Trio+ versus Ditto X2 looper pedals

jwhelan56 · #1 12-07-2016, 11:59 AM

Thinking about playing around with a "looper" or something to make my solo playing more fun and interesting. I play only acoustic (no electric gee-tars in my stable currently).

In looking around, it seems like the Ditto X2 is popular, but also came to see the Trio+ pedal which has looping plus the "band in the box" with bass and drums.

Just looking for comments from those who own or have owned either of these, as well as other looper type pedals.

Thanks in advance! Ready.........GO!!

Pine · #2 12-07-2016, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jwhelan56

Thinking about playing around with a "looper" or something to make my solo playing more fun and interesting. I play only acoustic (no electric gee-tars in my stable currently).

In looking around, it seems like the Ditto X2 is popular, but also came to see the Trio+ pedal which has looping plus the "band in the box" with bass and drums.

Just looking for comments from those who own or have owned either of these, as well as other looper type pedals.

Thanks in advance! Ready.........GO!!

I don't have a Ditto, but do have a Trio+ with the FS3X footswitch. I keep the Trio up on my music stand where I don't have to bend over to change settings, and use the FS3X for foot control.

The Band in a Box features are very easy to use, and sound quite good. The ability to have up to five musical parts, change tempo, and individual control over the loop, bass, and drum volume is great.

This is a device that I'd buy again. (not true with many of my purchases)

The only quibble I have is that the bass player and drummer are quite a bit better than I am.

cheetah236 · #3 12-07-2016, 02:13 PM

Hello,
I have the Ditto X2 that's been a wonderful addition to my toy collection. I like the separate foot switches for starting, pausing, stacking and deleting the loops. Sound and performance are wonderful. Build quality looks great. Two considerations:

Might be my lack of coordination but it took me a long time to hit the correct switch with the right pressure at the right time for the correct function in tempo. Almost felt like my brain learning a new instrument. After a month of playing with it, it seems instinctive.
Don't know if it's me or the device but it seems that one out of maybe 20 times, pressing the left switch to record the next loop on the stack stops the existing stack instead of playing the existing stack while recording the next one. This has made me hesitant to gig with it in anything but the most forgiving venues.

Doc

roylor4 · #4 12-07-2016, 02:16 PM

I have a Ditto Mic looper, and although it has been a while since I used it - it has always performed easily and flawlessly. The small ditto seems to get better reviews and be more problem free than the Ditto 2 but it needs an electric outlet to run and doesn't work on batteries. I busk and play outside a lot, this eliminated it for me. The newer, battery powered l'il Ditto version doesn't seem to be as well thought of either.

I had a Electro Harmonix stereo 720 that I just sold on Reverb. a nice unit, but it was impossible to have a seamless loop. No matter how I timed it, there was always a pause when it restarted.

My buddy has the basic Boss looper and likes it but it seems like a "stomp-fest" to do much with it.

I have asked Santa (my wife) for the small Trio and eagerly await Christmas Day.

big jilm · #5 12-07-2016, 02:20 PM

I have the older TRIO pedal, and I use it ALL the time. The TRIO+, with added looper, looks fantastic - I wish I had waited to get that one.

Caddy · #6 12-07-2016, 07:48 PM

Just wondering how you can use a looper with only an acoustic guitar...with a mic? I have a Stereo Ditto, but have never tried that with my acoustics. Guess it would need to be a high impedance mic. (Of which I have zero)

Methos1979 · #7 12-07-2016, 08:42 PM

I've had a Ditto and now the Ditto X2. The Ditto X2 is a much better pedal. Very versatile. That said, I never use it. Loopers for me are one of those things I always think are cool but never take the time to really get into.

PM me if interested it.

jwhelan56 · #8 12-08-2016, 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Caddy

Just wondering how you can use a looper with only an acoustic guitar...with a mic? I have a Stereo Ditto, but have never tried that with my acoustics. Guess it would need to be a high impedance mic. (Of which I have zero)

To do it with acoustic, it has to be one with a pickup built in so you have a cord to run the signal through the looper and into an amp or PA.

jwhelan56 · #9 12-08-2016, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by big jilm

I have the older TRIO pedal, and I use it ALL the time. The TRIO+, with added looper, looks fantastic - I wish I had waited to get that one.

