Running two amps

[Clark W]

So I was sitting around tonight practicing and decided to try something...

I have a Source Audio Mercury Flanger that has two outputs. So I ran one to my Ampeg BA115 combo and the other to my GK MB210 II combo. Things got loud really fast. And the tonal range was euphoric. What the Ampeg and it's single 15 was lacking the GK with it's two 10s jumped right in and filled up.

So much for owning a gigging combo (the GK) and a practice combo (the Ampeg). I will now be moving the GK back and forth from the practice room to the living room to the car to the gig and back, which is why I bought the Ampeg in the first place, to avoid all that by leaving the Ampeg in the practice room and the GK parked in the living room when not in use at a gig. But now that I have tasted what the two together can do...

I have some recording to do in the future and had been toying around with the idea of running and mic'ing both for when I do, but I had planned on using a Tech 21 Geddy Lee Signature SansAmp to split the signal. I wasn't sure the Source Audio Flanger would split the signal like it it did, but it did it, and in bypass mode. I never ever actually used the flanger itself, just utilized the input to dual outputs on it.

Anyone else ever come up with a crazy combo of amps to run two signals to? Or a crazy way to do it?

Definitely had fun playing with stuff tonight.

 

[Somanytoys]

I would go with the sansamp to split the signal for recording.

I have the rackmount version, and you’re less apt to get any ground loops because it’s all a single unit, as opposed to using a pedal (and not an isolated ab/y splitter) to split the signal and going into 2 different amps.

You don’t want to waste studio time chasing down problems.

I would only use the power amp section of the amps (into the receive jack of the effects loops) when using the sansamp, if you can. That would be my preference, I go from the sansamp into a stereo QSC poweramp.

And I think the rackmount GL sansamp has 1 or 2 direct outs, too (can’t remember). If so, you can also go direct into the board with it and use that track to complement the mic signal tracks, if desired. Always better to have more than you need.

 

[Clark W]

I would go with the sansamp to split the signal for recording.

I have the rackmount version, and you’re less apt to get any ground loops because it’s all a single unit, as opposed to using a pedal (and not an isolated ab/y splitter) to split the signal and going into 2 different amps.

You don’t want to waste studio time chasing down problems.

I would only use the power amp section of the amps (into the receive jack of the effects loops) when using the sansamp, if you can. That would be my preference, I go from the sansamp into a stereo QSC poweramp.

And I think the rackmount GL sansamp has 1 or 2 direct outs, too (can’t remember). If so, you can also go direct into the board with it and use that track to complement the mic signal tracks, if desired. Always better to have more than you need.

I've been looking at the Tech 21 Geddy Lee Signature SansAmp. For outputs it has 2 x XLR (deep channel, drive channel), 2 x 1/4" (deep channel, drive channel), 1 x 1/4" (thru), 1 x 1/4" (tuner out), 1 x 1/4" (send).
It definitely fits the bill for this I think.

 

[Honkey tonk]

I have been thinking about running 2 amps alot lately. Some thoughts about splitting the P pickup
And running into two amps ?
Any one do this ? Guessing you would need both pickups in same phase ?
Also I have a pickup design I'm working on that I think would be pretty nifty running Tandem with two amps ?

 

[Somanytoys]

I've been looking at the Tech 21 Geddy Lee Signature SansAmp. For outputs it has 2 x XLR (deep channel, drive channel), 2 x 1/4" (deep channel, drive channel), 1 x 1/4" (thru), 1 x 1/4" (tuner out), 1 x 1/4" (send).
It definitely fits the bill for this I think.

Yeah, I couldn’t remember exactly, but just took a look at mine. It is definitely a great contender for that, I highly recommend it.

I should have specified the xlr outs to use as the direct outs for recording, to have in case you’d want to use with your mic’d cabs tracks.

Right now I use the 1/4” outs into the poweramp. But I may look at using the xlr outs instead at some point soon, they’re a little more reliable. I’ll just have to make sure my poweramp has xlr inputs. Thanks for mentioning that.

Good luck, I hope your recording goes really well!

 

[Clark W]

Yeah, I couldn’t remember exactly, but just took a look at mine. It is definitely a great contender for that, I highly recommend it.

I should have specified the xlr outs to use as the direct outs for recording, to have in case you’d want to use with your mic’d cabs tracks.

Right now I use the 1/4” outs into the poweramp. But I may look at using the xlr outs instead at some point soon, they’re a little more reliable. I’ll just have to make sure my poweramp has xlr inputs. Thanks for mentioning that.

