I don't want to die.

[danastas]

The manual with my Fulltone pedal warns that if I'm going to set the pedal to stereo out to two amps, I have to make sure they are going through a grounded socket. Otherwise, I risk DEATH.

There's no such warning for a single amp. Is there any reason why it would be MORE dangerous to have two amps going through a single socket (I'm working off a Monster strip)? Other than the higher wattage?

[Robert Burns]

Maybe its "Death" from too great a tone? I would call the manufacturer.
and ask them. Must be a floating ground issue?

[brent]

simply put in the absence of a ground the quickest path electricity will take to find ground is a human, 2 amps use the same ground - if they both aren't connected to it there is the possibility of electrocution.

[Cleveland Metal]

I'd figure actually, if the ungrounded amp had the possibility of plug polarity at the socket getting reversed, one chassis ground would ground as it's meant, potentially, the other unit with the reversed plug polarity would reverse that one's chassis ground and the chassis "ground" would be hot. if you combine the two chassis grounds, you'd have a completed circuit and if you were what completed the circuit, that would be the death part.

Seen that a lot with washing machines/dryers, refrigerator and sinks, even neighboring pinball machines at bars that were using say ground adapters that got polarity switched by reversing he plugs somehow.

Ya touch both at the same time and get the crap shocked outta ya.

[xenophobe]

It's called a ground loop.

I've felt such electricity twice... once when grabbing a friend's guitar neck from hitting mine... touching strings on both... ZAP. Actually it wasn't too bad, but it did tingle a bit.

Once grabbing a microphone while my other hand was touching my guitar strings. THAT FREAKING HURT!

Very dangerous shit man... you can get electrocuted.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ground_loop_(electricity)

[kelly user]

It's called a ground loop.
Once grabbing a microphone while my other hand was touching my guitar strings. THAT FREAKING HURT!
\

funny shit, although i am glad i learned that lesson through you. i am asumming that the mic ran off of batteries not phantom power.

[Twisteramps]

A good reason to use a wireless live if you can do it - you won't get shocked by mic stands anymore! I've seen people get zapped in the face by a mic that was different polarity than their guitar amp, and it wasn't pretty.

[lerxstcat]

Loss of life > Loss of tone

[Robert Burns]

A good reason to use a wireless live if you can do it - you won't get shocked by mic stands anymore! I've seen people get zapped in the face by a mic that was different polarity than their guitar amp, and it wasn't pretty.

**************************************
I always think of David Gilmore playing in the rain. Water pouring off
of his strat in"Numb"...didnt miss a beat! Plugged in too! I get chills
just thinking about it. Must have been a spiritual evening for sure, for
Pink Floyd. Playing in a downpour in Germany i think?

[danastas]

I was up rereading my amp manuals last night, and now I'm setting up grounds off the chassis just to make double sure. I'm also getting rid of my Loopmaster AbY and going for a Tonebone Switchbone or a Lehle ABY. These two have transformers that isolate the ground loop, while with the cheaper ABYs, you simply get a ground lift adapter to kill the ground loop hum. For a few years, I couldn't figure out why people were buying expensive ABYs when they could just get a cheap one. Now I know.

[Cleveland Metal]

A good reason to use a wireless live if you can do it - you won't get shocked by mic stands anymore! I've seen people get zapped in the face by a mic that was different polarity than their guitar amp, and it wasn't pretty.

Yeah, I saw lotsa guitarists get their lips zapped over the year on mics, none too badly somehow tho.

I played a gig once in this basement type hall, the stage was concrete too. That night it was raining so bad they had water coming in and the floors were damp. I was mucking around he stage between songs and bumped my guitar neck/strings against the singers micstand, tho the mic itself was isolated with a plastic holder, I guess the stand was nicely grounded through the damp concrete (have to figure my combat boots were all that were saving me from ground). Several strings all arced and popped like they were welding wire, blowing breakers and I remember one string still being sorta welded to the chrome on the stand haha... Ended that show fast...

Just glad I didn't touch the stand while holding the strings. I've been tingled and mildy shocked that way before, but I'm thinking this one would have been a clincher.

[hippietim]

I've been researching these a bit. I have an A/B/Y switch that doesn't isolate the outs so I get hum from the ground loop. I'm not getting zapped though.

I ended up ordering the Lehle Dual. I like that the button operation is reconfigurable and the individual gain controls for the outs. It can also do stuff via MIDI but I don't need that. I'll post a review when it arrives.

[danastas]

Tim, I'm still trying to decide. The Switchbone has a boost for the signal, while the lehle only cuts the signal to balance out the two amps. I'm thinking that with my 8 pedals and 3 instrument cables, I may just need a boost. Otherwise, I'd go with the Lehle since the transformers are of a much higher quality. Difficult decision here.

[hippietim]

There has been a lot of discussion about the SB sucking tone. Why do you think you need a boost? A lot of pedals and cables will not be compensated for with a boost. You need a high quality buffer.

[danastas]

Good point. it's seems I'm always thinking of this stuff ass backwards these days. I end up buying pedals with TB and some with buffers, and then worry about a boost that's not going to get through.

Which pedal would you suggest?