Starting to wonder if I would like or need both?? The Trio+ looks a little more complex but obviously has the backing band. As with anything like this, I'm sure there's a learning curve, which seems to be what people DON'T like about effects like this is trying to understand it enough to use it effectively. What I'm not sure about is whether the more simplistic approach of the Ditto X2 makes it more approachable, and if the looping characteristics of it are better than what the Trio has. I know from reading reviews, the Ditto is quiet and sound quality is supposed to be excellent.

So...........pondering.............

JakeStone · #10 12-09-2016, 06:58 AM

I got to try out the Trio+ for about a month. Friend had one and wasn't using it... I loved it!

The Trio Plus is AWESOME... I had it going in minutes. It was a lot of fun. It has the looper built in. So not sure why one would need the Ditto too.

It was easy to use ... Strum the basic guitar chord changes.... The system then builds the bass and drums. Then you can turn knobs to change tempo, Genre, style etc.. Then once you get the nice ensemble you can add more guitar parts with looper.

But it does get a bit more complex when I started to build whole songs. Programming it to switch through, Intro, Verses, Bridge, Verse, ending etc /

But after a few days with it... Not a problem. Lots of YouTube out there with demos...

If I had $300 to blow.. I'd have one again for sure. Oh and if using it live ... the extra foot switch is a must.

MikeBmusic · #11 12-09-2016, 07:32 AM

If your acoustic guitar does not have a pickup system, you wont' be able to use the Ditto X2 with a mic - unless you get a preamp for the mic. You could use the Ditto vocal looper with the mic/guitar, though:
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/deta...FcaFswodIQcISw

Loopers, for an acoustic solo player are rather limited for live use - you can quickly bore an audience looping a rhythm part and playing leads over it (unless you are some kind of Eric Johnson-shredder).
I've never seen any players use a Trio for live use, but I would think putting the various song parts together in a good fashion would be tough to get down so that there weren't big delays between songs in a live set.
I have a friend who uses a looper that he has loaded with pre-done tracks, he has to lean down and dial in the 'song number', and will use it for 5-10 songs during a night's gig. He also uses a Helicon for vocal harmonies. Between the 2 devices, he puts a variety into the normal 'just a guitar player/singer' sound. But does it really get more (loud bar) attention? Probably not.

The Blood · #12 12-13-2016, 08:51 AM

I bought the Ditto X2 a couple of months ago and I think its made a major difference in my soloing abilities. For me, the ability to set up a chord sequence on a whim as a backup layer has resulted in a change of approach to my solo gigs.

Previously, as a fingerpicker, the goal was always to find a reasonable arrangement where the melody can be accessed while keeping some kind of rhythmic and chording context. That's a fun challenge but incredibly limiting when compared to separating those two chores.
Now, my thinking is moving towards more fuller expressions of melodies against a soft chording background. When you think of it, you'll never get the full eloquence of melody line when you're doing 2 or three things at once and phrasing takes a back seat to just getting all the notes in there.
As a youngster in SF, I had a buddy upstairs who'd come down and we'd jam forever. That connection is hard to find as an adult, however, and that's where the looper comes in for me.

J Patrick · #13 12-13-2016, 09:44 AM

...i've used loopers fpr a decade or so...mostly as an electric guitar practice aid but i did use one for a couple of acoustic solo gigs way back when i first got into them....

...not my cup-o-tea for live performance...player or listener....i do like hearing a good player like Keller Williams loop but i lose interest after a bit...i've heard Willie Porter do some amazing stuff as well...again...i like it in small doses...

....as a practice aid and for just having some great fun loopers are the bees knees...theres a learning curve though and i would recommend starting out with minimal features...a Ditto or Jamman solo xt are easy to use and for me they serve the purpose...they don't store loops which is a good thing for me because i have to create something different every time i use one....it keeps me challenged creatively....

....however there was a time when i found storing loops very practical...mostly when i was playing in bands and wanted to flesh out parts on my own prior to rehearsals and gigs...very handy tool for that...

...the biggest tip i can offer is to end your initial loop with a rest...this will allow you to easily step on the replay switch in time....