Question

You probably want a bypass loop box. It just bypasses everything in the loop so only your bass is connected to the amp. This way you can preset a combination of effects and switch on and off or keep the effects out of the signal path. This is the cheap route. You could also get something like the Boss ES-8 which is probably overkill. There are a number of units on the market that can perform this task.

 

Yep! There are lots of options for Loop Switcher pedals and blenders that would do exactly this.

A simple single loop Loop Switcher is basically exactly what you described. input from bass, then a effect loop that is switchable. (Send jack that goes out to your pedal or pedals, and plugs into the first input jack, then a return where the output of your pedal or pedals plugs back into the loop switcher, and then an Output jack that plugs into your amp)

Then you have the same thing, but with a blend option, that keeps your cleanes if desired and blends in the effects loop to taste.

Also multiple switchable loop options, and some that will let you switch the order of the different loops on different presets, so your pedals in each loop can be "moved around in the signal chain" from one preset to the next.

If you have any questions about how they work, let me know! I have owned and tried a bunch over the years!

 

Off the top of my head, a loop switcher from Saturnworls is probably the cheapest and easiest way to accomplish your goal.

They make quality stuff and offer great support. Quick too.

 

Buy a BOSS LS-2 on the cheap.

 

I have a more pricey Lehle D-Loop that I used for this reason. It is expensive, but you can program it, and if you lose power it will still pass a signal through to your amp.

 

I agree that Saturnworks is great. eBay or Reverb. I have two of them on my pedalboard and they work flawlessly. They also make a single channel bypass looper. Quality at reasonable prices, and hand wired.

 

I have one of the older versions of this: BigShot EFX - Radial Engineering
Great unit. Also cool is that you can use it as an instrument switcher (even though it's not intended that way--by connecting your two instruments to the two effects loop Return jacks on each channel.

 

Mosky Loop Box is available on amazon is the smallest and cheapest I have found and it works perfectly.
LOOP BOX

 

EH Switchblade Pro. You can make two different loops and blend your strait sound with the pedals or just pedals or just bass. I love mine.

 

Xotic X-BLENDER
This is kinda nice...about $180...$150 used, perhaps...

It's kinda next level with a nice feature set, well made.

 

Exactly the set up I have on my board. I use a Little Lehle loop switcher. Not the cheapest option out there but high quality and totally bomb proof!


It’s the little white box…looks like they’ve recently done another upgrade to the model… LITTLE LEHLE III

 

+2 for the Boss LS-2