Pedalboard Loop Switcher Thingies??

[Rip Topaz]

I keep seeing all these pedalboards here on TB, and most of the big boards have a strip across the front that I assume controls different loops of pedals.

Can someone shed some light on these devices, what they are and do, as well as different brands or plans to DIY?

 

[LSMFT6]

True Bypass loops. They save your tone from pedals that normally have crappy bypasses, as well as let you arrange your pedals in a more compact spread without worries about bumping your knobs when you turn them on.
Your pedal stays on, "inside" the loop, and you turn the loop on/off to activate your effect. Simple and popular.
Top brands are Road Rage, Keeley, Radial, but there aren't any bad TB loops out there. I've got some for sale in my thread in the Classifieds section.

 

[c_mike]

G-lab all the way

 

[metalinthenight]

Also look into American Loopers and Loop-Master pedals...both great companies.

 

[Rip Topaz]

I've been looking at building my own, actually. I want to add some stuff other than loops and really enjoy doing this kind of thing.

 

[alec]

Some of those companies sell DIY kits as well as finished units. What sort of tweaks do you have in mind?

 

[Rip Topaz]

Some of those companies sell DIY kits as well as finished units. What sort of tweaks do you have in mind?

I'm gonna add an A/B to mine so that I can use two basses without unplugging, plus tuner out and maybe parallel outs. Master bypass and a line driver maybe.

 

[s_mcsleazy]

ive been considering one for a while but because all my peadals are in storage atm i see no real reason to make one...... yet

 

[Rip Topaz]

I'm still pretty new to using effects on bass, even though I've played most of my life. I've always just been a plug and play kinda guy.

I've recently begun playing with pedals, and quickly realized that I need something to organize the switching, and help with noisy pedals.

A loop switcher is just what I'm looking for, but with something so simple, I don't really see a reason to buy one when I can just hit the shop and make it myself.

 

[clsmooth]

You mean something like the Moen GEC9 on my pedal board? It was the best investment ever....no hopscotch with my pedals and I can turn any combination of pedals on or off with one foot tap and 50 presets...it is an amp switcher too for the guitards...

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[BassManPatsFan]

If all my pedals have the true bypass feature, I shouldn't need a loop switcher should I? Do you guys find that some true bypass pedals still hiss and suck tone?

 

[Dave W]

If all my pedals have the true bypass feature, I shouldn't need a loop switcher should I? Do you guys find that some true bypass pedals still hiss and suck tone?

Nope, but if you like to run multiple pedals at the same time, they can be useful. All the pedals you want on at the same time would be turned on within the loop, then you just activate/deactivate the loop to turn them all on or off at the same time. No tap dancing to hit three pedals at the same time.