Table Of Contents. Sure, having a rhythm player or a bassist is awesome, but it’s difficult to place the exact musical idea you have into their brains instantaneously during gigs.
And while you can improvise with your band and bring that special kind of magic, a looper pedal is device that will allow you to express your own stuff just the way you imagined it. Anyhow, “What is a loop pedal for guitar?”, you ask. Well, a looper is essentially a device that records a desired segment of your performance and then puts it on a loop.
But that’s not where things end because you can put additional effects to that original recording, such as pitch adjustments, speed adjustments, and more. Top 10 Best Looper Pedals: Image Guitar Pedal / Rating Summary Check Price Total of 4.80/5 Balanced performance with stereo recording and a broadened spectrum of control options. Total of 4.65/5 Great model that delivers lengthy recording time in both stereo and mono. Total of 4.75/5 Looper designed for those who like to make adjustments on the go. Total of 4.72/5 Basic, but rather capable looper pedal packed in a compact form factor. Total of 4.90/5 Feature packed model that is also easy to use and also capable.
Total of 4.73/5 Solid core performance for those looking for simplicity and reliability of use. Total of 4.53/5 An affordable looper that brings advanced functionality and control to budget crowd. Total of 4.78/5 No-nonsense unit with a very spartan layout that brings strong core performance. Total of 4.90/5 One of DigiTech's strongest loopers, Jam Man offers a lot of versatility. Total of 4.95/5 Top of the line looper unit that is yet to be dethroned. Controls: Features: Performance: Value: Boss definitely stand out as one of the ultimate stomp-box masters, and of course have a strong contender within the loop realm (two of them actually, but more on that later). Their RC 3 loop station offers stereo recording, along with a string of advanced functions such as a rhythm option and a tap tempo feature.
In our opinion, this is the pedal that covers the loop needs of at least 95% of players, while packing a sturdy Boss build and a fair price. If you’re in pursuit of the same audio quality, but without the advanced features and with a more affordable price tag, do. Controls: Features: Performance: Value: Surprisingly affordable, the offers many of the sonic qualities of the Boss RC-3, but packs a significantly lower price tag. It offers up to 6 hours of mono and stereo recording, 99 user memories, multi-layering abilities, tempo changes, the whole nine yards! One thing where the Nux is inferior to the Boss are the drum sounds, which sound a tad weak and too artificial for our taste. For the listed price, though, you are still getting a killer deal, so if those loop drums aren’t a priority, this device is a solid option for sure. Controls: Features: Performance: Value: If you like your looper pedal concise, precise, basic, yet highly effective, we believe that from TC Electronic is a valid choice.
Offering 5 minutes of loop time with unlimited edits, this true bypass mono pedal features a minimalistic design with just one control knob. But that knob is all many players need, making the Ditto a perfect choice for players who don’t like to deal with infinite adjustments and just get to thick of it right away. In the aesthetic department, this is one gorgeous item, and we absolutely love the grainy gray finish. A good bang for the buck! Controls: Features: Performance: Value: As another simple and highly affordable option, the offers all the basic features of a loop pedal summed up in a convenient mono device with just a single Level knob and an on/off switch. The gizmo presents the user with up to 10 minutes of looping with unlimited overdubs and an undo/redo function. We’re looking at a true bypass pedal with the ability to import and export music from and to your PC.
The looks are classy, the sound is solid, the price is affordable – what more can you ask for? Controls: Features: Performance: Value: Returning to the advanced domain, the from Electro Harmonix is the perfect mixture of advanced functionalities and ease of use. This pedal offers a high-quality basic loop function and mixes it up nothing but useful land practical extra features such as the Reverse button or the 1/2 option. What we found as particularly awesome about this fella is the ease of use.
Sure, it’s packed with a chunk of various functions, but the manufacturer made sure that each of those features is always just a click or two away. For example, the foot controller input allows you to use the popular three-button foot controllers in order to change a bank up or down, as well as secure an instant undo/redo option. Controls: Features: Performance: Value: The from Digitech is a top-notch option for players who are looking for a stereo looper that retains just the effect’s basic functionalities. So apart from two pairs of input and output jacks, the device offers up to 10 minutes of stereo recording time, with unlimited overdubs plus undo and redo functions. This is a true bypass pedal with a 24-bit 44.1kHz sample rate. Although Digitech carries a reputation of crafting plastic pedals, this one is made from full-on metal, offering top-level durability and reliability.
Only one control knob is included in the mix, and it’s all you need if you ask us! Controls: Features: Performance: Value: For the experimental bunch, Vox created an affordable device that allows you to combine the looper with a variety of classic guitar effects. These include anything from distortion, crunch and to more exotic stuff such as chorus and phaser. When it comes to solid quality, we can’t sing too many praises, but we can most definitely say that the VLL1 has an acceptable sonic attack and offers a strong punch for the listed price. As a matter of fact, this is an item we would highly recommend to beginners as a great way to delve into the intricate realm of guitar effects. Despite the vast number of effects in store, the pedal remains easy to use, and for that we salute the manufacturer.
