Is this the best way to use the full potential of a two‑channel amp?

[Xpensive Wino]

 

[brandtkronholm]

On an old Marshall, yes. Jumping (linking) the channels allows for some awesome tonal possibilities.

On a Tweed/Brown/Black/Silver Fender it doesn’t really make a difference. (At least I’m pretty sure.) 1) The separate cable volumes on tweeds are typically interactive regardless of linking the channels. 2) Linking the channels on the later Fenders doesn’t do much to enhance the tone at all. (Why is that?)

YMMV

 

[bluesky636]

On an old Marshall, yes. Jumping (linking) the channels allows for some awesome tonal possibilities.

On a Tweed/Brown/Black/Silver Fender it doesn’t really make a difference. (At least I’m pretty sure.) 1) The separate cable volumes on tweeds are typically interactive regardless of linking the channels. 2) Linking the channels on the later Fenders doesn’t do much to enhance the tone at all. (Why is that?)

YMMV

I use a Y-cable to plug into the bright and normal channels of my 5F6A 59 Bassman and 5E8A Low Power Tweed Twin that I have built. It works great allowing me to dial in some great tones. The inputs on my Ceriatone Tweedle Dee Delight that I have built are much more interactive and don't benefit as much from using a Y-cable though you can still dial things in differently from just plugging into one input and relying on the interaction between inputs (which I prefer in this amp).

Jumpering or using a Y-cable on any Fender amp with a normal channel and a separate reverb channel does not work because the two channels are out of phase with each other because of the different number of inverting/noninverting amplifying stages between the two channels.

The bright and normal input channels of a JTM45 and 5F6A Bassman are identical in design and will behave the same way when jumpered or using a Y-cable. In later Marshalls the bright channel is very different in design from the original JTM45 design so even though you can still jumper them the performance may be very different from the earlier amps.