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Y-instrument cable? issues?

R

rockstarbassist

Inactive
Apr 30, 2002
9,093
32
The Woodlands, TX
www.reverbnation.com
Disclosures
Endorsing Artist: HCAF
#1
Anyone use these regularly, either from 2 pickups/outputs on the bass to 1 on the amp or 1 from the bass to 2 amps/preamps?

Was just wondering if there were any signal or quality issues I'd be worried about, as this would solve more than one problem for me! :)

I know they can be made, I just wasn't sure how well they stood up or if there were again signal loss problems, etc..

I'd search, but "Y" is under 3 char's long! ;)
 
#2
All those bass electrons are bigger than your guitarist's little girlie man electrons and they will get stuck at the junction unless you use "wire lube". You pour it into the female end and wait for 11 minutes. Then like an electronic enema those little basseys get loose. You will think you are Billy Sheehan or Beaver Felton the way the notes fly. You will need some "bass note fly paper" to catch the excess. Both this "bass note fly paper", available in extra absorbant and the "original wire lube" are available at my website. I can't tell you the name as that would be illegal advertising.
 
#4
chadds said:
All those bass electrons are bigger than your guitarist's little girlie man electrons and they will get stuck at the junction unless you "wire lube". You pour it into the female end and wait for 11 minutes. Then like an electronic enema those little basseys get loose. You will think you are Billy Sheehan or Beaver Felton the way the notes fly. You will need some "bass note fly paper" to catch the excess. Both this "bass note fly paper", available in extra absorbant and the "original wire lube" are available at my website. I can't tell you the name as that would be illegal advertising.
Click to expand...

Linky? :)
 
#5
I use one.
Single male - two female. One side to amp, one side to powered mixer for a little FOH bass support when playing with a horn fronted quintet w/vocals. Once in a while to feed a second amp.

Don't think there's an issue with signal loss for a two way split. I used a ~5' length of two pair, shielded audio cable. The length keeps the weight of the two jacks on the floor, not hanging from the bass.

M.
 
#6
There can be impedance issues because you are essentially putting two circuits in parallel.

For instance, wire one passive and one active bass to a single amp input, and you'll find the two basses will interact undesireably and often unpredictably.

Vice versa, splitting your signal. Your precious bass signal is being split between two impedances. If one impedance is significantly lower than the other then it loads the signal more and both signals will suffer. This is especially so for passive basses because they produce very, very small currents.

Another issue, ground loops are sometimes created between equipment via the Y split. You can avoid this by ensuring the Y split only has the ground connected to one of the Y's.

YMMV wildly, so if you can, try before you buy (or make!)
 
#7
I think you'd be better off shelling out for one of these Invalid Link Removed.



chadds said:
All those bass electrons are bigger than your guitarist's little girlie man electrons and they will get stuck at the junction unless you use "wire lube". You pour it into the female end and wait for 11 minutes. Then like an electronic enema those little basseys get loose. You will think you are Billy Sheehan or Beaver Felton the way the notes fly. You will need some "bass note fly paper" to catch the excess. Both this "bass note fly paper", available in extra absorbant and the "original wire lube" are available at my website. I can't tell you the name as that would be illegal advertising.
Click to expand...
Funniest thing I've read in a long time.
edit:
From Google Chadds
 
#9
niftydog said:
There can be impedance issues because you are essentially putting two circuits in parallel.
Click to expand...

If you are Y-ing from two jacks' outputs that are hooked to passive electronics/pickups it's little different than a bass where it's connected to a blend or a 3-way switch or two volume knobs. Yes, there is loading - with ALL of the above passive systems. The main difference is that the Y-cable/two jacks scenario is external, really.
 
#10
I've had that problem before when trying to plug 2 instruments into one amp. Didn't know what it meant then, just thought it was funny that turning my volume knob changed the other guy's volume too (made him louder)! Also, when we both played it was quieter than when only one of us played.

Now I understand why :bassist:
 
#11
I have a Y cable that I use to run signal into two preamps and it works fine. I was concerned about signal loss, but I haven't noticed any.

It's from Lava cable, and it is canare cable with neutrik connectors, definitely well made. Cost me about 30 bucks and I was able to get the length of the leads to my specs.
 

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