Best Looper Pedals?

pwshults · #1 02-09-2009, 07:09 PM

I'm interested in getting into looping. I've done a bit of research and noodling at local shops whenever one is available but have yet to really find a wealth of information on the differences between the products out there. I've got a buddy who uses an RC-50 and seems to enjoy it quite a bit. I know some of this equipment can get pretty complicated, so I didn't know if there are options outside of the kind of "all-inclusive" looping pedals like the Boss one.

As far as my goals for looping, I'd like to eventually be proficient enough for live use with the potential for incorporating multiple instruments into my loops. i'm less concerned with effects and pre-recorded beats/progressions than I am with the ability to record and manage quality loops in a live setting.

I was reading some of the older posts in here so I know there are some loopers out here on the forum. Any insight you could give me would be immensely appreciated. Thanks.

tbeltrans · #2 02-10-2009, 04:31 PM

pwshultz:

There are many others here who do looping - and are more comfortable than I am with that art form. However, I recently sold a Digitech Jamman and kept the Boss RC-50. What I didn't like about the Digitech Jamman (as differentiated from the original Jamman rackmount) is that it messed with the sound of my guitar. I did not like the result. The unit itself sounded fine and I think its feature set is very good, especially its use of Compact Flash cards rather than built-in flash memory. But the deal breaker for me was the adverse affect it had on my sound by just being in the signal chain. It made the sound "darker" and less dynamic. A friend of mine also had a Digitech Jamman and stopped using for the very same reason.

The Boss RC-50 simply does not have this problem. It is more complicated to use because it has more going on, but if you break each piece of it down into segments, you can learn to work with it. Each individual loop is not difficult to work with. Boss also makes the RC-20XL and the RC-2. Others here who own those can tell you whether they mess with the sound of your guitar, but I would be surprised if they did, since the RC-50 is really supposed to just be more of what those pedals offer. The RC-50 is expensive, so the lower cost alternatives are probably worth a look.

I know that other people here use the Digitech Jamman, so weigh their opinions too. I may just be too picky about this sort of thing.

Tony

ljguitar · #3 02-10-2009, 05:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pwshults

I'm interested in getting into looping. I've done a bit of research and noodling at local shops whenever one is available but have yet to really find a wealth of information on the differences between the products out there. I've got a buddy who uses an RC-50 and seems to enjoy it quite a bit. I know some of this equipment can get pretty complicated, so I didn't know if there are options outside of the kind of "all-inclusive" looping pedals like the Boss one.

Hi pw...
The Digitech JamMan is a pretty comprehensive little looper, with capability to run a mic and directly input the guitar at the same time (the different instruments).

The RC-50 is a mega-looper and more than most of us need, and the RC-2 is less than most of us who are serious about looping need. The JamMan has a few features that the Boss RC-20XL lacks that make it really attractive.

I have an RC-20, but if I were buying fresh today, I'd own the JamMan.

JamminJoe · #4 02-10-2009, 06:29 PM

I've had the RC-2 which I replaced with the Jamman. The RC-2 is okay but the 11 memory slots is a joke. It's not nearly enough, there is no way to offload them, and erasing a prized loop in order to store a new one is painful. The Jamman beats the RC-2 in every way except it does add a little more noise to the signal chain. This is not an issue for me since I use the Jamman as a practice and songwriting tool and do not gig with it.

I did find that the sound of the RC-2 degraded faster when adding more layers. Overall, the compact flash is the main reason to get the Jamman over the RC-2, 20, or 20XL since I believe these have similar limitations as far as space.

ljguitar · #5 02-10-2009, 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamminJoe

I've had the RC-2 which I replaced with the Jamman. The RC-2 is okay but the 11 memory slots is a joke. It's not nearly enough, there is no way to offload them, and erasing a prized loop in order to store a new one is painful. The Jamman beats the RC-2 in every way except it does add a little more noise to the signal chain. This is not an issue for me since I use the Jamman as a practice and songwriting tool and do not gig with it.

Hi JJ...
I never save loops, so the memory slots are not the issue with the RC-2 for me...it is the having to loop a recording before you can stop it, and then you have to stop and stand on the pedal for 3 seconds to kill the loops.

It also has only one volume control whereas both the JamMan and RC-20 allow separate volumes for input and loop, so you can keep your ''live'' signal just a bit hotter than the loop. Also, you cannot stop a loop with the RC-2 without double tapping. As a simple loop-n-play the RC-2 is fine.

I didn't find that the JamMan I tried really added noise to the signal chain, but at the time I bought my RC-20, there was no JamMan.

