Tech advice sought for future rig running.

[indiegrungesound]

Happy New Year's Eve everyone.

You folks are great for any bass related advice, so I hope you don't mind if I ask for some rig advice.

I have two bass amplifiers, an Ampeg PortaFlex PF-350 & a Hartke LH500. I currently switch between the two as per the gigging/rehearsal/recording situation. And I have no intention of getting rid of either, as I love the tone on both.

My query is to do with a feature on the Ampeg. I watched one of their YouTube videos a while back about the "Pre amp out" socket/jack point. From my understanding of the video, would I be able to plug the Ampeg's pre amp into the front/instrument jack of the Hartke? My idea is that I could put the Ampeg through my 4 ohm Warwick 2x12" stack-running clean @ 350 watts-whilst having the Hartke; with it's value pre amp & extra 150 watts @ 4 ohms of poke, power a larger 4 ohm stack(E.g. A 2x15"; a 6x10" or-if only!-an 8x10"! :-D).

Any advice that you good people could offer would be very much appreciated! Cheers!

[0175westwood29]

yeh sounds like it be fine, basically like taking a line out so both heads get the same signal, or you could just split your signal before you enter the head at all using something like a lehle or a boss ls-2

andy

[indiegrungesound]

That sounds cool!

Just to double check, I assume that an instrument cable will do to connect the two heads?

[0175westwood29]

[quote name='indiegrungesound' timestamp='1388503212' post='2322765']
That sounds cool!

Just to double check, I assume that an instrument cable will do to connect the two heads?
[/quote]

yeh as its just guitar signal going thru it, for me tho id do the split thing as if something happened to the pf you'd lose all sound, hell if you could even by a y cable and it no more pedals required

andy

[indiegrungesound]

Just realised something. The Hartke has 2 jack sockets. 1 for passive basses & 1 for active basses. Would I therefore put the pre amp out feed in via the active jack?

As to the Ampeg going doolally, I'd just plug the bass into the Hartke. I'd also use a DI pre any pre amp or amplifier(Assumed this is standard practice when using BIG bass rigs.).

Edited December 31, 2013 by indiegrungesound

[0175westwood29]

[quote name='indiegrungesound' timestamp='1388505644' post='2322794']
Just realised something. The Hartke has 2 jack sockets. 1 for passive basses & 1 for active basses. Would I therefore put the pre amp out feed in via the active jack?

As to the Ampeg going doolally, I'd just plug the bass into the Hartke. I'd also use a DI pre any pre amp or amplifier(Assumed this is standare practice when using BIG bass rigs.).
[/quote]

honestly bud i dnt know, its only a -10db pad so doubt it will make a difference other than obviously one being quieter.

on the di thing it varies i normally go post eq, and am sorting out a way of micing myself (but thats another thread)

andy

[indiegrungesound]

Thanks very much for all your advice Andy! Much appreciated! :-)

[deepbass5]

Funny, I have just been doing the same with my Markbass LMK and my GK MB500fusion.
They are both the same size and take them both to gigs as back up, always placing the GK on top of the LMK. I now run one bass clean through the GK valve head and out of the line out into channel one of the LMK. this amps power section feeds both my wizzy M-lines = 4 ohms. I have my back up bass via effects board into channel two of the LMK. I can use the markbass footswitch to change over basses. This way I keep nice clean valve rich tone for most numbers. and then when i need pedals i switch these through the funkier set up EQ on the LMK. this also gives greater EQ capability as the low mid & high mids on each amp have different centre freqs.

[JapanAxe]

I recommend that before doing this on a gig, you check that there is no loss of bass, which could happen if the speakers end up out of phase.

[0175westwood29]

[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1389219151' post='2331639']
I recommend that before doing this on a gig, you check that there is no loss of bass, which could happen if the speakers end up out of phase.
[/quote]

this is a very gd idea actually!

its easy to sort if there is, ie i think radial do an amp switcher which is pretty easy and can sort those problems.

[dincz]

I just looked at the manual for the PF350 and it appears that the preamp out socket is only on the PF500 & 800. You could still use the FX send jack but it's probably line level and so might be a little hot for an instrument input. If so, a simple resistive pad would bring it down - any tech should be able to sort that for next to nothing.

[Jack]

I'd go from the Ampeg in to the Hartke's effects return.

Edited January 12, 2014 by Jack