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Post by mmattheww on Jan 29, 2006 16:18:05 GMT -7
any recommendations on a/b boxes out there for amp switching? i read about the startouch st-1. i just don't want something that will suck my tone, as i've read the morley one will. (emphasis on read)
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Post by benttop (Steve) on Jan 29, 2006 16:37:52 GMT -7
I have a Radial JX-2 here that does a fine job. In addition to doing the A/B job, it has a boost with a mid boost switch, it has a drag control to make it affect your amp the same way as your guitar does, and it has a ground lift and phase switch. Works pretty goodly here. Check it out: www.tonebone.com/tbone-jx2.htm
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Post by joekondziella on Jan 29, 2006 18:41:53 GMT -7
The startouch got a good review in Tonequest mag a while back. I've also been gassin' a little for one.
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Post by billyguitar on Jan 29, 2006 18:53:33 GMT -7
I've used a Rapco and a Whirlwind. They both seemed fine to me. The extra tweakability of the Radial would be of great interest to me. Check Harmony Central, see what others say. Pay close attention to the experience the reviewers mention and their other gear. That will be some guage as to how serious to take their review.
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Post by zdogma on Jan 29, 2006 20:55:21 GMT -7
I second the vote for the radial. It works well.
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Post by bluzsteel on Jan 29, 2006 21:07:45 GMT -7
I use Startouch.....one man show great guy
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Post by JASON (aka jgleaton) on Jan 30, 2006 0:19:13 GMT -7
Hi, mmattheww
I use both the Radial jx-2 and the framptone (framptone "threebanger", since I got it the Radial has become my back-up) and I Highly recommend either brand.... They are very good quality and are both Buffered units which is good if your going to run alot of true bypass pedals before them. The Radial has a seperate tuner out which the framptone 3 banger has but the 2 channel version of the framptone doesn't... the Radial also loses it's boost effect when you run the separate tuner out, but the boost switch becomes a tuner/ mute switch for silent tuning. I also like it's drag function. framptones use standard boss style power and the Radial uses a wall wart... you can find framptone at the robertkeeley.com website, find radial tonebone at pedalgeek.com
I also looked into the startouch and I believe it to be a good quality passive style (if I remember correctly it is and the power is only for the lights that tell which channel your on) ABY true bypass switcher. would be fine if you didn't want to run ALOT of pedals and probably still work great even if you did. The price is a plus on these pedals....
I also have the Fulltone a/b box...and it's GREAT if you can find one, also passive true bypass, It's an "A or B" only type but, if thats all you need those are good too...these you may be able to find on e-bay, used somewhere or you may not cause i don't think he made alot of these but he has the design/ specs for it on his website so you can make your own... and I think other guy's have made copy's of it?
Another guy making great pedals is Nick Greer...these are Not too expensive, hand made true bypass similar to the Fulltone but he makes an A/B box "two tone", A/B/Y box "true playa", and an ABC box "third dimension".... check these out! If I had found these pedals first I would have gotten one!! but I think these pedals are Battery operated only, still passive but the battery powers the lights... you can find these at places like pedalgeek.com
alot of these may be back ordered or harder to find than others, just depends on what your looking for... Theres also the Kendrick ABC box (which I've also used), Lehle, WOBO and others....
Out of all of em for features, price (not that bad for what it does) and sound I like the RADIAL and you could find one somewhere....More money but worth it if you can find one FRAMPTONE!
and if you don't want to spend that much you could find a STARTOUCH (able to run on a power plug but NOT BOSS style / or battery) or a NICK GREER (battery only) out there easier.... BTW there is a framptone, nick greer third dimension and a couple of startouch pedals on ebay now....
good luck...I looked alot and tried alot of em. a/b boxes have ALWAYS been apart of my set-up....
Jason
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Post by foxx on Jan 30, 2006 7:55:36 GMT -7
Has anyone ever tried the Analogman switchers? The other products are great?
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Post by mmattheww on Jan 30, 2006 8:18:50 GMT -7
thanks everybody. jason, what is it about passive a/b boxes and running lots of true bypass pedals that messes with the signal?
i don't have 'too' many pedal, but i will get more... i have a teese picture wah, eernie ball volume, h&k tube factor, fulltone fd2, fulltone ocd, line6 dl-4, to amp.
is that too many to get a proper sound from a passive a/b like the startouch? of course, know that any a/b box would do, but it's understood that we are all tone hounds here, so i really want it to sound right, even if i have to save up some dough.