Controls: Features: Performance: Value: If you like your pedals really, really compact and concise, is the deal for you! Coming with a super compact size of 5.7 x 2.8 x 3.7 inches and a light weight of 11.7 ounces, this pedal offers all the sonic capabilities of the majority of the listed pedals at a fair price and even includes a free pair of small patch cables. Despite the small size, the item is durable and reliable, and even comes with a pretty purple-to-gray finish. In the controls segment, we are looking at a single Level knob and a classic on/off switch.
Controls: Features: Performance: Value: Hailed as the best looper from Digitech, the packs a set of four heavy duty footswitches to the mix and makes the whole procedure significantly simpler and more convenient for the player. The device can store over 35 minutes of stereo sound or extend that database to a whopping 16 hours figure via optional SDHC card. The device allows you to record rhythm loops and solo over them on the go, which is a great convenience for constantly-touring musicians these days. A vast array of extra switches and buttons has also been included in the mix, and we kindly invite you to check the full review for extra details! Controls: Features: Performance: Value: Finally, if you want to get REALLY serious about the whole looping business, we say that not a lot (if any) products can beat the mighty from Boss! Loaded with three stereo tracks with dedicated footswitches, this puppy allows you to genuinely create a backing band for yourself. It includes an on-board expression pedal to control the effects in real time, as well as the ability to record up to three whole hours footage and store it on 99 onboard memories.
The number of options and tweaks here truly seems limitless and we recommend proceeding to the full review if you’re interested in more details. Is this the best option?
If you’re really into looping, it most definitely is! Overall, this pedal is popular mostly among live performers, as all of these effects can be easily attained in a studio environment. Anyhow, we took the liberty of sifting through today’s market in an attempt to find the best guitar looper out there.
We took a fair portion of these bad boys out for a spin, and can confidently say that each of the fellas listed abovr are worthy of that flattering title within their respective price range. And that about wraps up our rundown! We would not like to dive into a variety of extra tips, tricks and open discussions on things you should know when purchasing one of these puppies. If you’re still uncertain about which looper to buy – and whether you need a looper in the first place – read on! What to look for when buying a loop pedal for guitar Much like any pedal, loopers have their own string of objective factors to watch out for.
While we realize that each of our lovely readers have their personal preferences, a certain string of criteria can be drawn on what makes a good loop pedal. First and foremost, the recorded sound needs to be authentic and organic.
Any sort of poor rendering or sonic interference are instant red flag raisers for us, and we strongly discarded each and every item we encountered that couldn’t match this basic demand. But then, we reach the point where a question needs to be asked: “Do you need more?” Are you satisfied with just the basic look function – which is quite alright in our book – or are you after some extra options. For example, a tap tempo feature is something many users seek, as well as a rhythm function. Further on up the road, you can such nifty details as various pitch changers, a Reverse button, and more. But never allow yourself to get carried away with all the extra perks, because the quality of the basic loop audio output is the absolute crucial matter here. Apart from that, some of the usual criteria apply – sturdy construction, reliability of electric circuits and pedal in general, value for money, and some pretty looks on the side if possible.
Note that while sifting through the market, we took each of the listed factors into the equation while keeping the sound quality on top. What difference does a number of footswitches make?
A great difference! More footswitches means more control. There’s a variety of functions that switches do – starting the recording, stopping the playback, erasing the loop, and more – and it’s much more convenient to have at least two switches to use.
Manufacturers are well aware of this, and that’s why the expensive models utilize at least three footswitches. So how exactly does it work then? Well, you still have all the functions in single-switch models, but you’ll have to learn how to tap dance over ’em. For example, to start the recording you will need to just tap the button once; to stop the recording, you need to double-tap it, and to erase the recorded loop, you need to hold the button down. If you’re on a budget, but would like the convenience of extra footswitches, there’s an option to connect external footswitches to some pedals, so keep your eyes peeled for those. Should I watch out for loop length? Loop length might seem like a big deal, but it’s actually not.
The thing is – most pedals offer more than enough recording time. When you thing about it, the majority of players will hardly need more than one minute of recording time to lay down the track to loop, and even the most affordable stomp-boxes often offer around 10 minutes of recording time.
Should I watch out for loop storage? Many loop pedals don’t have internal storage and discard the loops as soon as they are turned off or another loop is added. But if you want to be able to remember the loops you laid down for future use, you will want to consider getting pedals with internal storage. Some products have a certain amount of built-in space, while more advanced models even feature an option to insert an external SDHC card and store the goods there. What’s the difference between mono and stereo loopers?
When it comes to output, stereo outputs allow you to run the pedal through a stereo rig, or through separate amps. As far as stereo inputs go, having two In jacks allows you to conduct some pretty cool experiments. For example, you can plug in a microphone to your second input and use it to add various percussive instruments to your loop. You can also add vocals or pretty much anything that can be recorded via a microphone.
