Looper Pedals ~ Suggestions?

[Abe]

I did use the search engine and read some older stuff. Most looper pedal threads were in General Discussion so I'll put it here.

What would be my best bet for a new looper pedal? I have an old original Boomerang which seems to have mostly crapped out on me and needs replacing. There may be better options out there for me than the newer version of the Boomerang. I do not remember exactly what I paid for this old Boomerang but maybe something that costs less $ than the new version of it could be efficient for my needs. I do not have any experience with any other looper pedals. I have just become aware of some like the different versions of Ditto and Boss RC-1 through Boss RC-5. Perhaps a compare and contrast between the Dittos and the Boss RC-1 - RC-5 could help me if anyone has had the experience. Feel like I'm leaning towards the Boss between the two. The larger RC-600 is out there also but I may need to avoid spending that much. The newest Boomerang (Boomerang III) could be possible but it may just be bigger and more pricey than I need.

The features I definitely need are to be able to start, record, overdub, and stop with foot, and little or ideally no need to reach down to the floor to turn knobs trying to level the volume of the ongoing loop with the volume of whatever I might play over it. Additional features to this may be welcome, but I'd really like the basic operation to be simple. Of course things like memory after power down could be cool, while mostly I just want sound quality out of what I can work completely with my foot for the most part, without breaking the bank too much.

Inform me if you can. Thanks.

 

[Bogner]

I Would Opt For The RC-600 But That Is Me. Get All The Juice You Can And You Will Likely Be Set For A Good Long While Feature Wise Etc. My $.02

 

[Abe]

One thing the Boomerang seems to have over these Boss ones is a roller wheel that serves as a volume for the ongoing loop. Without this it seems an expression pedal to control the volume of the loop being played by the Boss loopers would be needed. But unfortunately the Boomerang does not keep any memory after power down. Ideally one would have control of everything that goes and comes from that looper with his/her foot, including the ability to adjust the loop's volume with a foot. Like making much of the loop while standing over the pedal board with a guitar strapped on then ending up reaching down to the floor to adjust things to sound right seems counterintuitive. I'll have to look into it further and not purchase anything yet. Watching youtube videos on the use of these loopers.

 

[alantig]

I tend to side w/Bogner about getting the most bang for your buck. I have the RC-50 - multiple loops, switchable in and out. Keeps stuff in memory. Has the reverse function. I haven't kept up on the latest goings-ons in the looper world, so I'm not sure what everybody's offering these days.

If you're not dead set on something newer, I still have my older RC-20 (can't remember if it's the one with the bigger storage or not). You could possibly do something I've never been able to do - make my wife happy by moving some of this older gear along!

 

[Abe]

I tend to side w/Bogner about getting the most bang for your buck. I have the RC-50 - multiple loops, switchable in and out. Keeps stuff in memory. Has the reverse function. I haven't kept up on the latest goings-ons in the looper world, so I'm not sure what everybody's offering these days.

If you're not dead set on something newer, I still have my older RC-20 (can't remember if it's the one with the bigger storage or not). You could possibly do something I've never been able to do - make my wife happy by moving some of this older gear along!

Hmm, interesting. Thanks for thinking of me. Not sure what I'll go with, just gonna do some online research about the different options. But do you know what you're asking for that RC-20? Not a huge amount of info online about that old thing but it could already be a step up from what I'm used to.

I might just squirrel away money for longer while I figure out what would be of most use to me.

Kinda hoping to end up with something that has enough storage capacity after power down that worked on loops for jamming with oneself can also be brought to and applied to the setting of the family band jamming.

 

[alantig]

Hmm, interesting. Thanks for thinking of me. Not sure what I'll go with, just gonna do some online research about the different options. But do you know what's you're asking for that RC-20? Not a huge amount of info online about that old thing but it could already be a step up from what I'm used to.

I might just squirrel away money for longer while I figure out what would be of most use to me.

Kinda hoping to end up with something that has enough storage capacity after power down that worked on loops for jamming with oneself can also be brought to and applied to the setting of the family band jamming.

Haven't thought about it in a while - I didn't even remember the model number until I went to check the other one and saw the book for the RC-20. Give me a day or two to check it all out and I'll PM you. Please feel free to PM me if I haven't responded by Sunday.

 

[DISTORT6]

I want to get one just to help with dialing in amps.

 

[Abe]

I want to get one just to help with dialing in amps.

Also convenient. If it can reproduce my clean guitar sound and continue to play while I make my presets on my guitar rig and level them off that can be handy.

 

[alantig]

I want to get one just to help with dialing in amps.

I'm not sure I ever thought about using it like that. I had considered setting up some kind of loop to burn speakers in, but not for dialing tone.

 

[Abe]

Also practicing rhythm followed by lead guitar, backed by drum tracks if they're decent sounding from the looper. Then there's my idea of storing loop, jam, and song material on the right looper as background to interesting noise me and others can jam with in the band setting. Would of course need something that holds stored loops after powering down though which the original and new Boomerang does not do.

Haven't thought about it in a while - I didn't even remember the model number until I went to check the other one and saw the book for the RC-20. Give me a day or two to check it all out and I'll PM you. Please feel free to PM me if I haven't responded by Sunday.

Thank you.