Recommendations for A/B box (2 guitars to 1 amp)

[T For Texas]

I have a big gig coming up and I don't want to plug and unplug guitars when I switch them out. I'd rather have both guitars plugged into an A/B box going into my amp so that I can just stomp on a pedal and be done with it. I'd prefer some with LEDs to show which path is active.

Any recommendations would be appreciated.

Thx!

 

[Alton]

Radial BigShot I/O.
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/BigShotIOv2

Has a tuner out also plus a separate mute switch

 

[8len8]

I have a big gig coming up and I don't want to plug and unplug guitars when I switch them out. I'd rather have both guitars plugged into an A/B box going into my amp so that I can just stomp on a pedal and be done with it. I'd prefer some with LEDs to show which path is active.

Any recommendations would be appreciated.

Thx!

Please use the search engine for "ABY". There are many threads on this topic already. The top favorites seem to be Radial Bigshot (buffered) and Lehle Little Dual (passive).

 

[64 Tele]

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/amplifiers-effects/fender-aby-footswitch
I've got this A/B/Y pedal and (so far) just used it for switching between/combining two amps, but it can be used the other way to switch between guitars going to a single amp.
Mine is dead quiet and it has LED to tell you which is engaged.

 

[Help!I'maRock!]

 

[bernm]

I agree. I used my LS-2 for this same purpose on Christmas Eve when playing at church, to swap between electric and acoustic. I was going through a DI straight to the board and the sound guy asked why he couldn't hear any pops when I swapped guitars. The LS-2 is a great swiss army pedal that's handy to have around, and not expensive either, especially if you grab one used.

 

[btjguitarman]

The JHS one is cheap ($50) and a mini enclosure. I've had one on my board (full disclosure-it'll likely be in the emporium soon out of superflouosity). LEDs and quiet

 

[stinkfoot]

To switch guitars (2 -> 1), all you need is a passive mechanical device. There's no need for buffers or isolation (in fact, if the AB is buffered, you need to make sure it's meant to be used this way - those are not interchangeable between 1 in/2 out use and 2 in/1 out). The simplest and cheapest you'll get is the EHX Switchblade, but any passive A/B switch should do the same job. The LS-2 is a good idea if you also could use a buffer at the start of the chain, and especially if you also want to be able to compensate for different guitars' output levels.

 

[TheoDog]

How long will you be on stage? How many guitar swaps?

I have found switching back and forth with plugged in guitars can easily result in tangled cables.

I find it much simpler to hit the tuner/mute, unplug guitar and stick plug in pocket, swap guitars, plug back in, spot check tuning, un mute. Got it down to about a 15 second process assuming tuning is good. Can't be much quicker unless a tech assists the handoff.

 

[adamagain]

 

[CarlGuitarist]

This is probably overkill, but thegigrig just released the thee2one. Has tons of functionality, and automatically senses if you have 2 or 3 guitars plugged in and cycles accordingly. Switchable buffer, gain pots for matching levels between guitars.

As I said, probably overkill, just wanted to throw it in the mix

 

[Jamie_Mitchell]

I have found switching back and forth with plugged in guitars can easily result in tangled cables.

it also introduces the possibility of knocking the unused, but plugged in, guitar over, by tripping/pulling on the cable...

 

[NielsM]

How long will you be on stage? How many guitar swaps?

I have found switching back and forth with plugged in guitars can easily result in tangled cables.

I find it much simpler to hit the tuner/mute, unplug guitar and stick plug in pocket, swap guitars, plug back in, spot check tuning, un mute. Got it down to about a 15 second process assuming tuning is good. Can't be much quicker unless a tech assists the handoff.

Thanks! I was thinking about buying a ABY switch as well, but haven't really thought about this.

it also introduces the possibility of knocking the unused, but plugged in, guitar over, by tripping/pulling on the cable...

This is something that would likely happen to me on stage....

 

[stinkfoot]

How long will you be on stage? How many guitar swaps?

I have found switching back and forth with plugged in guitars can easily result in tangled cables.

This is the main reason I haven't gotten around to doing this. I do some gigs where I have to switch between 3 different guitars, and keeping all three plugged in would create a right mess. If all my guitars were on wireless, it'd be a different story - then it'd really make sense to use an input selector of some kind (to switch between receivers). But for cabled guitars, I find this to be the best way of doing things:

I find it much simpler to hit the tuner/mute, unplug guitar and stick plug in pocket, swap guitars, plug back in, spot check tuning, un mute. Got it down to about a 15 second process assuming tuning is good. Can't be much quicker unless a tech assists the handoff.

 

[kdm1218]

I have a big gig coming up and I don't want to plug and unplug guitars when I switch them out. I'd rather have both guitars plugged into an A/B box going into my amp so that I can just stomp on a pedal and be done with it. I'd prefer some with LEDs to show which path is active.

Any recommendations would be appreciated.

Thx!

http://saturnworkspedals.com/product/ab-pedal/
Used this for quite a while- cheap, small, and gets the job done. Mine had a red and blue LED and I put pieces of corresponding electric tape next to inputs to keep myself straight. He will let you custom which side the 2 and 1 are on, and he's pretty quick on the turnaround.

 

[-Empire]

use an input selector of some kind (to switch between receivers)

Just put the transmitter in your back pocket, then you only have one of each! Shure GLX-D lives on my board, it's awesome.

 

[stinkfoot]

Just put the transmitter in your back pocket, then you only have one of each! Shure GLX-D lives on my board, it's awesome.

Of course, that works too

 

[rburkard]

Whether two guitarsa into one amp or one guitar into two or even three amps, Lehle has IMO the very best products.