simple cheap aby pedal (used or new)
- Thread starter MNaps
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thesjkexperienc
^^^ I made this guitar^^^
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Morely makes one that is actually 3 way for very little money and on sale at Prymax. However; if you are using this for a two amp set up look at the Fulltone True-Path. It is not that much more and you will find the buffer, phase switch and ground loop switch to be well worth the extra cost.
Yep problem is usually in Y position when using a cheap passive splitter if your trying to do a dual amp/drive thing. For a A/B setup most passive $30-40 will get job done, in a dual amp Y thing you open a whole new can of worms. Something active/buffered so you don't get vol drop and controls for handling phase and ground loop issues. But certain fuzz don't like buffers setting in front of them, so there's that.
MNaps
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Thats a good point man. Well i want to have the alberta on as low gain then switch to the fuzz for higher gain without having to tap dance n turn the alberta off n fuzz on, then i would like the option to have both on at the same time...also i have pedals before and after those 2 in my signal chain, how would i connect the aby in that way?
So your running 2 amps? Or one?
stevel
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- 14,651
Mnaps - you're trying to do this in a single amp, with a single input?
Let's say your run your guitar into the A/B/Y, then put the fuzz on the A side, the trex on the B side. Yes, you could step on A/B to toggle between them, or Y to have the signal go through both.
But...
You'd have to re-combine them to get them to the amp. You'd need either a dual input style amp like a Fender Blackface which has Normal and Vibrato channels - but it has to be a non-reverb model as things like a Deluxe Reverb or Twin Reverb, etc. all have the channels out of phase, meaning using both together will likely create a huge volume loss on most settings.
Likewise, if you have another amp with two inputs, one will usually be hotter than the other. You could compensate for this with the volume on the each pedal. However, if you use both pedals again, those two inputs need to be in-phase.
And whenever you combine both signals, there's going to be a change. It's not like "stacking" the pedals.
Finally, you could run them into a SECOND A/B/Y just set on Y. A/B/Y boxes work both ways - 1 input into 2 outputs, OR, 2 inputs to 1 output.
So both paths would always be "open" - your trex would feed into the A side of the second A/B/Y and the fuzz into the B side (for example).
The only problems can be - every time you split and re-combine those signals, you get signal loss or interference, and since the second ABY has to be on Y all the time, there can be leakage from the A path of the first one while off, or, the drive pedals just being on will run noise down the line.
A far better solution if this is what you're trying to do, is to get a Looper pedal. No, not the kind you record something on and have it play back!
You connect your trex in loop 1, and the fuzz in loop 2, and have both on. You get a looper that lets you toggle between loop 1 and 2. with one button push.
There are many people who make custom loopers and you can tell them you want one button to toggle between the two pedals, and one to combine loops 1+2.
Most of the guys who build these charge very reasonable rates. However, you have to order it and wait for it most of the time.
You'd want something like this:
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/BlackLoop
But with the ability to toggle back and forth between loops with ONE button push (and a bypass to bypass both loops would be useful).
The problem with the one I linked to would be it would be no different than just stepping on your existing pedals! It's only good if you have more than 1 pedal in each loop.
You're probably going to be getting into around $200 for one that will do A or B, A and B, and complete bypass, set up with single button pushes to toggle, combine, and bypass.
Something like this:
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/OC5P
Lets you PROGRAM each button to access various loops - button 1 could be trex, 2 could be fuzz, 3 could be both on, and 4 could be bypass. Ones that are programmable usually let you set it up so that pressing button 2 defeats any other loop that's on, but not all do, and most non-programmable loopers don't have any one button defeat any other loop that's on. So those are things you need to find out.
But that's what you need to avoid the pedal dance.
Of course you can still put pedals before or after the looper box, and can even put effects in the loop with the trex and fuzz if there's something that only ever gets used with either.
HTH,
Steve
Let's say your run your guitar into the A/B/Y, then put the fuzz on the A side, the trex on the B side. Yes, you could step on A/B to toggle between them, or Y to have the signal go through both.
