can someone help me put an output jack on my guitar amp? and help with my amp stand?

so im building a guitar amp stand made of wood. my future plans are to put up to 4 12-15" speakers in the stand. i dont have the speakers yet but i plan on getting them soon so i need a way to put an output jack on my amps. I had plans to simply attatch a 1/4" jack to the leads from the amp speaker but I now have second thoughts about this because of the fear of doing damage to them (i had the same problem with my computer speakers and I blew out the amp) so how else could this be done?

amp 1 --
-guitar amp
-19W
-transister

amp 2 --
-bass amp
-35W
-transister

i dont know if this information helps at all

i also want 3 separate channels 1 for each amp (i might possibly get another amp so i want to be prepared)
if one is a bass and the other a guitar amp do i need bass speakers or will any do for the Bass
i want to control the volume of each channel separately so i will need to know what kind of potentiometer to get
and i want the sound to be decent if one amp is not in use at the time

basicly i want the stand to act like a high proformance cabnet with volume control and separte channels

can this be done?
Ive drawn a design is the wireing correct or can it be beter

Comments

[lemonie]

The volume should be controlled on the amplifier inputs, not on outputs to speakers. A purpose built bass speaker will perform better than other speakers, but you'll still get noise out of either.

L

[fastcar123]

so why wouldnt that work

im thinking that im going to buy car speakers from the flea market would those work because i have a tight budget and a bass speaker might be too expensive for me

[lemonie]

Potentiometers of the type you're thinking of don't handle power (see other comments). Wire them into the amp inputs instead.
"Any" speaker is going to work, but bass cones work better at reproducing low frequencies. By way of example: you can have a bike race on any bike, but a racing bike will beat the pants off a ladies-shopper.

L

[fastcar123]

ok  so when i put the output on my amp i should put the pot inline with that jack
id only have the bass cones for the bass amp but i dont want the bass to overpower the gain on the other amp (the bass amp is a very clean amp and the notes from it can be like "outcasts" -- like a note that is heard over the othersthat isnt ment to be)

its not possible to make a regular speaker put out extra bass without some fancy expensive equipment or is it?

[lemonie]

You put the pots on the signal inputs to the amp. For outputs you can use filters to split frequencies, not very complicated or expensive.

L

[fastcar123]

well im tring to lower the volume on the stand individually

[fastcar123]

those filters soud like they have 1 setting and i want to have the ability to have the stand lower than the amps

[lemonie]

Run the wires from the amp to the stand if you want it that way, or put the amp in the stand, but don't try running pot volumes controls on the speakers - it won't work for you.
Filters allow you to split the same signal between different devices, you might find them useful.

L

[fastcar123]

so how would i put output on an amp because i know (from exeriance) that drawing too much power (too much load) from an amp that it simply dosent shut off but it blows out the amp how do i prevent this

[lemonie]

Your output is what goes to the speakers, but they need to be matched. What is the specification / technical details on the amp (that isn't blown)?

L

[fastcar123]

well just to clearify the amp that blew was in a set of computer speakers

amp 1 --
-guitar amp
-19W
-120v
-60Hz
-transister

amp 2 --
-bass amp
-35W
-120v
-60Hz
-transister
thats about all i can tell you about them thechnacaly
they both are about 14" wide

[lemonie]

They sound much better than the computer-speakers, but do they have an ohm-rating? These things need to be matched, if not either the amp or the speakers can be damaged. If you haven't yet bought speakers, ask in the shop.
I'm thinking of an arrangement like this, but maybe your filter would be better on the input side (not sure)

L

[fastcar123]

so where does the output go on the amp?

on the original speaker?

[lemonie]

The Amp' output goes to the speakers, which you separate into bass & otherwise. I'm not sure what you mean?

L

[fastcar123]

from my amp how do i add an output to it without blowing the signal amp

[fastcar123]

im not sure if they have an ohm rateing

thats a great design
so it will run
guitar--->splitter--->amp 1----T-----stand 
                            |_->amp 2---_|       
is that right
so what are the squares with arrows represent LEDs?

[lemonie]

Squares with arrows are your potentiometer volume controls.
I'm not sure what you mean about adding an output to an amp' - as it will already have one?

L

[fastcar123]

would it be possible to put pots on the filters

[framistan]

You have gone to a lot of work to describe what you are building... however, it is still unclear (to me anyway) exactly what you are wiring up.  It looks like you are wiring volume controls in line with the speakers.  For that to work, the volume controls would have to be rather high powered wire-wound pots... unless you are building a very LOW power amplifier???  A SCHEMATIC kind of diagram would be more helpfull to understand what you are building.  Is the amplifier going to be inside the box... or outside feeding to the speakers in the box?  I dont like the idea of volume controls in the line with the speakers (if that is what you are doing).  If you use any kind of 1/4" inch jack... be sure it is the kind of jack that is NON SHORTING.  Some phonejacks have a switch built into them that opens when something is plugged into it.  If ANY KIND OF SHORT is placed across your amplifier FOR EVEN A FEW SECONDS.... you will likely blow out your amp. 

I think what you are trying to do is possible... Just be carefull to avoid wiring anything that places a short across the amplifier terminals. Why place volume controls at the speaker?  doesnt your amplifier have a volume control?

[fastcar123]

ok so what im doing is bulding the stand for the amps on top
the amps can get very loud (i normaly only turn them up to about 2-3 and thats loud enough) but i want to be able to put more power to them with no damage

the volume controls are for equalizing the volume so that i dont get overpowered bass or ear peirceing treble and the volume controls on the amp are VERY touchy so i wanted  a bit more control

i wouldnt say its low power but its not concert worthy either

so your sayin i coulnt just get any 1/4 jack from radio shack and put it in there

so would putin a 1/4 jack inline with the original speaker in the amp be dangurous at all