Do I really need the loop effects? Well, to be honest – no, not really. Not that there’s not a chance you’ll like this stuff, but the majority of these effects gets discarded as gimmicky in our book.
What we mean by loop effects is stuff like the “1/2 Speed” feature, or the “Lo-Fi Filter,” or “Reverse” option. For example, the “Reverse” button takes the loop you recorded and plays it backwards, which might sound cool, but the practice has shown that the majority of players use this feature a few times when they buy the pedal because it’s fun, but as soon as they start performing regularly and get accustomed to the device, they pretty much never touch that button again. What’s the best way to use a loop pedal A frequent question among musicians is, “Can I use a loop pedal in the studio?” Well, technically you can, but it is kinda pointless. The main thing about the looper is to allow you to create a backing rhythm section or even a few melodic lead lines to support you while performing on your own. In studio environment, it’s pretty simple to record as many backing tracks as you like, but that becomes an entirely different story during gigs.
Therefore, the best way to use these bad boys is during shows or while busking on your own. Many street performers heavily rely on loopers with exceptional results, so keep that in mind as well. Additionally, there’s more to loopers than just live performance, as they stand out as one of the top tools for beginner musicians to practice their chops on. You can use a loop pedal to practice guitar solos by recording rhythm parts to spin around until you nail the stuff. If your pedal has the ability to import audio files, you can also take the song you like and dissect it through pitch- and tempo-changing features. They also say that nothing gets one’s creative juices flowing like a loop pedal, but we’ll leave that up to you to discover. Do any famous musicians use a looper?
Yes, of course they do. For example, Mr. Ed Sheeran is known for rocking a Boss looper during shows, and so did the mighty late great Les Paul. Other notable loop wielders include Robert Fripp of King Crimson, U2’s The Edge, jazz titan Pat Metheny, Queen’s Brian May, Mal Webb, Reggie Watts, Gavin Castleton, and many, many more. How much money should I spend on a good loop pedal? The answer to this question heavily depends on how much do you plan to use the looper during your performance.
If you’re after a decent one-switch looper, $70 to $80 will suffice. However, if you really want the killer goods, a versatile beast with a variety of functions to turn you into a one-man army, a figure of $500 can be easily reached.
Do I need to get any accessories with a loop pedal? Not really, loopers operate as standard pedals and require almost zero additional investments. You will of course need a standard power adapter or 9V batteries to power them – and those are commonly not included in the price – plus a pair of cables to connect the device with your guitar and amp or recording tool, but that’s about it. If you get past the number of two or three pedals in your collection, we recommend getting a pedalboard, but that’s another matter and something you should consult our list of Best Guitar Pedalboards for. Used guitar looper We have to point out that loopers are intricate pedals with advanced electronics that are best not tinkered with and best purchased new. We’re not saying that you can’t get a top deal in the second-hand market, but we are definitely pointing out that you should be extra careful if you decide to delve into that realm. If you’re uncertain about your skills to estimate the functionality of a used guitar looper, at least bring along someone who can.
Conclusion And we have thus reached the end of our loop odyssey! We hope that you have enjoyed the ride, make sure to stay tuned for best deals on the web.
The final step now is to jot down your personal needs, preferences and available spending budget, single out your own best guitar looper and treat yourself with one of these bad boys as early as today. Been looking for a loop pedal for a while. Of course my first option was the RC-30 as I plan to add a mic to the mic but I’d rather get a more budget friendly option because 300 bucks is a risky move anyway, and I live in a country where taxes are kind of high so there’s also that I read you said having stereo inputs I could plug a mic and I have a couple questions if you don’t mind! 1) Of course I’d be using a dynamic mic so Do I need a preamp or a mixer to add it to the mix?
2) Will I have two different output signals, for each channel? Or a “mixed” signal? I’m really digging the RC-1 for the price and because I don’t really need the saving options. I read it has 1 stereo and 1 mono inputs so That’ll do, right?
I will reaaally appreciate your help in the matter as Im kind of confused! Thanks in advance!
For those of you who predominantly play acoustic or electric guitar, a looper pedal may prove to be the most valuable music purchase that you ever make. Unfortunately, the sheer variety of pedals available today can make purchasing a looper a bit overwhelming. There are dozens of manufacturers and hundreds of models, all of which come with their own pros and cons.
But thankfully for you, we’ve combed through a wide variety of sources in an attempt to help you find the best looper pedal for your needs. We’ll give you a basic breakdown of the pedals, as well as great recommendations for the one you should get!
If you're short on time or just want to get right to the winners, we've summarized our findings. So, What Does A Looper Pedal Do? For those of you who aren’t already aware, a looper pedal is a device which records the signal from your guitar and then plays it over and over again.