But...
You'd have to re-combine them to get them to the amp. You'd need either a dual input style amp like a Fender Blackface which has Normal and Vibrato channels - but it has to be a non-reverb model as things like a Deluxe Reverb or Twin Reverb, etc. all have the channels out of phase, meaning using both together will likely create a huge volume loss on most settings.
Likewise, if you have another amp with two inputs, one will usually be hotter than the other. You could compensate for this with the volume on the each pedal. However, if you use both pedals again, those two inputs need to be in-phase.
And whenever you combine both signals, there's going to be a change. It's not like "stacking" the pedals.
Finally, you could run them into a SECOND A/B/Y just set on Y. A/B/Y boxes work both ways - 1 input into 2 outputs, OR, 2 inputs to 1 output.
So both paths would always be "open" - your trex would feed into the A side of the second A/B/Y and the fuzz into the B side (for example).
The only problems can be - every time you split and re-combine those signals, you get signal loss or interference, and since the second ABY has to be on Y all the time, there can be leakage from the A path of the first one while off, or, the drive pedals just being on will run noise down the line.
A far better solution if this is what you're trying to do, is to get a Looper pedal. No, not the kind you record something on and have it play back!
You connect your trex in loop 1, and the fuzz in loop 2, and have both on. You get a looper that lets you toggle between loop 1 and 2. with one button push.
There are many people who make custom loopers and you can tell them you want one button to toggle between the two pedals, and one to combine loops 1+2.
Most of the guys who build these charge very reasonable rates. However, you have to order it and wait for it most of the time.
You'd want something like this:
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/BlackLoop
But with the ability to toggle back and forth between loops with ONE button push (and a bypass to bypass both loops would be useful).
The problem with the one I linked to would be it would be no different than just stepping on your existing pedals! It's only good if you have more than 1 pedal in each loop.
You're probably going to be getting into around $200 for one that will do A or B, A and B, and complete bypass, set up with single button pushes to toggle, combine, and bypass.
Something like this:
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/OC5P
Lets you PROGRAM each button to access various loops - button 1 could be trex, 2 could be fuzz, 3 could be both on, and 4 could be bypass. Ones that are programmable usually let you set it up so that pressing button 2 defeats any other loop that's on, but not all do, and most non-programmable loopers don't have any one button defeat any other loop that's on. So those are things you need to find out.
But that's what you need to avoid the pedal dance.
Of course you can still put pedals before or after the looper box, and can even put effects in the loop with the trex and fuzz if there's something that only ever gets used with either.
HTH,
Steve
Last edited:
paulitk
Member
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- 946
EHX Switchblade Plus. I love it. I use it mostly to run my Vox and Fender in stereo, but sometimes I'll split off my gain pedals with it, when I play my AC-15 and the hum gets really loud.
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/ampl...monix-switchblade-channel-selector-footswitch
It works without power too. You just lose the LED.
I dig it. You can get in your range if you find a used one or get a coupon.
stevel
Member
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- 14,651
Right - ABY is not what you need.
Looper with A or B and A+B (and bypass) is what you want.
That Gigrig G2 is pretty expensive. If you've got that kind of money to throw around, fine, but there are probably other options out there that are more cost-effective and maybe more precise to your needs - especially if you're not gigging professionally or something like that.
I use modeler pedals with preset patches to avoid the pedal dance (but still find myself having to do 2 or 3 pushes a lot of times) and considered going to a looper system with analog pedals - but I just can't justify the price (I'm poor). So unless I've got a job that requires that kind of pedalboard, I doubt I'll ever invest in one.
So before dropping that 1200+, make sure it's what you need.
MNaps
Member
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- 147
Found this.. http://www.loop-master.com/cleandirty-loop-switcher-wcombinable-loops-p-240.html
But now im wondering if also having a bypass switch on it would be convenient..does something like that exist?
But now im wondering if also having a bypass switch on it would be convenient..does something like that exist?
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You can make your own- im in process of making a 5 channel looper- $70 in parts
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