Good luck, I hope your recording goes really well!

Thanks! I'm kind of excited about it and the fact that I'll be getting more toys!

 

[Somanytoys]

I have been thinking about running 2 amps alot lately. Some thoughts about splitting the P pickup
And running into two amps ?
Any one do this ? Guessing you would need both pickups in same phase ?
Also I have a pickup design I'm working on that I think would be pretty nifty running Tandem with two amps ?

I don’t really know much about that, but the guy I play with does something similar, his pickup in 1 signal and the piezo in the other.

If it helps you with ideas on running 2 amps,I run 3 with my home setup (4 counting the pa) - here’s what I do:

I split my signal into 3 with a Lehle 3@1. Those 3 go to:
1- a crossover to split that signal, into an SWR Redhead, and the other into a QSC power amp into an SWR Big Ben cabinet.

2 - a sansamp Geddy Lee rackmount preamp, into another QSC stereo poweramp, into a Hartke 2x10 cab and a Hartke 15” cab.

3 - a sansamp VT DI pedal that goes xlr direct into a pa, and I use the (clean) parallel out of the VT to go into pedals and into an ivp preamp pedal, then into the receive of the effects loop of an Acoustic amp (to use only the poweramp of it) into a G-K 4/10 cab.

It’s taken a lot of work to make all that work well together, but it’s lush.

There should be some things in there to give you some ideas to work with! Haha

 

[Somanytoys]

Thanks! I'm kind of excited about it and the fact that I'll be getting more toys!

You can NEVER have enough toys!!!!

 

[Clark W]

I have been thinking about running 2 amps a lot lately. Some thoughts about splitting the P pickup
And running into two amps ?
Any one do this ? Guessing you would need both pickups in same phase ?
Also I have a pickup design I'm working on that I think would be pretty nifty running Tandem with two amps ?

Never thought about doing that before. But I have the perfect bass to try it out on. I bought a Epiphone P bass copy for $65 bucks for two reasons
1) It's set up like a P bass
2) It has the best Fender neck not made by Fender I have ever had in my hands.

I gutted it, popped in a set of EMG GZRs with new pots and output jack. Cleaned it up. Put a set of DR Black Beauties on it, took those off and replaced them with D'Addario 55 - 105 Chrome flats, and bought a Keeley compressor to run it through and that bass is as badass as any I have ever played. It just feels right, and it sounds right. I did have to adjust the saddles and the intonation a little. Tested the truss rod, but the neck was fine right where it was set up at. Splitting the pups into two outputs might be something to consider trying on it in the future. It being passive vs active like my other basses would make it a good candidate for that too, less electronics to deal with.

 

[Clark W]

You can NEVER have enough toys!!!!

Exactly!

 

[lowendrv]

Yeah, I couldn’t remember exactly, but just took a look at mine. It is definitely a great contender for that, I highly recommend it.

I should have specified the xlr outs to use as the direct outs for recording, to have in case you’d want to use with your mic’d cabs tracks.

Right now I use the 1/4” outs into the poweramp. But I may look at using the xlr outs instead at some point soon, they’re a little more reliable. I’ll just have to make sure my poweramp has xlr inputs. Thanks for mentioning that.

Good luck, I hope your recording goes really well!

I use a Tech 21 Q-stripe most of the time when running two amps . Parallel output is handy for that . I can send that to any effect or pre to one of amps . It's a good bag of tricks . And very clean and musical

 

[Somanytoys]

Never thought about doing that before. But I have the perfect bass to try it out on. I bought a Epiphone P bass copy for $65 bucks for two reasons
1) It's set up like a P bass
2) It has the best Fender neck not made by Fender I have ever had in my hands.

I gutted it, popped in a set of EMG GZRs with new pots and output jack. Cleaned it up. Put a set of DR Black Beauties on it, took those off and replaced them with D'Addario 55 - 105 Chrome flats, and bought a Keeley compressor to run it through and that bass is as badass as any I have ever played. It just feels right, and it sounds right. I did have to adjust the saddles and the intonation a little. Tested the truss rod, but the neck was fine right where it was set up at. Splitting the pups into two outputs might be something to consider trying on it in the future. It being passive vs active like my other basses would make it a good candidate for that too, less electronics to deal with.

The guy I play sends his 2 signals (from 2 output jacks) through a stereo effects board, and splits those 2 signals into 6 amps, 3 apiece. It’s amazing what’s possible. He’s an evil genius that I’ve learned a lot from over the years.

