as the last in my chain on the pedal board. If you’re tight on pedalboard space, the Fender Micro ABY is a single-footswitch, fully functional mini pedal with a slider switch for A/B or Y mode. Plug in, Play. The TonewoodAmp is a revolutionary device that uses an acoustic guitar's own body and soundhole to create a range of enhancement effects. But more amps means more gear to haul, more time spent setting up and tearing down, and more open mics, which can cause feedback and phase issues. I really enjoyed reading that. They also lack the crunch needed for heavier rhythms. Another type of setup uses three cabinets in a “wet/dry/wet” arrangement, with the center amp running your dry (unaffected) guitar signal, and the outer two speakers running a 100% affected signal panned to each side. Gigging without a backup guitar can be risky in case you break a string, but a broken string is easily diagnosed and uncomplicated to fix. A rather more sturdy method would be to buffer the signal with some intervening device. I can blend and mix and match, love it! Most guitar players have effects either in the form of single pedals or multi effect processors. Since many vintage amp designs (and reissues of these classics) are single-channel, using both a high-gain and a clean amp lets you switch off as needed. Mostly in P90/humb-channel I use crunchier tone amp (Peavey Classic) with normal reverb and with single coils a cleaner sounding Line6 with some tremolo and delay. Another type of setup uses three cabinets in a “wet/dry/wet” arrangement, with the center amp running your dry (unaffected) guitar signal, and the outer two speakers running a 100% affected signal panned to each side. 8ohm mono or 4ohm/4ohm stereo with a small switch. If you prefer live backline for monitoring but still want something small and affordable, one great choice is a Roland Cube, such as the Cube 40GX. It’s pretty simple really, if your guitar amp isn’t set up correctly you won’t sound good. Your purchases help youth music programs get the gear they need to make music. Why do you suggest either side of the stage? This signal is then passed to a separate stereo power amp (or two mono amps) which can output the stereo effects into your “wet” speakers. All rights reserved. (Behringer V-Ampire, Line6 Flextone III, rack units paired with power amps … Rocktron, Digitech, Roland, BOSS) This set up allows for two different virtual wah wah pedals, voiced optimally, controlled from one pedal. and haven’t looked back since – works AMAZING! If you want to use two amps simultaneously, there are some things you need to know before you flip on those power switches. Your purchases also help protect forests, including trees traditionally used to make instruments. Some of these effects sound incredible and do an amazing job of providing players with great sound. You want the new amp to give you your tone, but better than before. This will cause your stereo signal to be smooshed (a technical term) into mono, tragically thwarting the juicy stereophony of your expensive wobblebox. Just make sure you get a ABY pedal that eliminates ground loops and has a switch to reverse the phase (painful experiences from the past). It’s amazing how many guitarists don’t know how to EQ a guitar amp. This lightweight, highly portable guitar amp comes with a mic input, so it … January 1965, with two like-new block logo JTM45 50-watt amplifier heads, in a stack setup. Hi. Buy a Y-cable with ¼-inch male end and two ¼-inch female ends. Which combination of amplifiers is best? I have run two amps at once where each amp is programmable and MIDI controlled. They’re also packed with features: amp modeling, a cab-simulated direct out, built-in effects with a tap tempo, a tuner, and 3 footswitchable channels. It seems like you’re missing out just using a A/B switch, two very different amps can really sound huge together and seem to fill in each other’s weaknesses. While some DAWs, like Apple’s Logic and Garageband, come with guitar amp simulation built in, most don’t and, great though these bundled plugins are, many people will find that most of the dedicated 3rd party options offer a good deal more flexibility and better sounds. All guitar and bass amps use the same power cable. Using an Effects Loop Examine your amp. How should one split the signal from the guitar? The dual-DSP-powered Helix combines amp and effects models in a large, rugged floor pedal. Always keep a load on the tube amp! A guide of presets and amp settings that are best for Marshall or Fender amplifiers, with EQ for rock, blues, grunge and a variety of other tones & styles. The “multiple amps sharing one cabinet” is my headache at home right now… I use a POD X3 (clean signal) and use L/R to each amp (Randall solid state amp and 5150 tube amp) and I get a high pitched demon-noise from the speaker. Employ the usual method for choosing an amp, but execute it as many times as necessary. Simply connect the left output of the effect to the input of one amp and the right output of the effect to the other amp. There must be a good reason then, right? This gives you the variety of textures possible with differing gain, EQ and voicing as discussed above. You will get some slight attenuation of the signal, similar to backing off the guitar volume a touch, but this method is probably the easiest way to dip your proverbial toe in the proverbial water. It never pops and it doesn’t add any extra hum or hiss. What then, are the basic options for actually belching forth great slabs of music from this multi-mouthed monster? Stomp boxes that commonly feature stereo outputs include chorus, delay and reverb. Modelers are typically the most practical (and affordable) way of experimenting with different “amplifiers.” Many systems, including the Line6 Pod HD series and Fractal’s Axe-Fx, will let you run virtual rigs with two amps, usually allowing you to pan each one to a different output. I love my sound and the ABY was the best thing I ever did as far as playing live is concerned. Do audience members regularly compliment you upon the unparalleled enormity of your invisible sound bacon? Many