Clean blending your effects, with a 2 channel tube amp.

[K2000]

This may be old hat to some, but it's a new idea to me....

I was talking with my amp tech about jumping the channels on my tube amp. Besides some additional tone shaping (and on some tube amps, additional power), he told me that I could run effects in a loop via the 'jumper cables' and then use the volume knob on the jumped channel to blend the effects with my clean tone.

Kind of like an effects loop, for older amps with no built-in effects loop.

Maybe that technique has always been obvious to everybody else, but I was like 'wow'...

[TaySte_2000]

I've done it with my Mesa 400+ and an ABY box click between clean and effected and both channels on at the same time I can't blend but I do have an individual volume on each channel works pretty well.

I say go for it can't hurt but there are some effects u will want common to both channels like tuner and boost so you can mute and boost both channels.

[K2000]

I guess I didn't explain it thoroughly. On older two channel tube amps (Fender Bassman, Ampeg SVT) there is no 'channel switching'. They are two discrete circuits that you typically jump for more power, or more EQ options.

In the case of the Ampeg, I was told the inputs share the same power tube stage. So when jumping channels on an SVT, you don't get extra power, just extra tone shaping, and Channel 1 already has enough control to satisfy anyone. But you can put your effects in that loop, and use the jumped channel's Volume knob as a blend knob for the effect.

This is probably old news to everyone but me...

[TaySte_2000]

Same on the Mesa just has 2 inputs and I plug into both of them and do a very basic form of channel switching.

[K2000]

^^ Oh, I see.

Well I guess this is common knowledge but I thought I'd mention it -- because I see guys asking about how to blend clean tones with their effects, and the usual suggestion is to buy a looper with a blend knob. I don't recall anyone mentioning that they could possibly do it via their amp.

[L.A. Moore]

On amps like the old fender bassman, why not just use one input clean and one dirty? That's what I do.