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Double Bass Need Advice For Signal Spliting

B

bassist1962

Jun 29, 2006
878
3
63
Portland, Oregon
#1
For the last several months I have been playing in a duo format with an acoustic guitarist. There are some songs that either don't require bass, or not much of a line, so I have opted to take on the task of playing Acoustic Guitar. I have been looking very seriously at the SansAmp Paradriver as a preamp for both instruments. What I need to know: How do I split the signal to run both sytems at the same time? It is nothing unusual for us to switch instruments in the middle of a set, so I need to be able to just pick up the guitar, adjust the settings, and go. Signal paths:

Bass - Paradriver - Bass Amp

Guitar - Paradriver - Guitar Amp

Would a couple of AB Boxes work, and if so what do you recomend? Any other suggestions? Should I just ditch the preamp all together, and just run the guitars directly into the respective amps? Any help is appreciated. Thank you.
 
#4
Describing what you want as "split signal" had me thinking something different. Sounds like you just want to run two channels into one amp input. That is either combining and mixing or selecting, not splitting. It's like merging traffic instead of a fork in the road.

My approach to that situation is a two channel amp head. For acoustic guitar and DB doubling I like my Acoustic Image Coda combo. A dual channel pre-amp might do the job, but it will inevitably introduce more into the signal paths (second or even third stage of EQ) and all of that is just noisy baggage, IMO. A good two channel amp would be my preference.
 
#6
Silversorcerer said:
Now that I'm re-reading this, I realize you are wanting something different. I'm a little confused I think. Do you want to run both the bass signal and the guitar signal into two different amps????
Click to expand...

Yes, It would merge into the same preamp, but then split again going into different amps, without cross over. However I don't want the bass coming through the guitar amp, or the guitar coming through the bass amp.
 
#8
Hah! Good thinking there. If you need a mute switch for each, then buy or build a mute switch, or a tuner with muting for each.

For splitting and/or mixing, look into the Boss LS-2 and various options from Lehle- here's the Lehle site: Invalid Link Removed . Coincidentally, there's a Lehle 3@1 in the BG classifieds.
 
#9
Now I'm beginning to think you are talking about putting the same EQ via a single SansAmp paradriver on both instruments. :eyebrow: Something tells me (just a hunch) that this is not a good idea, even if there is a convoluted way to do it. It's convoluted a bit just to want to do it, maybe. I can't imagine two instruments needing the same EQ settings and you certainly don't want to be fussing around changing the pre knobs every time you switch instruments in a set. You need to just grab the instrument ready to play. The most you need to be messing with is channel volume up / channel volume down.

The SansAmp is a bit pricey, not to mention redundant for most of the better quality DB amps out there. Wouldn't it just be better to sink the cost of the SansAmp into an amp that has a good pre-amp circuit built in? Plus you need a battery (that's always going to be changing the way the thing works as the battery gets weaker) or you need phantom power.

I really can't see any advantages to this strategy other than only owning one SansAmp pre-amp instead of two. And if you have a versatile high quality acoustic instrument amp with two full featured channels, you don't even need one SansAmp. Just get an amp with parametric mid controls and a post EQ direct out. Perhaps an Ampeg PB 800? AI Focus? AI Coda combo?

I think if you follow that strategy instead of the expensive "gadget box" path, you will have a lot less to fuss with and a cleaner signal and a better sound as well. You'd be surprised just how different a piezo pick-up sounds when it goes through an amplifier that is custom tailored to that type of application. I AB'd an acoustic-electric Ovation guitar through my AI vs. my Fender RAD (built for EBG). Just no comparison. Same with a PB800 or an AI Focus. I had similar results comparing a K&K Bassmax output with those two amps and no pre-amp. Every time you add an extra coupling in the signal path you also add some white noise. Find an amp so that all that you need is two cables and the amp. There are some really great two channel amps out there with fewer knobs, equal versatility and sound, designed specifically to amplify acoustic instruments.

A great strategy is to do what you need to do with the smallest number of equipment pieces possible.
 
#10
I'm pretty old school here. I have a mute switch on the AI, but it mutes both channels at once so I just turn down the channel gain on the channel I'm not using. If it is an instrument with a volume control, I just use the instrument volume control.

When you are on stage performing it is an advantage not to have so many knobs and controls to tend to. I have seen guitardists with pedal gadget racks that take up half a football field suddenly go silent and consequently bewildered. Inevitably they are searching amongst 50 knobs and connections for the the one that is loose or adjusted wrong.

Bass players don't want to start looking like befuddled axe handlers. We've got a reputation to keep up. One well known jazz musician locally clued me to this;- many bass solos are due to the rest of the band getting lost or a malfunctioning guitar box going out. We don't want to be them. ;)
 
#11
This box does just what you want :
Link Removed
2 instruments in, 2 amps out, SansAmp in the loop.
Now you will need to adjust settings on the SansAmp every time you switch so I'm not sure if it is that a good idea.
It may be easier to use it only for one instrument.
 
#12
I am hearing pretty much the same advice everywhere I posted this. So I think I will just leave it well enough alone for now, and keep running them seperate. I guess a new goal is to try to find a decent acoustic amp to replace my little Fender Frontman. Thank you to everyone who has given me advice.
 

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