SOLVED Two simulataneous inputs into a single input amp

[Keith Bolog]

....without an A/B switch?

SOLVED TWO WAYS using your suggestions thanks

1) EXPENSIVE 400++
On a single input amp with effects loop, in this case a Quilter 200 series head, steel goes to the input, and I run the guitar through an Effectrode Blackbird preamp to the effects return. Other preamps and guitars with active electronics also work. Pros: balanced, and separate eq control. Cons: cost and another power cord.

Side note: I use this pedal a lot to warm up any Class D amp, with 3 12AX7 tubes on board it 'is' a tube amp now without the weight. Also has a gain channel that gives authentic tube distortion. Recommended.

Pictures were found on web and used without permission...does anyone care?



2) CHEAP $39.
Saturnworks passive summer/mixer pedal. You can adjust each insrument until they balance and there is very little vol/tone interference. Pros: $ and small footprint. Con: you share the amp EQ




[[[[ EDIT: I play the guitar and steel often in the same song with the guitar at my side on a mount. On the sometimes teeny stage AB switching is a cluster**** on the fly. I know that you cant just combine the signals they wreak havoc. Some of these answers seem like a solution THANKS but Im lame and will have to digest what they mean. It is still an EQ compromise into one channel, but I get to try some of my 'darlings' that sound so good at home.

WHAT ABOUT fooling an amp that has an input and also a send and return loop? Havent found a way to use both.]]]]]]

Is there a trick? I play both instruments through my favorite single input rig(s) with A/B switch but when both steel and guitar are in the same tune, its awkward. not to mention the cable clutter. Thanks in advance.

[Pat Moore]

[b0b]

A passive adapter like the one Pat shows will affect the volume and tone of both instruments. Here's an idea. I haven't tried it, but it doesn't cost much and it might do the trick.
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail ... line-mixer

[John Poston]

I have used that behringer line mixer and it's fine a good job.

Another issue I've noticed with passive adapters is that if two people play together, one signal can interfere with the tone/volume of the other signal, they can be annoyingly interactive.

[Dave Hopping]

It gets complex, owing to the differing EQ requirements.... Dick Meis used to play steel with a guitar on his lap all the time and run the six string through the second channel on a Twin-Reverb.

If your single-channel amp has 2 inputs, you can run the six-string into a graphic EQ set to compensate, then into the second input. Set up that way, it seemed like the volume and tone controls on the 2 instruments didn't interact with each other. YMMV.

[John Poston]

I also just remembered, I recently learned of the existence of ABY pedals, which allow A or B or both together.

[Bill Hatcher]

this one cost more, but the return inputs where you can plug in 3 instruments has 1 meg input impedance that will see your guitar pickups nicely. you can also add some EQ. small size. very versatile.

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail ... llel-mixer

[b0b]

this one cost more, but the return inputs where you can plug in 3 instruments has 1 meg input impedance that will see your guitar pickups nicely. you can also add some EQ. small size. very versatile.

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail ... llel-mixer

That would be really cool for effects - running them in parallel instead of series!

[Fred Treece]

I also just remembered, I recently learned of the existence of ABY pedals, which allow A or B or both together.

+1
I use an ART Cool Switch, about 45 bucks. Does exactly what Keith wants, but can be used other ways too.

[Pete Burak]

I would recommend getting a 2 Channel amp like a Fender Twin Reverb. You can have it modded so the reverb works on both channels, if you want. Or, get another single channel amp for the other instrument. Sometimes I put a guitar amp on top of my Steel amp, which is good for sitting down and standing up.
I play Guitar and Steel on several tunes. I usually switch during our keyboard players solo.
Just turn the volume off for the instrument you are not using.

[Tony Prior]

As many before me have said, you need a BUFFER between the two instruments.

An AB pedal, a simple mixer like shown above or a two channel amp.

OR, seeing we normally don't play two instruments at the same time , unplug one and plug in the other. LOL

Laughing. I did that for a while with single input amps. Two cords hanging over the amp color coded !

Then I grad-yee-ated to a Morley AB Pedal and never looked back .

[Steve Lipsey]

I discovered Saturnworks...every possible kind of combiner...I use this active one to send the signals from my stereo instrument to my amp:
https://saturnworkspedals.com/product/s ... xer-pedal/

[George Biner]

You can of course develop an active switchbox that senses capacitance to ground of both the instruments and only gates "on" the one that you're touching.

On that note, I've always thought that armpit guitars should have a volume control that senses the angle of the neck -- push a button to get into volume change mode, then dip or raise the neck to raise the volume -- the more you move the neck, the more volume change you get. This would be much better than volume pedals that you have to, to keep the volume you set, take your foot off very carefully not to disturb the setting.

Or, make a volume pedal with a detented, sprung middle position and that works by increasing volume if pushed forward, decreasing if push back. Then you take your foot off and no change!

[Keith Bolog]

This is a classic case of 'if it could easily be done, someone would already be doing it'

I have a Henricksen Bud 10 with two discrete inputs/EQs/channels, and another amp with 2 inputs into one channel, and Im surviving OK. Just looking to experiment with some other, single input amps on stage, and not having to break stride to find the AB pedal and keep all the cabling off in the distance.

Keep ideas coming please dont close this thread yet.

[Jim Palenscar]

Most Quilters have this ability built in.

[Fred Treece]

This is a classic case of 'if it could easily be done, someone would already be doing it'.

It can be as simple or complex as you want it to be.

The ABY switch allows both instruments to be on at all times, plugged into one amp input with very little effect on tone or volume. You can have the switch 100 feet away if you want.

The other ideas involving preamps would work too, but they, along with buying a new amp with multiple inputs, are much more expensive plans.

One thing that hasn’t been mentioned is the use of amp-modeling multi-FX units. Technically, this is pretty much the same as the separate preamp idea. If your amp has an FX send/return you could program a preamp model in the FX unit for Instrument 1 using the amp’s Return as an input, and go straight into the front of the amp with Instrument 2. I do this with a Mesa Boogie Mark IIC.

[Jack Stoner]

Most Quilters have this ability built in.

My TB202 amp only one instrument input.

The Steelaire does have two.

Peavey Steel amps have two inputs (but not switchable like the Quilter Steelaire).

[Keith Bolog]

Im curious if ABY box presents the problem of the signals interfering with each other, like the splitter did.

Ill try that guitar straight in/ steel-preamp-return in. I did not know you could do that.

[Fred Treece]

Im curious if ABY box presents the problem of the signals interfering with each other, like the splitter did.

Ill try that guitar straight in/ steel-preamp-return in. I did not know you could do that.

It can be done if you have control of the amp’s fx loop with the multi fx unit.

[Allan Revich]

I discovered Saturnworks...every possible kind of combiner...I use this active one to send the signals from my stereo instrument to my amp:
https://saturnworkspedals.com/product/s ... xer-pedal/

These guys have your answer. The active model allows complete channel separation, even with both instruments in “ready to play” mode,

[Ken Pippus]

The Peavey Vegas was designed with this issue in mind!

[Edward Dixon]

Has anyone tried 2 wireless transmitters into one receiver? it works and No cables needed!

[Keith Bolog]

solved for now

[b0b]

What did you settle on, Keith?

[Steve Lipsey]

He told me he went for a Saturnworks combiner