Reddit reviews Radial BigShot ABY True Passive Switcher

If you're into the idea of him being able to use his amp while playing Rocksmith you have a couple options; /u/ZagatoZee uses and recommends a fairly cheap way to do it (idr his specific setup but I'm sure he'd be happy to share :) )

I've personally used a more expensive option, Radial Big Shot ABY; the important thing here is that it has a ground lift otherwise with a lot of set ups you get a really loud annoying hum.

It would probably be a good idea to look up what a the band in question is using for their live tours to get a idea as to what is happening. In the studio, a guitarist can use one specific setup (guitar, amp, effects) for one part of a song, lay down the parts required, and then switch to a entirely different rig and lay down the remaining parts. Once that is all done, they can edit it all together in a pleasing way.

On tour, I suspect that the guitarist is using a couple of different amplifiers set up in different ways. Perhaps even with entirely different effects running into each. They can switch easily between the two. Alternatively, they could simply be using a multi-channel amp, that would let them set each channel for specific kinds of sounds (and again, switch between them quickly and easily).

For your situation, there is really no easy answer. I mean, you could perhaps find a EQ pedal that you could set to add some high-end frequency boost that you can turn on when you want to turn on your distortion pedal. Likewise, you could get another distortion/overdrive pedal with some decent EQ capabilities that you can stack (lower the gain but use it more as a tone-shaping tool).

The most obvious but also the most expensive solution is to get another amp that either has two channels you are happy with or one that can take up either the distorted or clean tasks exclusively. Sadly, going with two amps will end up creating more problems because you will need to buy a dedicated amp switcher (a simple A/B/Y box will not work properly for such a task). This can get costly if you are trying to work in a smaller budget.

Single channel amps are great (I generally prefer them myself) but they can create tricky situations like the one you are in now. Pedals can be a solution but it might take a lot of experimenting to find the best balance. As stated before, a different amp or a additional amp (and amp switcher) would also be worth exploring if possible.

As far as the compressor goes, it won't really help you here but they are useful pedals none the less. It would probably be a good idea to look up how to properly use one as they are subtle but powerful.

Just added this to my setup this week. Works perfectly. Doesn't have to be this one, but a ground lift switch is a must. The noise is ground loop hum between the pc and amp.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FKIO6M/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This also allows you to send the clean iso B signal to Rocksmith, then send the A signal to any effects then amp that you want. Remember to lower your in game volume so you just hear yourself through the amp.

I think you mean tonebone. But, I used the bigshot to AB my two amps through one cab, works great. It also has a phase lift so you won't get that horrible buzzing.

https://www.amazon.com/Radial-BigShot-True-Passive-Switcher/dp/B000FKIO6M/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_267_img_0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=GSBYWND9SXP2K5773XKR