I play through a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe and have a full pedal board setup. I run my timed effects(delay, tremelo) through the preamp and the overdrives through the front. What does it mean to run an amp through stereo? Does it change the tone of the guitar/amp?

You can only run an in "in" stereo (not through) if the amp is designed to do so. That would mean two power amps and at least 2 speakers.

Your Fender amp is not stereo, so you can’t run a stereo rig with it alone.

Now, if you had a second amp you could possibly have a stereo rig. The one additional component you would need is some type of delay, chorus, or other time-based effect that has a mono-input/stereo-out arrangement.

The advantages of playing a stereo guitar rig are:
– The sound is spread out more
– With the right effect(s), it can mimic 2 guitars playing together
– Gives the option of panning effects

The disadvantages:
– The sound is more spread out (this isn’t always a good thing, especially in very heavy music)
– More gear to haul around
– Increased complexity in the setup

There are guitar rigs that are one-box stereo solutions. Most digital modeling amps (once you get past the toy ones) offer stereo. The Line 6 Vetta II I used is stereo. On small stages, I’ll run it into a 2×12 cabinet in stereo. On big stages, I’ll bring out two separate 2×12 or 4×12 cabinets and put them on each side of the stage. With that setup, I can give the audience whiplash if I put a ping-pong delay on!

Greetings from Austin, Tx

Ken

One Response to “What does it mean to run an electric guitar amp through stereo?”

  • Ken C says:

    You can only run an in "in" stereo (not through) if the amp is designed to do so. That would mean two power amps and at least 2 speakers.

    Your Fender amp is not stereo, so you can’t run a stereo rig with it alone.

    Now, if you had a second amp you could possibly have a stereo rig. The one additional component you would need is some type of delay, chorus, or other time-based effect that has a mono-input/stereo-out arrangement.

    The advantages of playing a stereo guitar rig are:
    – The sound is spread out more
    – With the right effect(s), it can mimic 2 guitars playing together
    – Gives the option of panning effects

    The disadvantages:
    – The sound is more spread out (this isn’t always a good thing, especially in very heavy music)
    – More gear to haul around
    – Increased complexity in the setup

    There are guitar rigs that are one-box stereo solutions. Most digital modeling amps (once you get past the toy ones) offer stereo. The Line 6 Vetta II I used is stereo. On small stages, I’ll run it into a 2×12 cabinet in stereo. On big stages, I’ll bring out two separate 2×12 or 4×12 cabinets and put them on each side of the stage. With that setup, I can give the audience whiplash if I put a ping-pong delay on!

    Greetings from Austin, Tx

    Ken
    References :
    40 years of playing guitar and bass
    35 years of live performance
    30+ years of audio and broadcast engineering

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