A/B/Y switch in pedal chain?

[Telemaster]

I am seriously thinking of adding a Leslie G37 to my rig and would be A/B/Y ing between the Mesa and the Leslie. So I have a couple of questions for seasoned A/B users:
1) Does anyone have any input on the Whirlwind AB selector box? and if so...how does it rate?
2) To split to the two amps (I'm using a pedal board via old school .... guitar > pedals > amp) Wouldn't the A/B be last in the chain - coming out of the last pedal > the A/B then out to the two amps? I know....simple stuff...but it's my first time...be gentle

 

[CGM]

Telemaster....I played thru a leslie for years and was thinking on the unit you are looking at. I use a simulator now which works pretty good , but there's nothing like moving the air with a spinning speaker.
As to the A/B box..I still use one as I use two amps. I have a Rapco that I've used for over 20 yrs w/little or no problems. Plug your guitar in. A to amp. B to other amp or Leslie. A straight out on the box goes to a tuner, then you can switch out to tune. If your running to your amp and want to switch to the Leslie , you can hit both switches at the same time, or, just hit one to add the Leslie or vice/versa.
Currently I use an SKP powered pedal board that will run stereo( Stage Five, I think). The guitar goes into the board, then to the A/B box. From there..one signal goes straight to my LSS. The other goes to some pedals ( Leslie simulator, Chorus, Tremelo ) then straight to my Rivera Venus 6 ( clean to the front, and F/X thru F/X loop). I can use both amps clean, one clean/one dirty ( and vice/versa) add F/X, or any combination. Lots of options. Hope this helps.
If you want to run the F/X thru both amps you could probably put it at the end of the chain. If you want to seperate the F/X and have a clean sound as support ( my preference) try running the F/X after the switch. Would you want the F/X running to both , or do you want to control which amp has the F/X ? Some of the F/X might get lost in the spin, maybe. You could try it both ways I'm sure. Someone else on here probably knows.
On your Leslie...Is the G 37 the one w/the amp or without? What held me up was..I didn't know how good the amp in the Leslie was. I think it's only $100 more for the amp. I started thinking the Mesa/Rivrea might be a better sound through the Leslie ( by slaving it) and got stuck in that thought. Let me know what you think of the Leslie when you get it.....CGM

 

[NJVenom]

I was considering getting an A/B/Y switch, and after some investigating, some are true bypass, (with an optional boost switch) that will NOT give you any signal loss when you use 'em. Those are the pricey ones by Lehle, Fulltone etc. Then there are the cheap versions, they go for as low as $30 on Ebay, and they WILL alter the tone. Technically speaking, going to an A/B/Y is going to "divide" your signal in half; or it's just not gonna hit the amp with the same energy...The same reason some guys get a clean booster pedal at the end of their effects pedals. If it's a long line of pedals, the guitar sound is gonna be weaker when it gets to the amp. Then again, it's all a personal taste thing. Some cats are "purists", and they want as little as possible affecting the actual guitar "sound". SRV comes to mind, but I'm sure there are thousands of others who keep the effects to a minimum to reach the goal of keeping the true guitar tone. Hendrix was the opposite, in some ways. There are some of his tunes where the strat tone was evident, like "Little Wing" or "Castles Made of Sand". But other times he just went for the sound. Can you listen to "Spanish Castle Magic" or "Ezy Rider' and say "Oh yeah, that was def. a strat" ? I've discovered the problem where my "tone" was diminished just by going thru too many (or el cheapo) effects pedals. It happened to me when i would turn the distortion/overdrive off and hear the clean sound. I wasn't happy with the clean, it sounded weak. So I unplugged from my effects and went straight into the amp and BAM! There's the clean tone I wanna hear. So I experimented twenty years ago and have not stopped. I find that with a Mark IV, a strat, ,a les paul and some GOOD effects pedals, the sounds as well as tones, are LIMITLESS...it never ends.

Patrick/Jersey

http://www.myspace.com/ghostandthebigsky

 

[John T]

Check out the Voodoo lab amp selector, I just bought one yesterday on the advice of several pro's .You can set up 4 amps and layer them or have a main amp running and layer up to 3 others or 2 on with 2 in reserve, check their web site .

 

[Cgonzer]

Hi,
I have been using the Radial BigShot AB-Y true bypass switcher with my Mark III and Bogner Line 6.. all my effects run thru the loop of the Mark with Midi pedal..the best part is the Radial has a ground lift and 180 degree polarity switch to ensure your in phase and lastly if your just using one amp you can set up a second guitar into the Radial all set for a quick change.. check out the info at this linkhttp://www.tonebone.com/re-bigshot-aby.htm

Hope this helps

 

[t0aj15]

Another vote here for the Voodoo Lab Amp Selector. I've been running a four amp setup for 3-4 years now and this thing is perfect for multi-amp setups. See it here:
http://www.voodoolab.com/ampselector.htm

 

[Cgonzer]

Wow..I just read up on the Voodoo Lab Amp Selector..very impressive..Gonna have to check this out..Thanks for the info..