Features:

• Hand-wired, straight-thru signal path, truly passive wiring, no loading
• Truly 'passive' circuit - just wire, jacks and switches
• NO CHANGE IN LOAD IMPEDANCES - pickup loading does not change!
• Hand-wired P2P (point to point) & signed by Rondo
• NO PCB!
• Highest quality parts
• Powder coated UV printed enclosure
• Grounds the unused channel - quiet
• Grounds outputs with no input inserted - quiet
• Shielded - totally noise free in operation
• 9V power supply or 9V battery - battery not included
• (LEDs are not part of the audio circuit, power is only required for the LEDs to operate)
• Under 2ma current draw for long battery life
• Great investment - should last a couple hundred years!

Overview:

This ABY is designed for use in Fender (and Marshall) style 4 input amps, providing switching between amp inputs as well as providing a Y input into both amp channels. (Note: both channels in these type of amps are in phase.)

I have tested this ABY thoroughly and it sounds great - and it should, because it is totally passive and does not alter the load impedance to the pickups in any way. I like using this ABY with my 5E3s as it will provide a little more gain in Y vs. jumpering channels. Plus it's nice to be able to select either input (or both) on the fly when trying to dial in a particular tone.

The reason I decided to offer the ABY is because:

Many other ABYs will change the load impedance the guitar pickup sees - either by adding resistances, pots, employing active circuitry, and/or adding transformers - all such designs change the tone of the instrument through the amp.

This ABY does not do this, it is purely passive, and the guitar signal is kept pure - as if plugged straight into the amp. In fact, in the "Y" setting it is identical to using a "Y" cable.

It seems crazy how most (if not all) guitarists are very concerned about their tone, yet may make the mistake of using an ABY (or other switching pedal) that adulterates their signal considerably. How? Read on:

Pickup Load Impedance:

Four input amplifiers using the Fender design change the load impedance the guitar pickup "sees" depending on how you plug into them - whether straight into one channel, jumpering, or y'ing into two channels.

The load is usually about 500k or 1 meg. This load in parallel with the guitar volume control creates the net load the pickups see. With a Les Paul (500k pots) the total load is therefore usually about 250k to 333k.

This relates to how many Les Paul owners chase vintage tone by using 550k pots. However, these pots, in parallel with the amp's input impedance, don't amount to much of a change in total load, only 10k to 20k, or 260k to 355k total load impedance.

With that in mind, many pedals (including many ABY pedals) will drastically change the total load - lowering it to under 75k or more! - which can make a real difference in tone and feel.

Summary:

The last thing I would want when using an ABY pedal, is to have it alter the natural performance of the guitar and amp - which can happen with large changes in load impedance.

Therefore, when designing the ABY, the idea for me was to not interfere with the relationship of the guitar and the amp - to preserve the tone otherwise achieved by plugging straight in.

So, to reiterate: some other ABYs will artificially change impedances (and the change can be significant) by adding resistances and or transformers, or employing active circuitry - each potentially resulting in audible and/or performance altering effects. However, because the RecPro ABY is truly passive (there is nothing in the ABY but wire, jacks and switches) there can be no artificial alteration of impedances, and your signal remains totally pure.

In Closing:

I hand-wire and assemble each ABY unit using the best components and finest wire I can source. I also sign each enclosure because I am proud of the work I do. I'd be happy to build one for you.

RecPro Audio ABY is $199.

$15 flat rate USPS shipping on all USA orders.

US sales only at this time, please email regarding international orders.

Please allow 1 week for delivery.

Thanks for checking it out!