A looper pedal differs from a delay because the signal is repeated for as long as the musician requires, whereas a delay will only repeat a signal for a short amount of time. A delay pedal is an effect, whereas a looper pedal is more of a tool.
What’s so great about a looper pedal is that it allows a musician to create their own backing tracks on the fly, giving him/her dramatically more control over their practice routine. To give an example, let’s assume that you want to practice some jazz improvisation at a medium tempo in the key of C Major.
Now you could spend half an hour on the web trying to find a jam track that’ll fit your needs, or you could use a looper pedal to easily lay down a basic chord progression and get to practicing. Some musicians also use looper pedals for live performance, laying down the basic progression of the song and then adding ornamentation on top of it. A good example of an artist who commonly uses this technique is. Here's an inspiring performance from Irish singer-songwriter Damien Rice, who uses looper pedals to not only loop his vocals, but also switches between acoustic and electric guitar to record different parts (the fun starts around 4:10 into the video). He would need four or five other musicians to do the work his one (or perhaps two) looper pedals are doing. What Should I Look For In A Looper Pedal?
There was a time when we were standing right where you are now, unsure of just what we needed in a looper pedal and what we should expect to spend. Having demoed a pretty wide variety of loopers, we’ve come to the conclusion that you don’t really need a lot of features in your looper pedal to get a lot of use out of it. Sure having the ability to slow tracks down on the fly or easily transfer them to your computer is handy, but it’s by no means a necessity. At the end of the day, most looper pedals on the market are going to perform fairly well. The most important thing is that you a purchase looper with a well built chassis (the case of the pedal) and components that will hold up under the stress you’ll be putting it through.
Generally, a looper pedal is going to run you somewhere in the neighborhood of $100, and a feature rich looper could easily run you $200-300. How Did We Choose The Winners? Our research method is very comprehensive. We scour the web for forum threads from the likes of reddit and Gearslutz where people are asking 'What's the best looper pedal?' Instead of relying on individual opinions, we tally up each time a looper pedal receives a recommendation or endorsement from an owner. This yielded a master list of about 23 pedals, and from that we sorted out the top 5. Then, we thoroughly read reviews for the top 5, watched demo videos, and finally went to try them out ourselves at our local music shops.
And as always, it’s important to clarify what “best” means in the context of this article. Sure, a $300 high-end looper pedal may have a lot of features that you won’t find on a $50 model, but that doesn’t matter to someone who can only scrape together $50. In our top 5 list, we make sure to include looper pedals that hit a variety of budget ranges, and we make sure to name the Best of the Best, and the Best Bang for Your Buck choices. The 5 Best Looper Pedals So without much further ado, here are the best looper pedals. TC Electronic Ditto Looper Loop Time: 5 minutes The TC Electronic Ditto Looper pedal is without a doubt the best loop pedal on the market today for most guitarists. Think of it almost like the iPhone of looper pedals. We say that with conviction, since when we hunted down countless 'what’s the best looper pedal?'
Forum threads, the Ditto came up the most liked and recommended one again and again. In fact, if you’ve read any of our other, you know sometimes when we tally up the votes, it’s a pretty close race between the gear that comes in first, second, and sometimes third place. In this case, the Ditto stole the show, coming in first by a huge margin! The TC Electronic Ditto Looper is outstanding first and foremost because it’s a simple and affordable looper.
TC Electronic set out to make a pedal by guitarists, for guitarists, and it shows in how relatively straightforward it is to operate. Not only is it simple and functional, but the sound quality is outstanding due to its 24-bit uncompressed audio fidelity. This is important because it makes for great clarity and distinction between the layers you’re looping. The Ditto is great even when it’s not on, with its true bypass circuitry (meaning your guitar signal goes through it unaffected). And to take it another step further, the Ditto has analog-dry-through, meaning that even when it’s on, the dry signal comes through the pedal, all analog, unaltered in any way.
The Ditto Looper is so well-received by guitarists because it gives you the feeling that every feature that is essential to looping is simply best-in-class. If you want to get an idea of just how well-received it is, it has a whopping 400+ positive reviews on Amazon. The interface on the Ditto couldn’t be much simpler - you have a single volume knob to control the loop volume, and a single footswitch to operate the pedal. In terms of the tech specs, you have 5 minutes of looping time, which is ample time to record and loop and entire song if you want to. You also get unlimited overdubs, meaning you can record layers upon layers to your heart’s content. At first it might seem strange that the Ditto is fully controllable by a single switch - and admittedly, it can take a little bit of practice to get used to using it seamlessly. Punch the switch once and the light turns red, which is record mode.
Punch it again to stop recording, and the light turns green to indicate playback mode. The light conveniently blinks at the start of the loop. When it’s in playback mode, you can press the switch to arm it for recording, and it actually starts recording at the start of the loop, which is super convenient. Don’t like the loop you just recorded? Punch the switch and hold it for a second to undo (or redo). Press switch twice to fully stop the loop. Again, these controls might take a little bit to get used to (especially the double-tap to stop), but after playing with the Ditto Looper for a couple of hours they’ll become second nature.