players consider a vintage Fender combo to be ideal for clean tones and an iconic Marshall to be the classic dirty sound. Multiple stereo tremolos… you get the idea. I have a very cheap amp. In fact, there are five good reasons. Most power cables can be... 2. In any case, the upshot is that if the invisible sound bacon of your two amplifiers collide at a disagreeable point in their oscillations, you will experience what is known, in technical circles, as a “meh.” This usually presents itself in the form of sub-optimal roar, but can quickly be thwarted by reversing the phase of, or adding a minuscule delay to, one of the channels. Only way I have used so far is having my stereo delay last in the chain and splitting from there. Oops, looks like you forgot something. There are a massive 1,024 preset locations onboard the Helix, organised into eight setlists that contain 32 banks with four presets each. I love this writers style! By clicking Subscribe, I agree to the processing of my data in order to receive emails. A typical ploy would be to set one amp up for your clean or rhythm sounds and the other for your dirty or lead tones. Guitar amps are the heart of your guitar tone. This type of setup has been used by everyone from guitar hero Eddie Van Halen to jazz/fusion legend Larry “Mr. It took me years to understand its real value for a tone that cuts through the mix. Manufactured to a high quality this Roland Micro Cube GX stereo guitar combo amplifier is battery powered and is a durable ultra-compact amplification option. Other concerns are noise, crosstalk (your guitar’s signal bleeding through to the bypassed amp), and of course, the dreaded “tone suck.” It’s important not to skimp on quality here. Instead, the acoustic guitar amp is designed to reproduce the natural sound of the guitar as accurately as possible, working in tandem with your chosen pickups. The experience of playing on a proper w/d/w setup can be mind-blowing, and hearing one in person may well convince you that running 3 amps is worth the trouble. Is that the cause of the out of control oscillation I am getting, since I have my amps side by side with the dry amp mic’d? EQing your guitar amp is the quickest and easiest way to sound amazing quickly. Nick, I learnt nuttin’ ’cause I was laughin’ 2 hard whilst reading it. A guitar amp will boost the sound of your guitar though with the wrong setting, on the other hand, it will distort your music. The fuzz component is a must. The simplest and lowest cost solution is a preamp pedal. Bridge pick up goes to one amp, and the neck to another amp. These days, it's common for multi-effects to offer amp and even cabinet modeling as well as guitar effects. The simplest way to set up a dual-amp stereo rig is to use two amps of the same make and model, in either a combo or head-and-cab arrangement. There's nothing else like it—the first and only, the TonewoodAmp is a must-have device for any acoustic guitar player. In simple terms, W/D and W/D/W rigs involve one amp being fed an uneffected guitar signal whilst the effects go to the other(s), typically with the dry signal removed entirely. By blending these two tones, you can achieve the best of both worlds. When you go see touring acts perform, you may notice that many pro players use two or more amps live. Well, without getting too bogged-down in “science” and “facts” and “electricity doesn’t work like that, Nicholas”, let’s go ahead and examine some of the basic considerations for any guitarist looking to run more than one amplifier. And second, if you want it to sound like your old amp, you should probably just use the old amp! No – joke. Some popular, well-made and readily available ABY pedals are the Morley ABY or Morley ABY “Mix” (with separate volume controls for blending both amps) and the Radial BigShot. Plug out, no play. Unlike an amplifier for an electric guitar, an acoustic amp doesn't create the sound. Usually, only a few of these cabinets are actually mic’d. This software comes with 24 different amp cabinets and multiple parameters to practically change your sound in any way possible. These are reliable, lightweight, surprisingly loud, have a small footprint, and are low cost. Sometimes they’re custom-made replicas that fold up for easier transport. Tremonti seems to favor a Mesa Triple Rectifier mixed with one or more from a gnarly lineup that has included Bogner, Dumble and Cornford. First, decide on the kind of mic that will work with its partner. I’m planning on building a tweed Bassman kit to use as part of a new rig (I played through a 5f6a Bassman not long ago for the first time in a while, I’d forgotten how good they sound). Right now I’m thinking my Fender with a clean oriented KT66 early marshall would be nice, but there are a couple other amps I’d like to integrate. The rigors of the road can be rough on amps, and when your main amp dies onstage, a backup can be a worth its weight in gold. Not all amps have an effects loop, but if yours does, you … I go through two heads because my band is a three piece and I just want to add that extra guitar sound. Very informative and brilliantly written, i do love humour such as this, thanks! The eq on acoustic amps is slightly different from that on electric guitar amps - and that on bass amps, too. Dual amps rigs are truly great sounding but also a lot of extra work to set-up and carry around. Whether you’re in the studio or on stage, multiple amps blended together can complement each other. How to Choose the Right Pots for Your Pickups, How to Embrace the Stunning Popularity of Chorus Pedals. Slash, for example, tours with matching pairs of his signature Marshall AFD100 heads and 4x12 cabs. That way, I can take just one cabinet and run it in stereo (even though the speakers are only a few inches apart from each other) or taking both 2 x 12’s I can run the stereo L & R of two systems and spread them both out. Put vol pot in P90/humb-channel from 7 to 10, and teaching with, like your Humor “. Also make use of multiple speakers in a single cabinet is by using a Radial Headbone which. 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