Twin Chanel amp swithcing

[Hambamble]

Hi everyone. I am building a twin channel amp, a cross between a Matchless Lightning, and a Matchless spitfire. This will be my fourth amp build, so i have a fair idea of whats happening. I have another amp and you can switch channels by flicking a switch, and it cuts from channel 1 to channel 2. I really like this setup for gigging as i can have two completely different tones.

My question is how do you wire the switch? I think the way to do it is to wire the switch so it cuts the ground to the cathode of the 'dead' channels preamp, essentially rendering the tube on that channel useless so there would be no output to the power amp. I'm guessing you would still keep the heaters on to all tubes so switching is instant. Please correct me if I'm wrong

the other question is how to wire the input to each channel so it comes from the same socket? do you need to switch it between channels too so there is no interference between the two channels.

Thanks for your help! I have tried everywhere to get an answer and hope you guys can assist!

[alvarezh]

Hi, maybe something like this could suit you.

Its a Fender Black Face and a Tweed preamp switched just before the power section.

Hope it helps.

[Structo]

Try grounding the grid of the input tube of the stage (before grid stopper) you want to kill.

[bal704]

It sounds like a Weber channel switching module would work.

http://taweber.powweb.com/store/chansword.htm

[Hambamble]

Thanks for the reply! I'll look into those weber modules, but i think the looks of the Fender schematic was more what i was after (simple is better). Have to check out grounding the grid too.

I would have thought that just grounding a preamp signal would require a resistor to bleed it through so it doesn't just short... didn't really look like that on the fender schematic but I could be reading it wrong

I found the schematic for that old amp with a footswitch. Its a Seymour Duncan convertible, which is interesting in that each preamp tube is in its own module that you can change to alter the sound... great amp, but makes taking anything from the schematic a bit more complicated.

[bal704]

Not sure how much simpler it can get than the weber board. 2 screws into your chassis, hook up a few wires, done. Quiet channel switching for $14.