The TC Electronic Ditto Looper is not completely without flaws. For one, it doesn’t have a battery. You must power it with a 9V power supply providing 100 mA or more. We got our Ditto from Amazon (hooray for Amazon Prime free 2-day shipping), and also got this $10, which is the recommended power supply and works perfectly to power the Ditto.
Also, this pedal’s simplicity might not be for everyone. If you are a live performer with complex looping needs when it comes to your layers and arrangements, you might require more options that what the Ditto Looper provides. Unlike some other looper pedals on the market, you can’t save any recorded loops with the Ditto. This is unfortunate if you need to store a bunch of pre-recorded loops for songs you want to perform.
Also, say you are songwriting and come up with some brilliant loop worthy of recording, you’ll have to hook it up to something that is capable of recording. As soon as you switch the Ditto off, you’ll lose whatever you had going on it. Of course, this isn’t necessarily a terrible thing; we found that by having to recreate loops each time we switched the Ditto on, we had to inject more creativity and come up with even more interesting stuff! Bottom Line: The TC Electronic Ditto Looper is, overall, truly the best looper pedal out there right now. For composition, songwriting, practice, and live use, it really has no equal. The recording quality is great, and the impact to your guitar’s tone is minimal, if not nonexistent.
It’s definitely the looper to get if your looping needs are relatively simple. We love this quote from an Owner of the Ditto: I have one and it's fantastic. Does exactly what it's supposed to do and nothing else. And it's cheap. And it's sturdy. We really can’t stress how good this pedal is, especially for the budget-friendly price it is offered.
Simply having one handy as a practice tool will tremendously improve your guitar playing, timing, rhythm chops, soloing, creativity, etc. Whether you’re replacing your old looper pedal, or buying your first one, there’s a 99.8% chance you’ll fall in love with the Ditto. Definitely the Best of the Best. Boss RC-3 Loop Station Loop Time: 3 hours The TC Electronic Ditto may have taken first place by a large margin, but second place by a significant margin goes to the Boss RC-3 Loop Station.
Immediately when you look at it you’ll notice it lacks the dead-simple interface that the Ditto has, but in turn it adds some pretty great features. These features, plus the Boss build-quality, reliability, and experience in making loop pedals make the RC-3 a very strong contender. The tiny buttons placed close together might seem intimidating at first, but rest assured that operating the Boss RC-3 is pretty straightforward and simple. In fact, you can ignore the buttons and get straight to looping by hitting the footswitch once, and the red light in the top-left corner indicates you’re in record mode. Hit it again and both green and red LEDs light up meaning you’re in playback AND recording mode. Hit it yet again, and just the green one stays lit, meaning you’re playing back your loop.
Double-tap the footswitch to stop looping. This operation is very similar to that of the Ditto.
The RC-3 also has the handy feature of starting and stopping the recording on the measure, so you don't have to have perfect timing with the footswitch. We were surprised to find the Boss RC-3 being recommended in forum threads that were asking for the best budget looper pedals. We don’t think the RC-3 has a budget-friendly price tag. However, it does have quite the impressive set of features. You get a whopping 3 hours of loop time, and 99 presets to store your loops in. And speaking of storing loops, the RC-3 has a USB port so you can save your loops to a computer, or load WAV files into this pedal to be part of your loops, and have those be saved (no special software required, which is great). As a side note, this works great not just for looping, but just for storing any kind of sound effects.
Say a song of yours needs a sound effect like a clap of thunder. Find that sound sample online, load it up into one of the 99 slots of the RC-3, and boom, you’ve got a mini sampler! OK, moving on, you get a AUX IN 1/8' jack so you can plug in an iPod, iPad, or other mp3 player and have that be part of your loops as well. You also have the option of mono or stereo inputs and outputs, which is handy. If operating this loop pedal with the single Boss footswitch seems too difficult, the RC-3 has the option of an external footswitch, which takes some of the functionality of the RC-3 and expands it out to it (Boss recommends using the ). One more feature worth mentioning is the Rhythm feature, essentially a built-in drum machine, which you can use as a metronome (with a handy tap tempo button, so you can set the tempo you want on the fly, though several reviewers lamented the tap tempo not being displayed nor being able to be adjusted incrementally).
The rhythm portion also comes with its own volume knob. This is a great feature for practicing, but we wouldn’t recommend using the built-in drum tracks in recordings or live; they simply sound a bit thin, cheap, and basic, and overall not that great. The RC-3 also comes with 9 pre-recorded loops to jam along with, complete with bass, drums, and piano parts. A fun feature to practice and play with, but by no means essential. In terms of sound quality, it’s a notch below the TC Electronic Ditto in terms of clarity. This is due to the loops being in 16-bit audio, as opposed to 24-bit.
