anyone run a clean/dirty a/b rig?

justinhedrick · March 22, 2011, 11:11:42 AM

i'm thinking of re-thinking my setup and running a clean head w/ my effects (distortion pedal included) and a dirty head with just dirt (no effects) to kick in during the loud parts.

anyone done this with great success??

grimniggzy · March 22, 2011, 11:40:20 AM

I don't really see the point unless the clean head is actually clean (i.e. no distortion)

I'll do this sometimes with my Sunn Beta Bass, it has 2 inputs for seperate channels and a both channel.

my signal will look like this...

P bass--->Tuner>Boss OC-2>QTron>SIGNAL SPLITS HERE>RAT II--->Channel 1 on Beta
>Chorus--->Channel 2 on Beta

I split the signal with this...
http://www.loop-master.com/product_info.php?cPath=26&products_id=33

It allows me to switch from Channel 1 (Dirty) to Channel 2 (Clean), as well as run both simultaneously.

LogicalFrank · March 22, 2011, 11:52:13 AM

I always start out w/ that idea and end up just running them both dirty all the time, controlling the distortion w/ the volume knob on my guitar just like I would w/ one amp. Two amp setups are cool but end up opening a can of worms and have the very distinct disadvantage of you having to carry more amps around. Running a clean and dirty amp at the same time is kind of cool but also a bit weird in a way you might not expect. The dynamics on the distorted amp are going to be compressed compared to the clean amp so when you play w/ a gentle attack, the distorted amp will be louder. As you dig in a bit more, you can hear the cleans more. It is a nifty effect and sort of makes me feel like I'm playing the clean guitar floating on a cloud of fuzz when I do it. You can do some cool stuff splitting your signal w/ a stereo delay too. In the end, it always feels a bit gimmicky or unnatural to me so I wind up just running the hell out of everything. Of course, if you intend to run either/or and not both that isn't an issue.

justinhedrick · March 22, 2011, 12:06:41 PM

well, i was wanting to use them all at once, then either. does that make sense?

Baltar · March 22, 2011, 01:19:20 PM

That would be a weird sound. Sounds like something Billy Corgan would do in the studio.

justinhedrick · March 22, 2011, 01:35:16 PM

i think it will sound pretty cool, but i'd probably have to radically eq the "dirty" amp to get it to stick out when i have my distortion pedal on on my "clean" amp. i'm going to try it and see what happens.

LogicalFrank · March 22, 2011, 03:10:24 PM

Both amps distorted will sound great.

justinhedrick · March 22, 2011, 04:00:56 PM

Quote from: LogicalFrank on March 22, 2011, 03:10:24 PM
Both amps distorted will sound great.

very true frank . . . oh the possibilities.

Jake · March 22, 2011, 04:30:19 PM

Sorta. I sometimes run a dirty + dirtier stereo setup.

hayseed · March 22, 2011, 04:56:36 PM

When i played guitar in my last band, i used a Radial Big Shot ABY to split the sound between a Marshall MA50 with a 1936 cab and a Vox Ac50 combo. I ran the AC50 slightly overdriven and the Marshall was dialed just a tad on the clean side. I loved that sound (it sounded better with a JCM2000 and a 1960a cab). I used both amps at once for the majority of the set. It kind of reminded me of John Christ's tone from the ST Danzig album mixed with a bit of Tim Sult. I have used the AC50 in combination with several amps including an Orange Tiny Terror head with 2x12. Personally its the only way i fly. Creates an original tone to say the least.

I don't think that one running straight clean and the other running dirty will sound that great but...try it out. There is the downside of carrying more amps but i switched to using combos and and 2x12s for that reason. Of course then you need to remember all of the extra cable!

Hemisaurus · March 22, 2011, 11:28:48 PM

This is why people start using pre/power amp setups, or using a JC-120.

Mike_Sims · March 23, 2011, 12:31:27 AM

doesn't the guitarist in Colour Haze do that?

LogicalFrank · March 23, 2011, 10:36:52 AM

If you look through the rigs on GuitarGeek, it seems like a lot of dudes have separate amps from cleans. Very popular to have an old Fender combo for cleans and then a Marshall or Mesa or something for dirt. It is a lot easier done when you have a road crew, that's for sure, but I've carried a stack and a half to gigs for just myself and lived to tell. Of course, I had them all turned all the way up all the time but that is a different thing entirely...

spookstrickland · March 23, 2011, 09:42:44 PM

The Marshall-Fender combo is very nice. I used to run a Fender Champ with my JCM 800 and it was great!

Quote from: LogicalFrank on March 23, 2011, 10:36:52 AM
If you look through the rigs on GuitarGeek, it seems like a lot of dudes have separate amps from cleans. Very popular to have an old Fender combo for cleans and then a Marshall or Mesa or something for dirt. It is a lot easier done when you have a road crew, that's for sure, but I've carried a stack and a half to gigs for just myself and lived to tell. Of course, I had them all turned all the way up all the time but that is a different thing entirely...

peyotepeddler · March 23, 2011, 11:52:38 PM

Quote from: Mike_Sims on March 23, 2011, 12:31:27 AM
doesn't the guitarist in Colour Haze do that?

i was thinking the same thing, he runs two amps, four cabs

i especially noticed this with "all", there are some fairly saturated passages, yet this very articulate "clicky" undertone in the tunes