How to run Multi-amp rigs

[OlinMusic]

I spent years with the "2 min" set up. I played a lot of clubs with just a Blues Jr. and a Fulldrive 2 and was on and off stage like a rocket.

Lately, I have discovered bigger sounds, and want to run a multi-amp rig. Any suggestions? Certain brands liek the Headbone or Morley Tripler?

Any ideas on what amps you would use and how to go? 2 dirty amps? One clean? One stack and maybe going direct with POD thru house system?

Ideas anyone?


I am going for a rig that is still somewhat reasonable to move around. I am not going for th Smashing Pumpkins rig in the other thread. lol

 

[some_dude]

Re: How to run Multi-amp rigs

It all depends on what you want...

Are you going for a two amp clean/dirty setup?

Wet/Dry rig for stereo delay?

Stereo Chorus?

Ect....

 

[Low_fidelity2100]

Re: How to run Multi-amp rigs

1. If your just looking to run two amps at the same time, Get a boss super chorus and it'll split your signal (quietly too), and you can run it to two amps at once, and ya can also get a radical stereo chorus at the same time if you choose. And they're cheap too (run about $80 new).

2. If your looking to switch between two amps (one clean, one dirty or whatever), Just get an a/b/y box. Cheap and easy solution. And If you run any pedals After the aby, you can set up different effects for each amp. So ya don't have to try and stomp three pedals at once just to go from Clean with chorus and delay to Dirty with wah or whatever.

#2 Thats how I always had my stuff set up when I was giggin (before the band broke up). Makes it much easyer than trying to Stomp 3 pedals, Play, and Still sing without messing up something.

 

[GuitarStv]

Re: How to run Multi-amp rigs

1. If your just looking to run two amps at the same time, Get a boss super chorus and it'll split your signal (quietly too), and you can run it to two amps at once, and ya can also get a radical stereo chorus at the same time if you choose. And they're cheap too (run about $80 new).

2. If your looking to switch between two amps (one clean, one dirty or whatever), Just get an a/b/y box. Cheap and easy solution. And If you run any pedals After the aby, you can set up different effects for each amp. So ya don't have to try and stomp three pedals at once just to go from Clean with chorus and delay to Dirty with wah or whatever.

#2 Thats how I always had my stuff set up when I was giggin (before the band broke up). Makes it much easyer than trying to Stomp 3 pedals, Play, and Still sing without messing up something.

+1
That's what I do too, but I use a boss delay. Check out all the stereo pedals in the music shop. You'll find most of them can be used to split the signal cleanly when off.

 

[Bludave]

Re: How to run Multi-amp rigs

I spent years with the "2 min" set up. I played a lot of clubs with just a Blues Jr. and a Fulldrive 2 and was on and off stage like a rocket.

Lately, I have discovered bigger sounds, and want to run a multi-amp rig. Any suggestions? Certain brands liek the Headbone or Morley Tripler?

Any ideas on what amps you would use and how to go? 2 dirty amps? One clean? One stack and maybe going direct with POD thru house system?

Ideas anyone?


I am going for a rig that is still somewhat reasonable to move around. I am not going for th Smashing Pumpkins rig in the other thread. lol

For the last 15 years I have been playing thru a late 60's Super reverb that I A/B with a Marshall 900 50W combo. I did this because at the time I could not find any channel switching amps that I felt could give me what I was getting from these 2. The Marshall combo was a bit of a compromise so I did not have to carry a 4 12" cab (I'm getting to old for that crap).
I had to make my own board so I could run different effects thru each amp. The Marshall has an effects loop, and the Fender doesn't. My board is pretty basic..... in the Fender I use a Boss CE2, DD3, and a TS9. In the Marshall I have a DOD TR3 which is a multi effect pedal that runs thru the loop. This has delay, chorus and distortion (I never use the distortion on this). In the front end of the Marshall I run an original Marshall BB pedal. I use this to push the Marshall a little more when I need to, and on ocassions I will use the clean channel and the BB. Both amps come together to a Morley A/B/Y box which allows me to use either amp or both. Then I have my Wah and Tuner in front so I can use the Wah in either amp also. The tuner that I use has a monitor so when I turn it on it kills the signal to the amp. In my signature there are some photos of the layout.

This has worked really well for me, but it is a real pain to have to carry all this from GIG to GIG.

Recently I bought a Bogner Shiva 1 12" Combo and although I have not has anywhere near as much playing time on this yet. This will certainly make my life a lot easier. The Shivas cleans are beautiful, but different than the Fender...... More Plexi like. The Drive channel on the Shiva I am still dialing in a little, but it has all the things I need in one box. Now I just have to figure out which Delay and Chorus I will use with it.

 

[Animal]

Re: How to run Multi-amp rigs

Is it possible to use a stereo cab to run two different heads at the same time and/or switch between heads turning the left side on and the right side off .etc?

 

[PUCKBOY99]

Re: How to run Multi-amp rigs

I run my amps thru one of these....works great!!!

http://www.startouchpedals.com/home.html

:beerchug:

 

[OlinMusic]

Re: How to run Multi-amp rigs

Joe Bonamassa raves about those StarTouch pedals

I must admit I have a Morley ABY and it makes soooo much noise and colors my tone a bit.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: How to run Multi-amp rigs

I had a Lehle, but stopped using it and sold it. It was pretty transparent, but I hated the switch buttons, because the design allowed cables to get stuck under the switch.