The RC-3 also introduces an ever-so-slight bit of noise to the signal chain, and when switched off it is unfortunately not true bypass. These are minor annoyances, and only the most sensitive ears will be able to tell. Bottom Line: Despite some drawbacks, the Boss RC-3 is a great little loop pedal. It holds its own against the significantly more expensive, in a much more compact package. If the 5 minute loop time and lack of loop storage of the TC Electronic Ditto is too limiting, the Boss RC-3 is the one to get. The drum machine functionality - while not the best quality - is good for practicing your chops, but what we really love is the AUX IN, and the ability to hook it up to your computer via USB and transfer your loops back and forth. The price is a little on the high end, but you’re getting a lot of great features and recording capacity with the price still far lower than some of the premium $300 looper pedals out there.
DigiTech JamMan Express XT Loop Time: 10 minutes Sporting a funky vintage racecar aesthetic, the DigiTech JamMan Express XT is as dependable as it is stylish. Featuring 10 minutes of stereo recording time as well as an easy to read three LED display, the DigiTech JamMan Express might quickly become your favorite practice tool.
The race for the third place loop pedal was tight, but the JamMan Express just barely edged out the competition. After this review, you’ll see why it’s very worthy of being on a best looper pedals list. The DigiTech JamMan line actually has several looper pedals at various sizes, feature-sets, and price points, and the JamMan Express XT is the most compact and most affordable one. If you’re in the market for a looper pedal in around the $99 price range, chances are you’ll be looking at this one and the TC Electronic Ditto (in nearly every forum and review we looked at it seemed people were trying to decide between the two). If you go strictly by our analysis and the number of recommendations both pedals received, the Ditto objectively wins. Subjectively however, there are several things that might sway you towards the JamMan Express. Like the Ditto, the JamMan has true bypass which keeps your signal nice and clean when the pedal is off.
Unlike the Ditto, the JamMan has stereo inputs and outputs, which is a nice option to have handy. You can power it with a 9V adapter, or a 9V battery (it comes with a 9V battery, so the moment the pedal arrives at your doorstep, you can plug it in and play with it). Honestly though, when we were testing this pedal out, the battery wore out quite quickly, so like with most pedals we highly recommend you use it with a power adapter.
The operation is remarkably similar to the Ditto. You have an On/Off footswitch, and a nice big volume knob to set the Loop Level. Stepping on the footswitch once kicks it into recording mode. Stepping on it again kicks it into play mode. Hitting it yet again switches it into dub (i.e. Overdub) mode, so you can record layers on top of the original loop. Pretty simple.
Its “silent clear' feature means that you can press and hold the footswitch while playback is stopped, and your loop clears out instantly with no fuss (this is actually better than some loopers that might play a tiny clip of your loop when you’re instead trying to clear it out). The JamMan has twice the recording time of the Ditto, an ample 10 minutes, and also lets you do infinite overdubs. One feature we love about the DigiTech JamMan more than any other looper pedal are the 3 big bright LEDs indicating what mode you’re in. Whether you’re casually playing at home or performing in a dark, smoky venue, glancing down and seeing a brightly lit red (record), yellow (overdub), or green (play) LED is massively helpful. Another nice feature is Jam Sync.
On the back of the JamMan you can see IN and OUT jacks for Jam Sync, which allows you to take different pedals with the Jam Sync feature and lock them together, meaning the loops start and stop at the exact same time, synchronized with each other. This is good for advanced looping, and it’s more of a nice-to-have feature. Bottom Line: The DigiTech JamMan Express XT is a serious contender for space on your pedalboard. Its build quality is solid, it sounds great, and packs more features and more looping time than the Ditto in an ever-so-slightly larger footprint. The big bright status LED lights alone are almost enough to seal the deal for us.
You still can’t save any loops, so if that’s a must-have requirement for you, take a look at the. Whether practicing, jamming, performing, or composing, you can’t really go wrong with the JamMan Express. If price is the deciding factor, keep a very close eye on Amazon as the price of both this and the tend to fluctuate a bit. Zoom G1on Guitar Multi-Effects Processor & Looper Loop Time: 30 seconds The Zoom G1on Guitar Multi-Effects Processor is actually quite an incredible pedal, and an incredible bargain.
The entry level price for a dedicated looper pedal is around $100, and with the G1on Zoom you not only get you a looper for half that price, but also a full-fledged multi-fx processor! Given the price of admission and the many recommendations it received for people asking for the “best looper pedal under $100”, the G1on earns a solid place on our list. Mutoh drivers download. We’ll touch on a lot of its features, but we’ll mostly focus on reviewing it as a looper pedal, since that’s what you came for! The impressive thing about the Zoom G1on is how good it sounds given its very budget-friendly price tag. It’s one of those rare guitar pedals that makes you wonder how they were able to pull of the price vs quality without sacrificing much. Sure, if you’re an effects pedal purist and have a pedalboard built out with the best of everything, multi-fx pedals might not impress you. For the rest of us, the amp and effects modeling of the G1on sounds fantastic.
