2. amps-preamps
  3. 139610-120759

Can I run a preamp through a guitar amp?

I’m a musician and I have some experimental ideas for recording new sounds. Basically what I want to do is run a sound from a presonus pre amp (from a speaker/headphone port) through the input of a guitar amp. Then re-record it back into the DAW. My guitar amp has a really warm, fuzzy, organic sound that I can’t recreate digitally, so this is my idea to get said effect on instruments other than guitar. Sorta like this:
(Pre amp output) ------> (Amp Input) ------> (Amp output) ------> (Pre amp input)
I plan to have the preamp input channel muted to avoid any feedback.

My concern is that a guitar amp may fry my pre amp. Would it harm my pre amp if electricity was the wrong way into a speaker output? I don’t totally understand how guitar amps work and I’d rather not replace a $100 piece of hardware, so any input is welcome.

sornich
stevecham
3,340 posts
 
Output from a preamp into the input of the guitar amp, provided you turn down the volume on both and bring both up slowly, will be ok.
wolf_garcia
6,695 posts
 
You can run anything INTO a guitar amp, just don’t put a SPEAKER output from a guitar amp back into your preamp. Some tube guitar amps do have a speaker muting "recording" output that you can actually run into anything you wish. I have a Burriss tube guitar amp head that can be used as a preamp.
sornich OP
1 posts
 
Good to know. I may record the amp through a condenser mic, then. Thanks for the input :D
wolf_garcia
6,695 posts
 
I record with mics also, as the speaker tone is a big part of the mojo.
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