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Got A New Customized Loooper

Bryan R. Tyler

Bryan R. Tyler

TalkBass: Usurping My Practice Time Since 2002
Staff member
Administrator
Gold Supporting Member
Supporting Member
May 3, 2002
28,948
20,932
Connecticut
www.bryanrtyler.com
Disclosures
Reviewer: Bass Player Magazine
#1
Just got this in the mail-it's really cool. I originally wanted an A/B box with two inputs instead of two outputs so I could switch between basses without having to unplug and replug. I decided to get volume pots for each input as well. I'm working on doing solo pieces with my Boss loop station, and there's some songs that I switch between fretless and fretted. I usually run my fretless passive, which has a lower volume than my fretted that I keep active. I prefer to keep the volume knobs on my basses on full at all times (maybe it's just me, but to my ears my basses usually sound best with the volume all on), and you can't adjust the volume on the amp or the entire loop changes volume, so I can control the input volume easily this way.

I also went with two loops, as I can control my effects more individually that way, and a Master Bypass footswitch, so I can quickly cut to a clean sound, and then quickly go back to one or both loops turned on. I'm only running two effects right now-a Boss RC-20XL with an attached FS-6 and a Boss GT-6B, but I like to have as much hands-free control as possible. The Master Bypass also works as a kind of mute, as I can play with one effect on, hit the Master Bypass and go to a clean sound while switching around the patches on my GT-6B, and then go right back into the new patch I've switched to.

I alos got the Series/Parallel switch, which I don't really have much use for now, but it may come in very handy in the future. It may even be useful sooner than that if I begin using more delays recorded into the loop station and then play over them with a different delay. There's different color LEDs to conote which footswitches are pressed as well, and a fifth LED so I can tell which input is currently in use.

My only very slight complaint is that there's no on/off switch for the battery powered LEDs, and you have to unscrew four screws and open the whole unit to get to the battery compartment if you want to unplug the battery. There is, however, a 9v jack on the back, so the LEDs can be powered by a small power adapter plug which can easily be unplugged. I imagine the best way to handle the situation would be to keep it plugged in for random home use, and pop the battery in so you can keep it unplugged when jamming or playing a gig-anytime you'd be keeping the unit in use for an extended perios of time.

It's also a true bypass-a really great deal for under $200. David at Loooper will make almost anything for you, by the look of the custom-made pieces and options menu.
Check 'em out.
www.loooper.com
 
#5
Juneau said:
Thats awesome Brian, I had no idea you could even get such a thing. How long are the loops, and how many overdubs?
Click to expand...

Juneau-it's not a looper as in a loop station-Loooper makes effects loop bypass stations (among other things). You plug your effects into the loops, and can turn them on and off from there. You can put individual or multiple effects on each loop, and have several loops (depending on the kind of loooper you get) run at the same time, or switch it so only certain ones are on.

I do have a loop station that I use-the Boss RC-20XL that I mentioned is one. You have up to 16 minutes of recording time with it, and can make as many overdubs as the time allows (example-you could have 16 one-minute loops or 32 thirty-second loops, etc.).
 
#6
Toasted said:
You know how it works Bryan... We don't believe you unless we get a picture ;)

Wait, no, just show us a picture for the loooper porn.
Click to expand...

The pictures are there, Toasted. There's two of them-both hosted from the TalkBass Gallery. I don't know why, but occassionally people can't see images from the TB gallery that are linked into posts-maybe try refreshing your screen?
 
#11
Petary791 said:
That's sooo awesome, I can't wait til I get mine.

What is the "Ser" and "Para" thing though?
Click to expand...

That's the Series/Parallel switch. It changes the order in which your effects run. It helps with multiple time-based effects like delays.
This link describes what it does more thoroughly.
 
#13
AlembicPlayer - Have you ever noticed any issues running high gain effects, like fuzz/OD/disto, in the effect loop with the blend?

I could very easily be completely wrong, but I'm guessing that's a passive mixing circuit (no buffering) and that feedback could occur through the send/return when you blend in a lot of something that has a really hot output.

Looopers look very cool, and it sounds like lots of folks really like them, too. But, there's a disclaimer about the blend feature on the looper web site. So, I'm just curious. :cool:

Thanks
~ Charlie
 
#14
moosapotamus said:
AlembicPlayer - Have you ever noticed any issues running high gain effects, like fuzz/OD/disto, in the effect loop with the blend?

I could very easily be completely wrong, but I'm guessing that's a passive mixing circuit (no buffering) and that feedback could occur through the send/return when you blend in a lot of something that has a really hot output.

Looopers look very cool, and it sounds like lots of folks really like them, too. But, there's a disclaimer about the blend feature on the looper web site. So, I'm just curious. :cool:

Thanks
~ Charlie
Click to expand...

Charlie,
I read that before I bought my loooper and had that concern too. I almost did not order that option because of that. The only high gain effect I'm using is the Crowther Audio Prunes and Custard...I'm not sure it would be considered the same as most OD's because it works much differently then conventional distortion boxes....but I haven't had any problems running it in the loop with the blender. As a matter of fact, the blender works fantastic with my setup. It really made a big difference in in my sound having the ability to mix in some dry signal to the mix.

bass - loooper- Prunes&Custard - OctaBass - Qtron
 
#15
I noticed that P&C in your pic. :cool: I totally dig mine, too. But, you're right... It's not really a high gain slammer kind of fuzz.

I built myself a buffered blender (the paralooper on my web site) because I sometimes use either a bigmuff or a fuzzfactory. They are both more of the high gain type of effects that might cause concern when trying to use a passive blend/mixer circuit. And, the fuzzfactory, especially, cuts way too much of the low end and definately needs the clean blend.

Anyway... Nice to hear how the Loooper is woking. And, they look way cool, too. :cool:

Thanks
~ Charlie
 
#16
moosapotamus said:
AlembicPlayer - Have you ever noticed any issues running high gain effects, like fuzz/OD/disto, in the effect loop with the blend?

I could very easily be completely wrong, but I'm guessing that's a passive mixing circuit (no buffering) and that feedback could occur through the send/return when you blend in a lot of something that has a really hot output.

Looopers look very cool, and it sounds like lots of folks really like them, too. But, there's a disclaimer about the blend feature on the looper web site. So, I'm just curious. :cool:

Thanks
~ Charlie
Click to expand...

I run a Rust Ride through my loop that has the blend. It is pretty high gain. With all of my basses, it works fine. I borrowed a Skjold that had EMGs and the EMG 18 volt preamp, and there was feedback through the loop. It made it unuseable, unless I backed the volume on the bass down to about 50%.
 

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