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Post by JASON (aka jgleaton) on Jan 30, 2006 12:43:57 GMT -7
mmattheww, the way I understand it (and some of the other more "tech" guy's could probably really help), is basically... if your running ALL true bypass pedals then when you have them all OFF it is like one continuous guitar cord from your guitar to your amp.....so if you have a 15' cable, to the first effect then you have 5 true bypass FX pedals (with 2.5" cord between them, and then a 15' run from the last pedal to the amp.....basically your running a 31 ' guitar cord to your amp..... is that "longer cord" gonna effect your tone...probably, although it may not be bad.....then think about running 10 FX pedals and ? get the picture..... Now add to the signal chain a GOOD buffer along the way ( BTW I think some FX pedals may have a buffer in them when turned on which could already effect your bypassed signal vs your effected signal???....or one could have a buffered bypass and not a true pypass, the buffered bypass pedal would do the same thing as the a/b box wer're talkin about and you may not need a buffered a/b box as long as you have that buffered bypass pedal in the chain) .....again, I ain't no tech ;D but if I understand it correctly.. the buffer (very simply) helps the high impedence signal remain stronger ( by halving that distance from guitar to the amp; like a pre amp, a good one would be pretty transparent)....instead of a 30+ foot guitar cord you've got a 15-20 ft cord with a little "power substation" if you will, then another 15 ft cord run....much stronger signal.....I think the framptone actually changes the signal reaching it to low impedence; then re-feeds it back in high impedence to multiple guitars... basically if you run your pedals and cords and it sounds the same/ same level as if you plug strait into the amp with a fifteen footer then fine (course you also want to turn different pedals on to make sure there's no drop/ increase in volume as opposed to the 15 foot cord or completely bypassed pedal setup...) I AM NOT an expert by ANY stretch of the imagination... usually the way I learn is through FAILURE!! AND, I'm ALL for true bypassed handmade pedals.... I just think if your gonna run a lot of them you just have to play around a bit on HOW you run them and listen to make sure your getting the best signal....smart guy once said.... "if it SOUNDS right, it IS right" Most of the pedals mentioned are REAL GOOD A/B boxes...one of the things I wanted to point out to you is that they ALL have different features, some you may need, others you may not....If we can save you having to buy half of the boxes I did just to try them...mission accomplished.... Jason
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Post by mmattheww on Jan 30, 2006 12:59:23 GMT -7
very cool. makes sense. thanks!
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Post by johnnyl on Jan 30, 2006 14:25:35 GMT -7
my startouch A/B + Y works great. Bluz is right - Tony is the man. You can't beat that that kind of quality & service for the price point.
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arthur
Junior Member
Posts: 85
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Post by arthur on Jan 31, 2006 7:54:19 GMT -7
I never even thought of my AB switch being a tone sucker. (It's a Carvin.) Good and cheap.
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Post by G'OlPeachPhan on Jan 31, 2006 8:19:18 GMT -7
I may be wrong here, but I think pretty much all a/b boxes are the same...
It's when you start talking a/b/y boxes that the design will make a difference due to the added capacitance issues attributed to the "y" aspect of the box.
Again, I may be wrong, but I don't think a simple a/b box design sums the capacitance of all three of your cables (cable from guitar to a/b box, and then a cable to each amp) like an a/b/y does.
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Post by benttop (Steve) on Jan 31, 2006 10:02:54 GMT -7
There are passive A/B boxes, and active A/B boxes. Virtually every passive one I've tried changes something relative to my tone, levels, or dynamics. But the passive boxes are WAY cheaper. Let your ears decide which is right for you.
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Post by JASON (aka jgleaton) on Jan 31, 2006 12:46:11 GMT -7
Peach, you may be on the right track....
"It's when you start talking a/b/y boxes that the design will make a difference"
I have an old PASSIVE a/b/y box that IS NOT true bypass and it sure makes a difference in the noise/ hum and overall volume level... (rapco AB-100, battery powered only...take the battery out and it still works= passive..... w/ no power needed for the switching; battery is for the channel a/b/y lights only) ....my Fulltone passive true bypass a/b box is like it's not even there...
So I would assume, passive /active, True Bypass, and Quality would be even more important in an a/b/y box because of the signal splitting to 2 amps?
BTW I thought the Startouch pedals were all a/b/y boxes but I was wrong and I believe the st-1 mmattheww originally asked about is an a/b only box.... the STARTOUCH looks like a REAL good pedal, i'm really happy with my active ones cause I use a non true bypass Boss tuner and they both have separate tuner outs... we're livin in a great time in this respect, there are so many different quality pieces of gear being made now... like with Z amps (and other boutique pedals/ gear), the problem starts to be WHICH ONE??? I guess it's a GOOD problem that we now have as opposed to the alternative we had 10-15 years ago....
I'm with bentop... let your ears decide
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Post by G'OlPeachPhan on Jan 31, 2006 20:00:43 GMT -7
I'm with bentop... let your ears decide Truer words to follow have never been spoken!
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Post by guitarman1 on Feb 1, 2006 9:14:35 GMT -7
Barber Lauch Pad. Very neutral sounding. Can also be used as a direct box & clean boost. True bypass, built like a tank and only $125.00.
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King B
Junior Member
Posts: 90
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Post by King B on Feb 22, 2006 12:17:38 GMT -7
Has anybody had any experience with the Lehle switches? In particular, is anyone using a 1@3, or a dual to switch amps, efffects, etc.?
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Post by myles on Feb 22, 2006 13:45:23 GMT -7
Has anybody had any experience with the Lehle switches? In particular, is anyone using a 1@3, or a dual to switch amps, efffects, etc.? Carl Verheyen ( www.carlverheyen.com ) swears by these and in the bonus material section of the Rumor Mill DVD talks about them specifically for a while.
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King B
Junior Member
Posts: 90
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Post by King B on Feb 23, 2006 9:13:20 GMT -7
karma up myles. thanks for your input as always.
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