Here's what happened:
I plugged the speaker-out of my bass-playing friend's Randall bass head into the input of his Traynor guitar head and ran it into a cabinet.
I got the greatest Neil Young overdrive brouhaha ever.
I told the dudes about it, and everybody got mad and told me I'm a moron.
How do I go about getting something like that sound without ruining amps and my life forever.
Please help this young feller out.
I don t understand amplification
5That's one of the funniest pictures I've seen. You got off easy...you're lucky you have a nice enough friend...if that was me, the ass beating would have commenced immediately.
I'll try to make this as simple and non-technical as possible. The inputs on an amp are designed to take "line level" signals (which is a voltage level that's like a fraction of a watt...I can't remember exactly how much). A bass amp output (which is going to probably be at least 100 or 200 watts or more) would easily fry the input stage of the amp your plugging it into. If there is a line level output on the first amp, then it would be alright, but speaker outs should NEVER EVER EVER be used to connect to anything except a speaker cab.
I really doubt that you get the same results, but you could try something like the Hughes & Kettner Red Box. I've personally never used one, and I've never talked to anyone about using one...but I do know that it has features that would basically allow you to do what you did...safely.
I'll try to make this as simple and non-technical as possible. The inputs on an amp are designed to take "line level" signals (which is a voltage level that's like a fraction of a watt...I can't remember exactly how much). A bass amp output (which is going to probably be at least 100 or 200 watts or more) would easily fry the input stage of the amp your plugging it into. If there is a line level output on the first amp, then it would be alright, but speaker outs should NEVER EVER EVER be used to connect to anything except a speaker cab.
I really doubt that you get the same results, but you could try something like the Hughes & Kettner Red Box. I've personally never used one, and I've never talked to anyone about using one...but I do know that it has features that would basically allow you to do what you did...safely.
I don t understand amplification
6OK,
After some discussion, I'm going to see if I can explain that although this approach is unconventional, it's not necessarily wrong.
1. If the first amplifier is a solid-state amplifier, stop now. It's possible that the solid state amp doesn't have an output transformer and could be acting as a constant current source. Can someone explain specifically why this is bad?
2. If the first amplifier is a tube amp, and probably has an output transformer, you can proceed with caution.
3. Depending on the size (ohms) of the input resistor to ground in the second amp, you can end up with a working arrangement.
Let's assume and 8Ω output impedence of the first amplifiers speaker out and a 1MΩ input resistor in the second amplifier. If connected in the way of the original post, these resistances (impedences) would be in parallel which would give you a resistance total just under 8Ω. Therefore, the change in load, as far as the first amplifier is concerned is nominal.
The problem is if the input resistor to the second amplifier isn't big enough in ohms and, especially, in watts, you could easily burn up this resistor and have some problems.
PLEASE correct me if I'm thinking of this wrong, or if I'm not being clear anywhere.
According to Steve, Ted Nugent used to do exactly this with a bunch of Fender Bandmasters.
After some discussion, I'm going to see if I can explain that although this approach is unconventional, it's not necessarily wrong.
1. If the first amplifier is a solid-state amplifier, stop now. It's possible that the solid state amp doesn't have an output transformer and could be acting as a constant current source. Can someone explain specifically why this is bad?
2. If the first amplifier is a tube amp, and probably has an output transformer, you can proceed with caution.
3. Depending on the size (ohms) of the input resistor to ground in the second amp, you can end up with a working arrangement.
Let's assume and 8Ω output impedence of the first amplifiers speaker out and a 1MΩ input resistor in the second amplifier. If connected in the way of the original post, these resistances (impedences) would be in parallel which would give you a resistance total just under 8Ω. Therefore, the change in load, as far as the first amplifier is concerned is nominal.
The problem is if the input resistor to the second amplifier isn't big enough in ohms and, especially, in watts, you could easily burn up this resistor and have some problems.
PLEASE correct me if I'm thinking of this wrong, or if I'm not being clear anywhere.
According to Steve, Ted Nugent used to do exactly this with a bunch of Fender Bandmasters.
I don t understand amplification
7Yeah...and let me just say too that if I'm thinking of this wrong...please correct me too. I know there are a lot of you here that know a lot more than me on this...Russ is definitely one of them. I was just stating what I've learned by reading and talking to people...I've never even attempted to do this.
I don t understand amplification
8Thanks. I'm starting to see my folly. I don't exactly have a working knowledge of electricity, but I'm able to follow the "this is bad" sentiment.
I was thinking back to an old bandmate who would plug channel one of his Twin into channel two. I understand that these are parallel circuits (right?), whereas this other amp combination is not.
Basically, in order to get that type of bitchin sound, I'm going to have to look at pedals or rewiring or somesuch, eh? That might sit a little better with my compadres.
Thanks for the help and not making this newbie feel like a total ass. That's total, by the way.
I was thinking back to an old bandmate who would plug channel one of his Twin into channel two. I understand that these are parallel circuits (right?), whereas this other amp combination is not.
Basically, in order to get that type of bitchin sound, I'm going to have to look at pedals or rewiring or somesuch, eh? That might sit a little better with my compadres.
Thanks for the help and not making this newbie feel like a total ass. That's total, by the way.
I don t understand amplification
9idiot drummer wrote:I was thinking back to an old bandmate who would plug channel one of his Twin into channel two. I understand that these are parallel circuits (right?), whereas this other amp combination is not.
You mean he would run a line from the speaker out of the twin back into channel 2?
I don t understand amplification
10gio wrote:idiot drummer wrote:I was thinking back to an old bandmate who would plug channel one of his Twin into channel two. I understand that these are parallel circuits (right?), whereas this other amp combination is not.
You mean he would run a line from the speaker out of the twin back into channel 2?
No, it was some crazy thing where he would run a cable from the input of channel one into the input of channel two. The higher the decibels, the more overdriven the tone. I've heard of this since, but never tried it, as I do not own a Twin.