That’s a great idea, route & put a separate jack out, like a Rickenbacher, and send each signal on different paths to different amps, each set for different inputs (neck vs bridge). I think that will cover an amazing amount of ground, and really round out your sound.

I’ve heard that Epiphone hits it out of the park sometimes, glad you got a good one. And by replacing the pickups, you’ve made up for some of the cost savings they scrimped on.

That sounds like a great idea.

 

[Somanytoys]

I use a Tech 21 Q-stripe most of the time when running two amps . Parallel output is handy for that . I can send that to any effect or pre to one of amps . It's a good bag of tricks . And very clean and musical

I’ve really come to love their stuff. The VT DI is great for exactly that, and my dUg Pinnick pedal is badass. I’ve become a big fan.

 

[Clark W]

The guy I play sends his 2 signals (from 2 output jacks) through a stereo effects board, and splits those 2 signals into 6 amps, 3 apiece. It’s amazing what’s possible. He’s an evil genius that I’ve learned a lot from over the years.

That’s a great idea, route & put a separate jack out, like a Rickenbacher, and send each signal on different paths to different amps, each set for different inputs (neck vs bridge). I think that will cover an amazing amount of ground, and really round out your sound.

I’ve heard that Epiphone hits it out of the park sometimes, glad you got a good one. And by replacing the pickups, you’ve made up for some of the cost savings they scrimped on.

That sounds like a great idea.

All I would have to do on that bass is contact EMG and order another wiring harness with a set of pots and output jack. Then I could wire each pup directly to it's own volume > tone > output jack. And ground out each output jack to the bridge. The only downside to doing it that way is there would be no way to run both pups at the same time through one output jack. It would always require both outputs to be used to use both pups. But...

I could always wire in a toggle switch to reroute one of the pups to it's own wiring harness so I could switch between it running by itself through it's own controls and output, or in conjunction with the other pup in mono. It wouldn't be very hard to do, especially with the EMG GZR pups. They're as basic as it gets when it comes to wiring already which would be the perfect platform to start with.

Current layout


Mono / Stereo Layout


Extra Routing needed


You see what you have started?
Not inspired by Geddy Lee at all

And with an Explorer type headstock with custom engraved truss rod cover that I splurged a whole 22 bucks for.


Running in stereo through two amps with cabs, plus effects... the tonal, balance, and volume capabilities would be out of this world. And all done passively with no active electronics needed.

 

[Honkey tonk]

Pretty sure P pickups are wound with one clockwise and the other counter clock wise for the whole
Hum bucking thing that happens with running dos coils
Also Vice versa with polarity
.
Kinda think it would be best to run bolth coils the same direction ,any one have thoughts on this ?

 

[Clark W]

Pretty sure P pickups are wound with one clockwise and the other counter clock wise for the whole
Hum bucking thing that happens with running dos coils
Also Vice versa with polarity
.
Kinda think it would be best to run both coils the same direction ,any one have thoughts on this ?

I think I need to start a thread in "Pickups & Electronics" on this subject...
Will do that later today, got to go to work here in a few.

 

[Das Jugghead]

I did something similar using a Radial Bones Twin City ABY pedal into two Sansamp RBI's and finally into a custom 410 cabinet with two speakers dedicated for each Sansamp. BEST sound I had achieved up to that point. It took me awhile to stumble upon that. Individually each signal sounded meh. But together? PURE HEAVEN.

 

[Somanytoys]

Nice crown amp. I bet that does sound great.

Do you have each preamp set a little differently or the same? You can round your sound out a lot with minor changes between the settings of the preamps, even using the exact same equipment in both channels.

That is very cool.

*edit - just embiggened the pic and noticed you do have them set differently.
Very niiice...

 

[Clark W]

I did something similar using a Radial Bones Twin City ABY pedal into two Sansamp RBI's and finally into a custom 410 cabinet with two speakers dedicated for each Sansamp. BEST sound I had achieved up to that point. It took me awhile to stumble upon that. Individually each signal sounded meh. But together? PURE HEAVEN.
View attachment 3425815

Just running the bass out the 2 outputs of my Source Audio Flanger pedal to a GK and an Ampeg has awed me. Either the GK or Ampeg on it's own sounds pretty good, the GK to 2 10s, and the Ampeg to 1 15. But together, wow. Now it's time to get serious about really doing some dual channel stuff .

 

[Clark W]

I created a thread in the pickups and electronics section for the discussion of wiring the pups.
Going to stereo output while keeping mono capability, any ideas?