Programmable True Bypass Loopers

Danny-B

So.

Pedals are a joy, we know this. Yet, when your pedal board houses nine of the buggers(many of them having more than one footswitch), performing live can become quite a hassle. I've decided to look into a true bypass looper. My first thoughts were to get a Voodoo Labs Pedal Switcher, which has 4 loops, and place my octave effects, in the first loop, my drives in the second loop, the Modfactor in the third loop and the Timeline in the fourth loop. However, I have since become enamoured with the Cusack Pedalboard Tamer, mainly because of the 9 presets, the all off switch and the ability to switch between preset and mechanical mode.

Now, Alan and JoeyBones, you both use programmable loopers. Can you share with me some of your insights?

josh

Hey mann...
Why don't you look into Loop-Master Pedals? They are so much cheaper.
Here's one with 9 loops and a master bypass: http://www.loop-master.com/product_info.php?cPath=22&products_id=39
Here's their website: http://www.loop-master.com/

AlanRatcliffe

Depends on what you want to do. There are lots of companies doing loopers these days: Cusackmusic, Loop 5X, Loop Jack, Mark L, MoenFX, Musicom Lab, Noah´Sark, Providence, RJM, SoundSculpture, The Gigrig, Vinteck and Voodoolab. What you go for depends on which one best suits your needs, so be prepared to do lots of research to figure out which that is.

If you need to be able to change the order of effects then you might even have to step up to a Musicom or a SoundSculpture Switchblade, which I think are the ultimate short of a custom Bradshaw switcher. Also nice to be able to send program change messages to units like your ModFactor and Timeline - otherwise you still end up stomping to change patches on those units.

The Voodoo lab is expandable with a commander and then you can add on more pedal switcher units. Starts getting a bit bulky though, so if a Cusack will do, rather go for that.

The pedals like the Loop-Masters and Th1sismyne don't really switch multiple effects at once, so you still have to do quite a lot of tapdancing to change sounds.

Danny-B

I've been thinking this through (when I should have been studying for my biology final tomorrow ?), and the Pedal tamer just seems to fit what I want perfectly. I don't want just a true bypass strip, but I'm also not down for the complication or cost of a switcher such as EFXIII from Musicom. The Pedal Tamer sits nicely between those two. And so, this is how the board shall look:

Of course, I won't have two BBD's, rather a T Rex Mudhoney. Also, a T1M footswitch and FV5 expression pedal for the Timefactor. So all that will fit in this:

I plan to build a raised slotted section and fit the PSU under that. Luckily, the PT PRO is the exact same dimensions of my pedal board, so I can plan this nicely.

Danny-B

9 loop pedal tamer and tap a delay on their way!