My favorite thing is to use a stereo pedal, so both amps are always on.
Set the channel switching amp up for clean and gain. Set a single channel amp up for a pushed midgain tone. When you're on the clean channel, the other amp is giving the tone a little bit of bite. When you're on the gain channel, the other amp is less gainy, and gives the gain more fundamental attack. By running your second amp in between your clean and gain, it makes both channels sound heavier. Try it sometime.

 

[PUCKBOY99]

Re: How to run Multi-amp rigs

Joe Bonamassa raves about those StarTouch pedals

I must admit I have a Morley ABY and it makes soooo much noise and colors my tone a bit.

I had a Morley & exactly....very noisy hissy.....

I thought about getting a Lehle, but they're double the price of the Startouch....then I stumbled on a used Startouch for $55.00 shipped thru a guy I dealt with in the past on The Gear Page & figured it was worth the shot.

Great box for a little more than $100.00 new:bigthumb:

 

[OlinMusic]

Re: How to run Multi-amp rigs

hmmm so the STARTOUCH?

GEAR's IDEA IS VERRRRRRRRRRRRRRY INTRIGUING!
VERRRRRRRRRRRRRY!
hmmmmmmmm, must goto laboratory!

 

[PUCKBOY99]

Re: How to run Multi-amp rigs

hmmm so the STARTOUCH?

GEAR's IDEA IS VERRRRRRRRRRRRRRY INTRIGUING!
VERRRRRRRRRRRRRY!
hmmmmmmmm, must goto laboratory!

Very intriguing indeed:bigthumb:

 

[shaka]

Re: How to run Multi-amp rigs

Here's how I do it:

Guitar hits a comp, trem, wah, and tube screamer. I have a little splitter that I bought for six bucks (just a little cord that splits the signal) that goes from the out of the tube screamer. One side of the splitter goes into my main amp which I use for everything from clean to dirt. The main amp is always on.

The second side of the splitter goes into a delay, chorus, volume pedal, and reverb before hitting amp number two. Amp number two is generally left clean to slightly overdriven.. I use the volume pedal to bring the second amps volume up so that it combines perfectly with amp number one depending on what effect I'm trying to achieve.

When I want to play a lead I hit the tube screamer which nails the input of both amps and gives me a volume boost. This setup can give me a lot of different tones depending on how I set the effects and volume of the second amp.

My amp setup has changed over the years. Currently I'm running a Hot Cat and DC30 as amp number one and two respectively. When I was poorer I ran an Ampeg Reverebrocket as amp number one and a Fender Ultimate Chorus as amp number two. I have to be honest, while my Hot Cat and DC30 are both killer amps I used to get a ton of compliments when I ran the Reverberocket and Ultimate Chorus. I think this type of setup can be awesome even with cheaper gear. The key is that amp number one needs to be a tube amp with a decent overdrive. Just the other day I ran the Reverberocket as one and a silverface champ as two. Granted, I had to keep the volume lower on the reverbrocket so the champ could keep up but it sounded awesome.

Ok, I've gone long enough. If you have questions write 'em.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: How to run Multi-amp rigs

Was it ever decided if you wanted a "one or the other" set up or a "more than one at a time" set up?

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: How to run Multi-amp rigs

One thing to remember about a stereo setup, especially if one amp is set cleaner than the other. When you turn on an OD pedal, the cleaner amp will jump up higher in volume than the distorted amp. That's the only drawback, if you consider it one.

 

[shaka]

Re: How to run Multi-amp rigs

One thing to remember about a stereo setup, especially if one amp is set cleaner than the other. When you turn on an OD pedal, the cleaner amp will jump up higher in volume than the distorted amp. That's the only drawback, if you consider it one.

In my case the clean amp is usually low enough that it doesn't overpower the distorted amp. I just bring enough of the clean amp in to add flavor, not compete on an equal footing volume wise.

 

[some_dude]

Re: How to run Multi-amp rigs

For my setup I run one amp dry and send a line out into a delay, which sends it's repeats into a second amp. I adjust the volume of the second amp so that volume of the repeats sound ballanced.

I like GJ's method as mixing different tone/gain levels gives a bigger sound, but I found that for delay/echo having two distinct preamp tones (one of which is repeating) sounded odd. I prefered the sound of a single preamp being echo'd in a second amp.

 

[shaka]

Re: How to run Multi-amp rigs

For my setup I run one amp dry and send a line out into a delay, which sends it's repeats into a second amp. I adjust the volume of the second amp so that volume of the repeats sound ballanced.

I like GJ's method as mixing different tone/gain levels gives a bigger sound, but I found that for delay/echo having two distinct preamp tones (one of which is repeating) sounded odd. I prefered the sound of a single preamp being echo'd in a second amp.

Just depends what style music you play. If I was playing metal or even hard rock I'd probably do what you do and slave a second amp off the first preamp..

I mostly play rock that has a lot of arpeggiated chords. Think Gin Blossoms, Toad the Wet Sprocket, and Cracker. I love jangle! However, I can play hard rock and even metal with my setup. I just crank up the distortion on the second amp and let it rock. Most of the time it sounds huge. Many great guitar tones on recordings are a combination of different amps being recorded at the same time.