You get 100 guitar effects (delay, reverb, distortion, amp models, etc), 68 built-in rhythm accompaniment patterns to jam along with, and even a built-in tuner. Trust us, we're not exaggerating when we say this thing has some quality sounds. The back us up. On to the looping functionality. The Zoom G1on allows for 30 seconds of loop time, and infinite overdubs.
30 seconds is quite a bit less time than most dedicated loop pedals offer, but that’s one of the tradeoffs you have to make for this price. Still, it’s ample time to record an interesting lick or progression, making this a great practice tool. While having 60 seconds would be better, we’re personally ok with 30 seconds, since we don’t find ourselves needing to loop 5 minute songs very often. Of course, your milage may vary.
The audio quality is good, 16-bit 44.1kHz (CD quality). Remember how we mentioned the 68 built-in rhythm patterns?
Well, you can play along to any of them in your loops, which lets you get pretty creative with this thing. The drums sound much better and more realistic than the cheesy sounding ones of the Boss RC-3. Operation is simple, with two very easy-to-stomp foot switches (the left one controls play and record, the right one is to stop and clear). Unfortunately, there is no undo function if you messed up your latest overdub. The most fun thing about the loop feature is that you can use it in conjunction with the G1on’s effects.
For example, throw on a drum rhythm, put on some delay and chorus, and make a loop with a chord progression. Next, switch to the octave effect, and your guitar suddenly becomes a bass guitar so you can record a bassline. Then, throw on a distortion effect, and play a lead line over your loop. This pedal makes it very easy and fun to be a one-(wo)man-band and do some interesting things. The Zoom G1on comes with 4 AA batteries, but you can also power it via a 9V adapter, or USB, which is a nice feature. Zoom recommends, but we like the.
Despite the body of the pedal being made of plastic, it actually feels solidly constructed, and has an all-metal base. We haven’t used it for long enough to comment on long-term durability, although what we see is promising. Bottom Line: The pros and cons of the Zoom G1on Guitar Multi-Effects Processor as a loop pedal are fairly obvious. The most glaring features you will miss are a lack of undo, and the relatively short 30 second loop time. On the plus side, this is as inexpensive as a loop pedal comes, and with it you get a very decent sounding multi-fx unit.
With the headphone output, you could take this thing with you anywhere and jam out or practice without bothering anyone else. If you’re on a budget and want a looper that is well-built and user-friendly, perfect for practicing, and has the added bonus of loads of quality effects and amp models, the Zoom G1on is a no brainer, and wins our Best Bang for Your Buck.
DigiTech JamMan Solo XT Loop Time: 10 minutes Rounding out our top 5 best loop pedal list is another one in the DigiTech lineup, the DigiTech JamMan Solo XT. This is the big brother to the, and adds on loads more features. It’s also, unsurprisingly, more expensive. Feature for feature, this is the primary competitor to the.
The controls of the JamMan Solo take a little bit of time to get used to. With 5 buttons and 2 knobs, the interface is certainly not as simple as the Ditto or JamMan Express. In terms of features, the JamMan Solo caters to more looper power users. You get 200 memory locations to create and store loops in, and if you stick a microSD card in the slot, you get another 200.
It has 35 minutes of loop time, however be advised that the maximum length of a loop you can store is 10 minutes. You get stereo inputs and outputs, Jam Sync compatibility (for syncing multiple JamMan loop pedals), and a USB port for syncing with the JamManager XT software on your Mac or Windows computer.
There’s even an AUX in to connect an external device like an iPhone, iPad, or other mp3 player. Operating the JamMan Solo is similar to the other loop pedals we’ve covered. As you hit the footswitch, watch for the central LED light to light up red to indicate recording, yellow to indicate overdubbing, and green to indicate play. Tap the pedal twice to stop the loop, and briefly hold it down to undo the latest recording. To clear the current loop, simply press and hold down the footswitch while the pedal is stopped (this makes the loop play for a second before deleting it which is a bit annoying - we prefer the “silent clear' feature of the JamMan Express).
When you’ve recorded a loop, one feature we really love on the JamMan Solo is being able to speed up or slow down the tempo without changing the pitch (this is a great tool for practicing - if you can’t quite nail down a solo part, simply slow down the loop and work your way up to full speed). You also get a rather primitive drum machine, with some rhythms to play along with. Just like the Boss RC-3, the drum loops have their own volume knob. Nearly every review we read for this loop pedal recommended the optional, which adds an additional 3 buttons that can be used to patch up/down, as well as stopping the loop. It just makes operating this pedal more intuitive, although it will add a good $30 to the price of the pedal. The build quality is great, and the solid metal housing rivals that of nearly-indestructible Boss pedals. The included 9V power supply is a nice bonus (especially because oddly there is no battery option on the JamMan Solo).
