Monkey FX ABY Switch

This pedal is an A/B/Y, very similar to what is now called the FlyingFox ABY on:

http://www.monkeyfx.co.uk/routers.html

I got it as I wanted something to plug my guitar into and send the output to two amps simultaneously without any noise from ground loops etc.

Very simple to use unit: one button to toggle between output A and B, another button to go out of A or B and into A+B simultaneously. Disengaging A+B puts you back to either A or B, which ever was selected before selecting A+B. As such it did everything I required it to.

I experienced some 'clunk' noises switching between A and B when I used the pedal. Not a massive noise as per nastier units, but not slick and silent as I'd like. Not a problem for medium-high gain, but not something I would use personally switching into clean tones.

The two questions I'm asked to answer here are:

Can you depend on it?
Would you use it on a gig without a backup?

Answer to both questions is No. When I received the product it wasn't working as it should (see Customer Support section) and it wasn't long after getting it back again that it broke altogether in two different ways. I sent the unit back in for repair but haven't used it since I got it back. I was going to say that it wasn't up to the job for regular rehearsals and gigging, that it'd be more suitable for home use, but my unit broke after minimal home use and just a handful of rehearsals.

The unit also didn't feel to me to be as sturdy as others I have tried, had a slightly cheap feel to it which made me nervous of putting it on the pedal board permanently. I understand MonkeyFX might have changed to a different style of case since my pedal though, so could well be better now.

When I spec'd the pedal through MonkeyFX I explained I was experiencing some buzz when connecting two amps to a stereo output pedal I had. The response came back that the two outputs weren't electrically outputted from one another and that such isolated outputs would solve the problem. So I ordered the ABY on this basis.

However when I got it I still experienced the same buzz, though not quite so bad (still unusable with clean tones). I informed MonkeyFX and was informed 'you need something electrically isolated outputs'. Why the ABY didn't arrive with isolated outputs as discussed I don't know.

The pedal got sent back, tweaked, and worked fine when I got it back. However about 10 uses later (a mix of home use and rehearsals) it developed two problems: one was a loose power socket, it dismounted and started disappearing inside the pedal (no biggy, cold perhaps have fixed this myself) but the other was a failure of an internal component and made the pedal useless. It got sent back again and arrived back a couple of weeks later. Whether it now works or not I don't know, I haven't plugged it in since. I have no real plan to either as I have started using units by another manufacturer which I have found 100% reliable thus far.

I should add that MonkeyFX are now apparently using a better version of the internal component which failed, so hopefully that particular issue has now been mitigated.

I now use LoopMaster products. I have 4 of them which haven't given me a single issue since I got them. In comparison the MonkeyFX feels altogether less well built and I've certainly experienced less reliability. I should add that I have one other MonkeyFX product (a Chubby Chimp), but again the overall feel of it means it has only been used briefly. It worked exactly as it should when I did try it, but once again I have other units which I prefer.

This pedal comes with two switches. Numer 1 toggles between channel A&B. Switching number 2 engages both channels, over-riding switch 1. When both channels are engaged it is possible to switch change the single channel selector.... so it is possible to be playing only Channel B, then switch to both channels(engage A+B switch), then change from B back to A again when both channels are playing (hitting switch 1), then turn both Channels off (disengage the A+B switch) and you'll be back in channel A only.
As standard these pedals are built with one LED on each switch. The LED on switch 1 typically alternates between two colours to denote which channel is selected, whereas the LED on switch 2 is 1 colour, denoting either on or off. I asked Andi if it would be possible to have two differently coloured LED's on switch 1, one for channel A and one for B. Andi duely obliged, making all 3 LED's different colours also at my request. Take note general UK retail industry, this is customer service!

As a switching pedal this should not affect sound. However some nasty units can degrade signal quality. Some recordings of the same clip, one having passed through the switch (the other straight to tape) revealed no sound degradation. Does what it should, doesn't degrade sound... makes it a perfect 10 I s'pose!

Only used for a couple of sessions so far. Pedal still looks as new and my fairly hefty switching hasn't bothered it at all. Construction looks really sturdy too. I'll give it a 10 for now as it's still as absolute new....

First class. Included some modifications which I don't think are standard. Pleasure to deal with.

Fantastic pedal, just what I needed! My Boss LS-2 is now redundant, bless it. Can I point out any bad points?? Well, I'm really gonna scrape the barrel here.... One thing I noticed was the battery compartment can't be accessed without taking off one of the sides, meaning the removal of 4 small screws for which you'd need a small star screwdriver at hand. I've been using a power supply with it (which I would anyway, as I say this is a real barrel scrape), but I can see that it'd be nice to have a handier compartment accessible by hand. Overall I'm going to have to say 10 as it's PERFECT for what I want. Whether the battery compartment issue would mean a less-than-10 for you personally you'll find out if and when you get one of these fine pedals.

Easy - this is a simple A/B switch with the added option of A+B together. There are 2 switches - "A/B" toggles between A or B outputs and "A+B" selects both together. One dual-colour led shows if A or B is selected, and another led shows when A+B mode is on. The dual led is great for allowing you to see which channel will be active when you leave A+B mode.

I use this switch to operate two different valve preamps (Marshall JMP-1 and an old Marshall 9001) in my rack from the one guitar. It adds no noticable noise and appears to have no detrimental effect on sound quality other than a *very minimal* drop in volume when in A+B mode (which I think is normal for this kind of switch anyway). The possibilities for tone are endless - I use it to combine different crunch/lead settings from the two amps together to get a really huge sound. I give it a nine due to the slight volume drop but it's not a big deal at all.

This is housed in a solid brushed aluminium box with sturdy MXR style switched and nice big bright led's. I looked inside and the soldering is excellent. I should think it will last for years. As standard it comes with a BOSS style mains socket but I asked Andi to add battery power too - makes the box a little bigger but this was no problem. I don't feel the need for a back up. I've given it a nine as you have to unscrew the end of the box to get to the battery but that's being picky - the battery will last for ages anyway.

Andi Allan is a sound guy - good communications throughout and even posted a piccy of the unit when nearly finished on the website !
Monkey FX are a small UK outfit making custom pedals and switches and so you could probably ask them to make anything and they'd have a go. I know if there were any problems I could drop Andi a line and get it sorted.

I tried to find a sensibly priced ABY switch from larger companies but no luck. As I live in the UK I decided to give Andi and Monkey FX a go, and it was worth it. I've been playing for over 20 years and own several guitars/amps and this switch lets me combine amps or switch between pretty much anything. It's a simple piece of kit that does the job well and if it was stolen I'd get another one made for me straight away.