Other features in the JamMan are the XLR input for a mic, and USB interface to transfer info to computer (and potentially upgrade the unit via CF card or computer).

pwshults · #6 02-10-2009, 07:24 PM

thanks guys. all this is really helpful. has anyone ever mess with a boomerang? they're advertised as 'phrase samplers', though i'm not quite sure what that distinction is, i've seen them used as loopers before.

Doug Young · #7 02-10-2009, 07:31 PM

I had a boomerang.Yes, it's a looper. "looper", "phrase sampler", all the same thing. The old boomerang is still the easiest to use of any looper I've tried. Unfortunately it was 16 bits, at some very low sample rate, and sounded pretty mediocre. There's a new bomerang, which fixes this, is stereo, etc. Unfortunately, its been "coming any day now", for a very long time. Check their site for the latest.

tbeltrans · #8 02-10-2009, 07:52 PM

The Jamman did not add NOISE in my signal chain. It DID modify the sound of my guitar in ways I didn't care for. It seemed "darker" (i.e. lost some of the highs) and a bit duller. Other people I know personally (i.e. in person, not over the net - so I could hear their systems in person too) experienced similar complaints. I have not read anybody here mention that and I do find it curious.

Other than this one issue, I thought that the Jamman was very well thought out in terms of its feature set and implementation, and is also very well built.

Tony

djphelan01 · #9 02-11-2009, 07:08 AM

Here is the one I recently bought.
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/navig...q=headrush&st=

I saw a youtube video of K.T. Tunstall using it and was impressed me, so I thought I would try it. So far I like it but I haven't had it long enough to find any bad traits.

fulano · #10 02-11-2009, 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by djphelan01

Here is the one I recently bought.
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/navig...q=headrush&st=

I saw a youtube video of K.T. Tunstall using it and was impressed me, so I thought I would try it. So far I like it but I haven't had it long enough to find any bad traits.

I too saw KT using a looper on you tube and it really inspired me to try one. Are you sure that's the same one KT uses? It might be the same brand but I doubt she uses a $200 loop pedal. Who knows?

I wish I had seen this thread sooner. I just purchased a used Boss RC-20 XL from a fellow AFGer (don't have it yet, just made the deal Monday), but after reading this I'm wondering if the Jamman was a better idea.

I guess I will try out the Boss and play around with it and see if using a looper live is really something I want to try and see how the Boss works.

tuneitfred · #11 02-11-2009, 09:55 PM

I sawi an interview were KT Tunstall says that she does use the Akai Headrush. She used two of them one for her voice and the other for guitar.

Fred

Groberts · #12 02-16-2009, 09:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fulano

I too saw KT using a looper on you tube and it really inspired me to try one. Are you sure that's the same one KT uses? It might be the same brand but I doubt she uses a $200 loop pedal. Who knows?

I wish I had seen this thread sooner. I just purchased a used Boss RC-20 XL from a fellow AFGer (don't have it yet, just made the deal Monday), but after reading this I'm wondering if the Jamman was a better idea.

I guess I will try out the Boss and play around with it and see if using a looper live is really something I want to try and see how the Boss works.

I have an RC-20 XL and it works great live. I am very happy with it. The RC-2 left me wanting, for reasons others mentioned. (Having to press and hold too long to stop a loop etc)

gitman · #13 02-17-2009, 05:54 AM

i use the small RC-2 with an extra pedal so that i don't have to double-tap when i want to stop the loop or erase etc. works fine and does not take up much more space in my gear bag. these simple on/off pedals are cheap and do the job just fine. i'm still waiting (very patiently ....) for the new Boomerang III - i had the 'Rang II but it's just too bulky and the issue it has with noise/input sensitivy etc. was too unnerving on stage. the new one looks like the bee's knees , on paper....

Doubleneck · #14 02-17-2009, 06:07 AM

If KT using it you have to take notice, she really depends on them for her show and she is excellent at doing the loop. I have never seen these.
Steve

imwjl · #15 02-17-2009, 06:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tbeltrans

The Jamman did not add NOISE in my signal chain. It DID modify the sound of my guitar in ways I didn't care for. It seemed "darker" (i.e. lost some of the highs) and a bit duller. Other people I know personally (i.e. in person, not over the net - so I could hear their systems in person too) experienced similar complaints. I have not read anybody here mention that and I do find it curious.

Other than this one issue, I thought that the Jamman was very well thought out in terms of its feature set and implementation, and is also very well built.

Tony

I've only used my JamMan with a tube amp prior to recent days. I did notice the guitar sounds less dynamic with my little solid state practice amp without turning up the JamMan's output setting that was fine with tube amps.

I remain very satisfied with mine but I will qualify that I am not a performer and I bought the optional foot pedal that makes its use even more convenient.