The sound quality is great, and we have a hard time hearing any discernible tone changes, even when layering a lot. On paper, the sound quality of the TC Electronic Ditto is better, but we can’t really tell much of a difference. The JamMan solo is a great tool for songwriting, especially with the auto-recording feature. When you turn this feature on, you can arm the pedal to record, and only when you start playing it will auto-record. When you want to manage your loops and either save some to your computer or bring some into the pedal, you unfortunately have to use DigiTech’s software. We much prefer the way it works with the Boss RC-3, where it simply acts like a memory stick.
We read some negative reviews on the compatibility of the JamManager XT software with certain operating systems, so make sure to check the for the latest. Bottom Line: Given the DigiTech JamMan Solo XT’s slightly higher price tag, you should get it if saving your loops to memory is something you really want. Also, keep in mind the optional DigiTech FS3X Footswitch is highly recommended, and will bring this one very close in price to the Boss RC-3. The JamMan Solo XT sounds a bit better and more clear to our ears than the Boss RC-3, although our research shows the RC-3 is recommended quite a few more times. It has far more preset slots than the RC-3, so if you need the storage capacity for songwriting or live use, this is the looper pedal for you.
So how do you feel about looper pedals? If you have any thoughts or experiences that you’d like to share, feel free to tell us all about it in the comments section below.
How are these the winners? You've basically just listed a good majority of looper pedals available. Which is fine, but I would like to know which people prefer.
I've gone from the RC-20 on to the RC-50 and then wanted to downsize and first got the RC-30. I thought the effects were for the most part cheesy and unusable. I am now with the Digitech JamMan Stereo and like it. When I downsized, I was mainly doing duo shows and now am back to solo shows and wish I had the RC-50 so I could create multiple loops. I am thinking about switching to the Pigtronix but would like to try it out if possible.
I also heard that the Boomerang is the best looper out there but very pricey. You're exactly right! The old article definitely wasn't cutting it.
We put in a LOT more research and just revamped it to truly call out the winners, i.e. The top 5 loopers that musicians all over the web are recommending. Just to give you an idea of the raw data, the Boomerang III Phrase Sampler didn't quite make the cut for the top 5, getting a handful of recommendations.
Cycle Looper
I suspect the reason for that is the high price tag, about $480 is what I'm currently seeing. That's simply out of reach for most casual looper pedal users. The Pigtronix Infinity Looper placed lower on our master list than the Boomerang. I think at the price range you're looking at, you would fall more in the looper pedal enthusiast camp!:). Good shout, with the Zoom multi effects, I have one, and used it for bits of looping, before I got my delay pedal, with a looper feature, and I wouldn't have actually considered it for a list like this, so props to Gchiaren/Michael. I would say that the drums aren't incredibly useful as a live tool, or for loops unless you build over them as there's no tap tempo, however I see that It'd only be used for rehearsal, and for that, and a bit of a lark I don't see why not; audio quality is good, inf overdubs, and being a MF it has a tonne of cool built in presets, specifically H bank, with the weird, and atmospheric settings, though no undo/redo is irritating. Its a bit of a bargain, and is immense quality all around for a lot of things, not just the looper.
Sometimes the riffs are so good you've just got to hear them again! And sometimes, if you're playing a solo act, you need to be multiple musicians at once. It's times like these when looper effects pedals come in handy.
Loopers are basically miniature recorders that can play back a sample again and again on demand - hence the name. They're a staple for musicians who include looping parts in their songs, or for rehearsals to play back that time you absolutely nailed your big solo so you can prepare yourself to do it again, live, when you hit the stage. A looper effects pedal is a powerful tool in the hands of a creative musician, so it's never too early to start planning how you can use one to your advantage. There are plenty of loopers to choose from, so you can easily find a model that provides exactly the set of features you're looking for. Take the Digitech JamMan Express XT Looper for instance: it packs a lot of sophistication into its small chassis, with a true-bypass design and support for up to 10 minutes of looping in stereo. Its status LEDs are easy to see, and best of all, this looper includes a 'Silent Clear' feature that mutes playback the moment you press to clear the loop - no more turning down the volume while you wait for it to clear.
Are you thinking, maybe, that just one looper effects pedal isn't enough? If so, you'll be happy to know that some of the leading pedal builders have been thinking the same thing. For loop-crazy musicians like you, they've created units like the Boss RC-300 Loop Station. Designed to cater to the phenomenon of 'loop mania,' as Boss calls it, this multiple looper supports three stereo tracks with automatic synchronization, plus an expression pedal to give you even more control over the performance of your guitar, bass, keyboard, or whatever instrument you care to plug into it - even a microphone, if you want some vocal loops in the mix.
From simple and straightforward record-and-play loopers to ultra-high-tech models that synchronize with companion equipment and allow you to loop sound samples stored on internal memory, the family of looper effects pedals definitely has a lot to offer. They're must-have equipment for solo performers and common sights on band pedalboards, too. In a nutshell, the results you get from looper effects pedals depend on the effort you put into them - literally!
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