Can't decide!

[ss "Shane"]

I have a big gig coming up March 11 and I can't even come close to deciding between my Ghia or Therapy. Sometimes I wish I only had one Z lol. There are no shortcomings with either of these amps.

[headshrinker (Marc)]

Both! Stack them. They take up the same stage footprint and sound mighty fine together. One a little bit clean the other a little bit dirty, and most important, both on all the time, no switching between them. It's all in the volume control.

[premiumplus (Dave)]

Get yersef a Tonebone Amp Switcher and take 'em both!!!
To me, it would depend on the venue...an outside gig would be Therapy all the way, probably on a big stage too. You can't go wrong with either one tonewise...

[ss "Shane"]

Isn't a Tonebone Ampswitcher just an A/B pedal? It seems like I inquired about A/B pedals a while back but can't find my old thread.

The Tonebone sounds appealing but I just need a very simple and affordable A/B. I'm notinterested in using the amps at the same time but it would be nice to switch back and forth.

[headshrinker (Marc)]

If you have cabs for both if they are heads or if they are both combos, or I guess one's a combo and there is a cab for the other head, all you need is a simple aby pedal. You can pick up used ones from around $25.00 on up. With that you can switch between them and also get the wonderful both if you want. Guitar into the input of the aby, one output into each amp input, and you are in business. A simple ab will work but they usually cost about the same as an aby. If you are trying to run two heads into the same cab or want to switch between a head into a combo's speakers and the combo into the speakers, then you need one of the headbones so that you have a dummy load on the amp you aren't using.

[nmz]

Therapy, bring the Ghia as a back up.

[ss "Shane"]

Feb 3, 2017 12:52:58 GMT -7 headshrinker (Marc) said:

If you have cabs for both if they are heads or if they are both combos, or I guess one's a combo and there is a cab for the other head, all you need is a simple aby pedal. You can pick up used ones from around $25.00 on up. With that you can switch between them and also get the wonderful both if you want. Guitar into the input of the aby, one output into each amp input, and you are in business. A simple ab will work but they usually cost about the same as an aby. If you are trying to run two heads into the same cab or want to switch between a head into a combo's speakers and the combo into the speakers, then you need one of the headbones so that you have a dummy load on the amp you aren't using.

I have the Ghia head with cab AND the Therapy head and cab, so this means a simple A/B pedal will work? You mention aby pedal, is there a difference? If there is a difference then what pedal would I need to cover 2 heads and 2 cabs or 2 heads into the same cab?

[mudman]

Since you're not using the same cab, an ABY switcher might work, but you should ideally have one that has ground lift and phase switches to avoid problems with ground loop hum or if the amps aren't in phase with each other.

The Radial Bigshot is a great choice:

www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/BigShotABYv2?adpos=1o1&creative=103263529321&device=c&matchtype=&network=g&product_id=BigShotABYv2&gclid=CjwKEAiA8dDEBRDf19yI97eO0UsSJAAY_yCSwGV7F0U0UJ5Mxzlp1qBxeiJuxqxFVYuJ0gKR4lYnDhoCzAnw_wcB

An ABY instead of just an AB pedal lets you hit both amps at the same time for stereo output. Can be a fun effect.

[premiumplus (Dave)]

The Tonebone Amp switcher is for two tube amps into one speaker. It puts a load on the amp that is not in use and protects it. Very cool. I love setting my Z-Lux combo up with my Therapy head on top, switching between the two amps for rhythm and lead tones.

[headshrinker (Marc)]

What Mudman says above is true, but you can get around the problems with a simple cheaper ABY if you want to. If you get ground loop hum put one of those three prong to two prong adapters on one of the amps. No worries they are both still grounded. I find it works best if you do it on the Ghia. If the amps are out of phase and I'm almost positive the Ghia and Therapy are, just flip the speaker connections on one of the cabs and it will put them in phase. Won't hurt the amp at all. You will be able to tell if they are out of phase. If they are out of phase when you play them together the low end will sound thinner than with one alone, like when pickups are out of phase. Might be easier to spend the money to be able to do it on the ABY, but if you find a simple one cheap, they can work just fine.

[mudman]

Feb 3, 2017 20:17:10 GMT -7 headshrinker (Marc) said:

What Mudman says above is true, but you can get around the problems with a simple cheaper ABY if you want to. If you get ground loop hum put one of those three prong to two prong adapters on one of the amps. No worries they are both still grounded. I find it works best if you do it on the Ghia. If the amps are out of phase and I'm almost positive the Ghia and Therapy are, just flip the speaker connections on one of the cabs and it will put them in phase. Won't hurt the amp at all. You will be able to tell if they are out of phase. If they are out of phase when you play them together the low end will sound thinner than with one alone, like when pickups are out of phase. Might be easier to spend the money to be able to do it on the ABY, but if you find a simple one cheap, they can work just fine.

Removing the ground on a tube amp is a very bad idea. That's not what those 3-2 prong adapters are for. A better solution is the ebtech hum x plug. Removes the ground loop but keeps the amp grounded.