Looper question

Hi,

I'm loosing too much signal due to my pedalboard.

A friend of mine mentioned a true bypass looper.

Anyone worked with a looper?


greetz,
Eppo

A looper is one option. A buffer pedal is another. Lots of us run clean buffers all the time... I pretty much won't play without mine. It can do a lot to clean up losses from downstream pedals.

http://www.loop-master.com/index.php?cPath=21&osCsid=e64def493efeadf6b5a3947a27b9a1cb

I hate to say this....but what about spending some time figuring out what pedal(s) are causing the problem and sending them off to Ebay? Some pedals just plain suck tone. Usually, it's one or two that are causing the whole problem. Instead of adding more complexity to your board with a bypass pedal, try addressing the root cause. Patch around each pedal and see which are sucking tone.

Also...maybe consider whether you really need all those pedals? Sometimes less is more!

....that is unless your board looks like a NASA control console - in that case, you totally deserve to have a crappy sound ;) (just kiddin)

What effects do you use eppo?

Yeah, what Lance said. Pare your pedals down to what you NEED, and you'll be happier, and your rig will sound better. I've had a gazillion pedals come and go, but these days I'm quite happy with just my buffer (PE Germ), distortion (Keeley Rat), volume pedal, and a simple stomp box delay (usually Rocktron Short Timer). No problems with tone-suck!

Oh, and even if I'm running no other pedals at all, I'd rather have the Germ than go straight to the amp. The buffer makes a HUGE difference to me.

Hi,

I forgot to mention what my stuff's like.

All Boss:
Dig delay DD5
Super Overdrive SD1
Chorus ensemble CE5
Octaver OC2
Compressor sustainer CS3

CS3 -> DD5 from right to the left.

And there's also the red Power Supply PSM5 complete on the right.

greetz...,
Eppo

Boss Pedal are known for being buffer then true bypass

The great thing about a looper is you can take a cheap pedal---like the Arion chorus (which was $15 new) and throw it in a true bypass loop, thus elminating any worries about tone suck but still having the option on copping some great B-3 like tones at the flick of a toe.

Also, you can set up "loops" (duh, right?) for a combo of 2-3 pedals and turn all of them on with one flick.

I have a "slide" loop set up with dirt, CS-2 and DD3 and it is really handy.

Yeah there is one called the Voodoo Lab Pedal Pedal Switcher http://www.voodoolab.com/switcher.htm and Voodoo Lab Commander http://www.voodoolab.com/commander.htm

save a buck, buy from chuck (http://www.chuckstonegarage.com/servlet/StoreFront)

take a look at the tone garage.

I think that folks will continue to think of the TDPRI as the most friendly and helpful music site on the internet if folks stuck to answering someone's question more than converting them to their own beliefs. :-)

As someone whose pedal collection is growing rapidly, I am facing the same problems as you Eppo. I used to be a guitar, cord, and amp kinda guy, but then added a tuner. Then I added an overdrive, and all of a sudden things aren't quite as simple. Then I discovered that I needed more tools in the toolbox sometimes, and the pedal board is growing. I'm finding that the pedals that I like the most have some drawbacks, and that in general all pedals have one drawback or another, tone suckage being one of them.

I think a looper pedal is a good option for you. Electrically, they're pretty simple to build, so it's up to you as to whether you want to try to source the parts and undertake the project or buy something pre-made.

I'm torn between building one myself and buying a pre-fab one. I'm honestly not positive that I could build one for much less than I could buy one, though now that I think about it, building something like the Voodoo Labs Commander with a bunch of relays so I could stomp one switch and get a combination of pedals sounds like a GREAT project.

eryque, check out the link. I build my own pedals all the time but the chuck was almost as cheap as I could buy the parts for and painted!

I've got a couple of extra loopers I've built, if you are a member I kinda know, I'd be willing to let you try one for a month and see if it fits your needs. I know I had no clue what I needed when I started using pedals about a year or so ago. I went from zero pedals to a bunch in no time.. they are fun and can be quite musical.

VoodooLab GCX Guitar Switcher

Saw the US-price.... man... much more cheap than in Holland.
I think I have to pay more than 1.400 USD in Holland for this stuff....

Eppo

If you want to build yourself, you can get looper kits from www.musikding.de in Germany - I built this with their kits:

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e323/RomanSonnleitner/switcher.jpg

- two double-loopers, an A/B switch and a booster in one box.

save a buck, buy from chuck (http://www.chuckstonegarage.com/servlet/StoreFront)

take a look at the tone garage.

It looks like he's actually a little more expensive than Loop Master.

Loop master sells the same pedal for $80 that Chuck is selling for $89.

Just sayin'.