Bi-Amping: 2 pickup channels vs mono + crossover

Lucas Vidler

Lucas Vidler

Feb 11, 2021
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#1
I'm thinking about experimenting with bi-amping and potentially modifying my bass with separate outputs for the bridge and neck pickups à la Rick-O-Sound. Is this approach worth the extra complexity? Could I achieve significantly more tonal richness/variations than I could with just a mono signal out of the guitar and then splitting with a crossover?
 
#3
Lucas Vidler said:
Nobody is biamping?
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These days? Not really.

It all depends on what you want to accomplish.

Sending two pickup signals, basically sends both full-range, but is interesting because they're actually sensing the string at different points, so the harmonic content would be different.

Going the crossover route let's you send highs to distortion and lows clean if that's what you want (or the opposite in some instances).

Arguably either way would work just as well, but with less complexity, sending them through different preamp paths and then blending them before one power amp (not biamping).

It all depends on what you want to accomplish though.
 
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#4
Kro said:
Sending two pickup signals, basically sends both full-range, but is interesting because they're actually sensing the string at different points, so the harmonic content would be different....
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I guess I'm using the wrong terminology. I'm not so interested in using two power amps. I more interested in parallel processing effects and distortion as you suggest. The fundamental question comes down to separating the harmonic content of the 2 pickups. Would that really make much difference compared to splitting and parallel processing a mono signal?
 
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#7
i have the Yamaha Attitude 3 and imo what makes this bass worth two outputs vs say a Rick o sound is the different pickups. The Rick has two of the same pickups and is essentially just sending the same sound to 2 amps. The Yamaha has a big huge woofer style neck pickup and a standard P pickup that allows for two different sounds in each amp. Obviously the tonal difference is extremely noticeable

My feeling is if you want to tinker around with splitting your signal then you should do it and have fun trying it out. isnt that what its all about anyways? Tapewounds on a stingray just for fun!
 
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#8
Bassclef46 said:
i have the Yamaha Attitude 3 and imo what makes this bass worth two outputs vs say a Rick o sound is the different pickups. The Rick has two of the same pickups and is essentially just sending the same sound to 2 amps. The Yamaha has a big huge woofer style neck pickup and a standard P pickup that allows for two different sounds in each amp. Obviously the tonal difference is extremely noticeable

My feeling is if you want to tinker around with splitting your signal then you should do it and have fun trying it out. isnt that what its all about anyways? Tapewounds on a stingray just for fun!
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I just watched a "Thank you Billy Gibbons" video of Billy Sheehan and the Yamaha seems awesome. I like that he's a "soloist" who still really concentrates on what the bass is all about - low end. The low and lower pickup positions on the Yamaha clearly tell that story.

I do like to tinker and this is for fun. I'm about to click the buy button on a SBMM Short Scale that I planned to move the pickup to more of a P bass position. But your Yamaha has inspired me to turn this into my 2 channel experiment. Maybe I'll leave the stock pickup where it is and add another pickup in the neck position. Parallel processing that 'ball-peen hammer' MM thing with a big warm low end could make for some interesting tones.
 
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#9
Some of my bass buddies were bi-amping back in the day. One was tri-amping with some pretty expensive gear. I never got around to it, a bit too fiddly for my tastes, not to mention more costly.

This thread has reminded me that I have a Brimstone pedal sitting in the closet. Haven't spent any time with it yet. Maybe I will during this frigid week!
 
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