Using pedals in a dual mono ("Bi-Amp") set up.

[ampegfuzz]

I'm thinking of playing with my Ric-O-Sound and seeing what some set ups might be for some one splitting their signal BEFORE the pedal boards and amps. And maybe some Do's and Don'ts in this situation. My idea is to run my V4B with the treble pickup into a flat back 810 and my bass pickup into a SVT and slm era 810. I may just skip the Ric-O-Sound and split AFTER the board but I would like to play with the other way first. If I split after the board amps and uses would remain the same.

 

[Derek Balonek]

If you split it before, there would be separate effects on each amp. It would be a cool layered sound. Some effects work better on each pickup as well. Or you could do l dry/wet with the effects on the bridge pickup. I don't believe you have to worry about loading when splitting signal either. Sounds like a cool plan. Only problem is if you want the same effect on both channels, you'll need two.

 

[ampegfuzz]

I have some "doubles". I have 3 muffs, 2 rats, and 2 overdrives. Only one wah, phaser and delay.

 

[alec]

That sounds like a massive system!
I'd go for it and use the Ric-o-Sound. I don't think there'd be much to worry about except making sure things are in phase and everything sounds wicked. Not that I've played a Ric before.

 

[Unrepresented]

I use a Lehle Little Dual to split between two amps. I split before my board, but keep my "clean" side limited to just my Bass Drive.

I don't know the ric-o-sound set up, but there are a few pedals that sound better with phase inversion when blended, having that option is helpful.

 

[ampegfuzz]

It's a TRS cable that sends one to bridge one to neck. That's what I think anyway.

 

[Unrepresented]

It's a TRS cable that sends one to bridge one to neck. That's what I think anyway.

Ok, but no advanced features like channel selection or phase inversion? That's one of the nice things about an amp selector pedal. You're not limited to having an amp always on.

 

[ampegfuzz]

I would have to find a switcher that either had a TRS input or dual inputs. Which probably doesn't exist.

 

[alec]

Something would exist because other people do it.

edit - you could just use a TRS to dual mono cable

 

[ampegfuzz]

Yeah but if I run into a phase problem, what then?

 

[caeman]

Yeah but if I run into a phase problem, what then?

You put a pedal in one of the chains to would allow to correct the phase so they both match.

 

[bassbrad]

Going with Rick-O-Sound or using a stereo bass offers a lot of possibilities for effects blending and i have not encountered any phase issues with my past experiments.
Chris Squire is the one player that has done the most with a dual amp set up so checking his results is a good idea.

 

[Gero]

I run it like this...

Bass>od>stereo buffered splitter>fuzz>od>octave>delay>Amp 1
------------------------------->fuzz>phase>delay>reverb>Amp 2

It allows me to do a lot of "blending." Best setup I've ever put together, and no phase issues thus far. Now I need to add a bypass switch to one out of the splitter (just in case).

 

[bongomania]

The FEA mixer pedal is one of the very best tools possible for this, because it has not just phase inversion, but complete phase rotation anywhere between 0 and 180, as well as several other killer features.

 

[KodyAudette]

I run a similar system. I run my bass to an ART Tube Pre-Amp then into an Ashly crossover. This way I can split the bass signal from the mids and highs. I run the bass signal through a DBX compressor and a Behringer Bass processor while running all of the mids and highs through any effects (Overdrive, Wah, Chorus, Flanger, Delay) then a harmonic Exciter, then mix the signals back together before running into my Power amp. The beauty about processing just the highs is that no matter what you do to your signal, there is always a very strong, solid presence on the low end and since you're not adding extra overtones from chorus or overdrive to the bass frequencies, I don't get that mid-range mud bassists using effects know all too well.



You could probably implement a similar setup by cutting all the highs from the neck pickup while leaving them all in the bridge and process them separately.

 

[ga_edwards]

I run a similar but smaller rig from my Attitude bass

Split P pickup goes through eq to remove lows, boost mids, into compression (quite heavy) into overdrive (2 switchable settings, light and distortion)
Neck woofer pickup into eq to fine tune any mud out of the signal, into compression, into octaver.
Both signal mixed via boss LS2 into BBM fuzz, into tuner, into amp.

I love the clarity and smooth grit I get in the mids and top end, whilst the low end remains full and punchy. I put the fuzz at the end and mixing the 2 signals get create different colour tones.

 

[Unrepresented]

The FEA mixer pedal is one of the very best tools possible for this, because it has not just phase inversion, but complete phase rotation anywhere between 0 and 180, as well as several other killer features.

That sounds incredibly useful. Didn't know such options existed.

As for muddy midrange issues that occur when not using a crossover, I don't feel as if that's an overwhelming issue for me. I typically like a good chunk of mids and highs in my tone. You can always scoop one side if need be.

 

[KodyAudette]

Putting an octaver on the low channel's a great idea, that way it's basically just adding in the extra fundamental rather than a ton of extra filler. I'll have to try that!

 

[ampegfuzz]

I run it like this...

Bass>od>stereo buffered splitter>fuzz>od>octave>delay>Amp 1
------------------------------->fuzz>phase>delay>reverb>Amp 2

It allows me to do a lot of "blending." Best setup I've ever put together, and no phase issues thus far. Now I need to add a bypass switch to one out of the splitter (just in case).

So are your amps set up one high end and one low? And how does the phaser sound only going to one amp rig.

 

[Gero]

So are your amps set up one high end and one low? And how does the phaser sound only going to one amp rig.

Kind of. "Amp1" is a sunn 200s, and "Amp2" is a Univox 1221. The univox is technically a guitar amp, and certainly more highs compared to the 200s. Both amps run through 2x15's.
If I'm using the phaser by itself, and playing anything but "clean" through the sunn, it kind of gets lost. Works better in unison with the delay/verb to create some notches, in a way.

I have a lot of freedom with this setup, and can use it just as well with guitar when I feel the need.

Actual gear used...
SSBS Mountain Range or one of my circuits, to both amps (before splitter)
Mountainking Magnetar>OC2>Mountainking Behemoth II>DD3>200s
Fuzzhugger ABsynth5k>Small Stone>EQD Disaster Transport>Dr.Scientist RRR> 1221