Show Me Your Bypass Loopers... Please?

[J Posega]

I don't necessarily mean tone suck from a bad bypass, but it certainly is one reason. My main reason to not have a pedal plugged into the front or end of the looper is because I like to use these things for what they were designed for.....minimal cable runs potentially messing with my signal. I hear you about noise not being a problem, and don't even disagree, but for me personally I like the elegant nature of the design of bypass loopers, and the (perhaps placebo) effect of having my signal as "pure" as possible when I'm not using any one particular pedal.

The only problem I see with this logic is that I'd still be using the same relative number of cables and length due to the arrangement of the board.

 

[MGR]

The only problem I see with this logic is that I'd still be using the same relative number of cables and length due to the arrangement of the board.

Technically true, but again, when the loops are bypassed, the signal is not going thru them, so you could have a million cables and it wouldn't matter. Only the actual cables being used at any particular time are in the chain. So on my board I am currently running 8 loops. I rarely, if ever, stack or use combinations. Therefore, even with 8 pedals, my amp is usually only getting the signal (and it's potential signal degradation) from only one pedal, and usually none, since my main tone is just the clean sound running from the input to the output of the looper itself (which I guess technically counts as 1 pedal also).

 

[Feral Feline]

To me both seem like a waste of a loop; a true bypass tuner really doesn't affect the sound so why not put it in front of the switcher?

+1 on waisting a loop for a tuner,
-1 on the tuner out...

...because, comment below.

I like the tuner out front cause it acts like a mute too (which my looper doesn't have)

I like my tuner always on; luckily my preamp has a tuner out and a separate mute, so I don't need the tuner to mute my signal.

I guess I should've posted my current "looper" before (not the Super8 I just got)...

View media item 4055
My pre-amp/DI also has a single FX loop, which I use to tap into my big "board".

 

[FretNoMore]

Fair point on the always-on tuner.

 

[J Posega]

Always on tuner would be a must if I were playing upright or fretless, but my Dingwall rarely goes out of tune once I get warmed up.

 

[FretNoMore]

Always on tuner would be a must if I were playing upright or fretless, but my Dingwall rarely goes out of tune once I get warmed up.

I've tried fretless and always on tuner and while it can help when practicing it is too slow and too distracting when actually playing. I think it's better to rely on the ears and the occasional open string for reference.

 

[J Posega]

I've tried fretless and always on tuner and while it can help when practicing it is too slow and too distracting when actually playing. I think it's better to rely on the ears and the occasional open string for reference.

I don't play fretless enough to worry about it, and my ear is good enough to know if I'm way off.

I'm thinking 6 loops with master bypass. Now the question is - build or buy?

 

[bassbrad]

Onboard Effects Loops and Switchers Explained | Reverb

I wanted to share this article from Reverb, usually well thought out with good suggestions to consider.

 

[Feral Feline]

I've tried fretless and always on tuner and while it can help when practicing it is too slow and too distracting when actually playing. I think it's better to rely on the ears and the occasional open string for reference.

+1

I don't play fretless enough to worry about it, and my ear is good enough to know if I'm way off.

I'm thinking 6 loops with master bypass. Now the question is - build or buy?

Build it, the tone will come...

Road Rage Pro Gear DIY kit, but the compact 5 and 6 loop kits are sold out at the moment.

However the staggered 6 loop kit is available:

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

and so is the Bigfoot 5-channel:

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

 

[J Posega]

+1



Build it, the tone will come...

Road Rage Pro Gear DIY kit, but the compact 5 and 6 loop kits are sold out at the moment.

However the staggered 6 loop kit is available:

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

and so is the Bigfoot 5-channel:

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

The road rage kits are a great price. I'd gladly go with the staggered one, except I think I wouldn't be able to plug the EBS cables I use in to each jack since the molded end is kind of long and inflexible. Many thugs to ponder. Plus I really want soft touch switches.

 

[bruno40gr]

If you need 5 loops, soft switches and programmable, have you looked into the Yoke 5 from DC Pedalboard?

 

[J Posega]

If you need 5 loops, soft switches and programmable, have you looked into the Yoke 5 from DC Pedalboard?

That one looks very nice, but I don't really think I need a programmable one at this point.

 

[Testing123]

Subscribing .. I have not yet put a board together around my new Boss ES-8 and I'm pretty much in the same situation, pondering what to put in each loop. There are almost too many possibilities ...

@FretNoMore , was wondering if you have put your board together yet using the BOSS ES-8 and if so, how you were/are getting along with the ES-8.
I just saw that BOSS has an ES-5 and that's what piqued my interest (it's smaller and more appropriate for what I have right now).

 

[FretNoMore]

Nope, still pondering.

 

[J Posega]

Just paid for a used Loopmaster 4 loop plus master bypass and tuner mute. I might see if rewiring the tuner mute to another loop will be a pain, but I think it's gonna serve my purposes nicely.

I also have a Boss LS2 that I might be using either as another set of loops or for blending sounds within a loop.

 

[Testing123]

Anyone using a OneControl Chamaeleo Tail Loop MKII?

It looks to be very straight forward (read easy to use on gigs for me) and it has what I think are soft-touch switches.
If you have any experience with it, I’m wondering how well it has worked out for you.

Thanks…

 

[Testing123]

Nope, still pondering.

Post back when you get'er goin'.

 

[pbass6811]

Just paid for a used Loopmaster 4 loop plus master bypass and tuner mute. I might see if rewiring the tuner mute to another loop will be a pain, but I think it's gonna serve my purposes nicely.

I also have a Boss LS2 that I might be using either as another set of loops or for blending sounds within a loop.

I just paid for a new Loopmaster 7-loop w/tuner out and the tuner always on option. I also got a new Loopmaster ABY switch w/tuner out and always on. I did that so I could put the tuner anywhere on the board and have access to an always on tuner out...probably pretty unnecessary, but it didn't add that much to the final cost so I figured why not.

 

[Testing123]

I just saw that BOSS has an ES-5 and that's what piqued my interest (it's smaller and more appropriate for what I have right now).

Looks like the ES-5 is still "coming soon." However, it seems that it'll be $399.00 at most places.
You can check out several videos of the ES-8 on YouTube as the ES-5 has almost all of the same features.
Here's an (intro type without all of the details) ES-5 specific video:

 

[i2k]

Mine's looks like this at this stage. No money for those fancy boxes.
Plan to etch & drill the PCB this weekend and probably work on the enclosure next weekend, the wiring will be hell.
It will be EHX XO sized, internal 18 volt triple loops with in/out phase & series/parallel switches. Being XO sized, it will look just right in the middle of my BMS & POG2.
I decide to call it "menage a trois", french synonym for "threesome"