Anyone run a rig with one "clean" cab and one "dirty" cab?

pablomigraine · #1 01-01-2011, 02:46 PM

This is something I've been thinking about lately.... many touring players I've seen run this type of setup in varying configurations in furtherance of getting a better sound when using overdrive, fuzz or distortion.

I've seen several variations... these seem to be the most popular:

-A biamp rig with a crossover and the overdrive running on just the highs post x-over, using various FX units... usually with an 18" or 15" on the bottom and a 210 or 410 up top

-Running two preamps or two amps, each feeding a seperate cabinet, one either set very dirty or employing FX

- "Splitting" their SVT810 running the top dirty and the bottom clean by various means

-Bigger artist I've seen running one regular bass rig and a separate electric guitar halfstack, usually a tube head and 412. Chris Squire and Geddy Lee pioneered this technique I think, and guys like Mike Kroeger of Nickelback (you know, guys with bottomless checkbooks) still use this method.... Squire's sound on "Parallels" is to die for...

Anybody here in TB Land use this type of setup in whatever configuration? Results? Pros & Cons of one configuration over the other? Discuss your setups and how / why you arrived at your preferred setup.

GO!!

faceinbass · #2 01-01-2011, 03:26 PM

I have the amps/and cabs to do this but find that it is overkill in my band.

Running a single 18 for clean lows and 2 15's for the od/fuzz is a fantastic playing experience. I don't think a crossover is nesc. if you have eq on both amps and tailor your settings to favor the speaker selection and freq you want to hear from either cab.

PunkSweeper · #3 01-01-2011, 04:12 PM

You may as well go DI for the clean side. Cheaper and cleaner.

Edit-I have fooled around with this kind of thing though.

You wouldn't want something like this on stage unless you were unassisted. It could mud up a mix big time.

JimmyM · #4 01-01-2011, 04:20 PM

honestly, with the way pedals work on bass these days, i don't see a need for it like i used to. plus you can count on taking up at least 2 channels in the mix. if you have your own soundman, that's great, but it could be an issue on gigs where you don't have control of the sound.

however, we often do stuff we don't "need" to do, and a lot of folks think it sounds more authentic to do the 2 amp clean/dirty thing. a somewhat lighter way of doing this is to use a guitar combo along with your bass amp and roll off the lows so you don't blow the speakers. stanley clarke does this a lot, as a matter of fact.

zagralin_arf · #5 01-01-2011, 05:08 PM

My guitar player has this killer Marshall rackmount guitar preamp, and when I plug into it its some killer OD/Distortion tone. I want to get a seperate head and cab and split my signal into both...just to see how it works.

I know The Ox did something like this back in the day...

Robert Sjea · #6 01-01-2011, 07:00 PM

Let us know after you try it, please.

I'd be interested in a suggestion for a guitar combo to run with my bass rig like Jimmy mentioned.

lkngro · #7 01-01-2011, 08:05 PM

Not a bassist, but guitarist Brian King of Japandroids uses a biamp/stereo setup. He uses two old school Fender amps (not sure on the exact model). The amps themselves are run clean, but he runs like two Russian Muffs through one of them and it sounds great. Huge thick fuzz while still keeping a sense of clarity and dynamics to his sound.

Though I did see a video of them on youtube where the mix was WAY off and it just sounded like a clean amp that had a bunch of faint static in the background. So it's very possible that a biamped rig can be mixed badly.

the byronic man · #8 01-01-2011, 08:12 PM

i run my Rick 4001 stereo through 2 signal chains blended into one signal for the amp. stupid amount of flexibility with clean/dirty and all that. and this way, the tube screamer still sounds great without killing all my low end.

Jim Campbell · #9 01-01-2011, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert Sjea

Let us know after you try it, please.

I'd be interested in a suggestion for a guitar combo to run with my bass rig like Jimmy mentioned.

how big a room do you need to fill,and do you have pa support....i'm in the process of putting together a rig like that now for my ric....i guess what's needed is something that gives the breakup you need without having to reach ear splitting volumes to get it....i'm thinking of a guitar head around 30-50 watts into a 4x12 slant cab,and my 400+ or v4b for the clean.....i could probably use the ampeg for the dirt but it's waaaaay loud.....maybe i'll invest in a vt pedal

Robert Sjea · #10 01-02-2011, 02:55 PM

Small to mid-sized rooms, usually no PA support. I played my Ric New Year's eve and it was beastly through my 410-Markbass rig. I love the Ric clang and brightness, but want to mellow it with some lower end. Instead of the guitar combo route, I'm now thinking of adding a 210 and running that one clean and deep with the two amp set up. Or should I do it the other way around?

I have someone building me a quasi Ric-o-sound box that I can also use with my Jazz bass. Send each pickup to a separate setup. I'm pretty clueless obviously about gear, so I don't mind corrections and suggestions.

Not trying to hijack the thread - just trying to get more ideas flowing from more-knowledgeable members. I wouldn't mind hearing more from the Bryonic man on his setup - specifics for us tech amateurs. Maybe it's like trying to play at "11" but that extra Ric jack stays in the back of your mind over the years, if you've never tried it out.