# Easy to use Loopers



## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

What is the easiest to use looper that can record three tracks, let's say a rhythm, a bass and a beat track. Thanks


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## 1SweetRide (Oct 25, 2016)

Ditto perhaps. If you need to keep the tracks then the Boss RC-30s are easy to use yet very flexible. Myself, I use a Digitech JamMan XT.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

The smaller Ditto is likely the ticket. It's pretty much idiot proof. I switched from the Boss RC to the Ditto and don't miss the Boss.


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## knight_yyz (Mar 14, 2015)

Ditto mini


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## Tone Chaser (Mar 2, 2014)

I did not like the quality of the sound reproduction of the Ditto looper I had.

In contrast, both my Jam Man Express XT have impeccable sound reproduction capability, and is far easier to be comfortable with. The straightforward led coloured lights let you know exactly what you are doing.

Also you can gang several of these units together if working with someone else, or getting more involved with what you want to do with multiple loopers.

They also use batteries if you feel the need to be free of one more cord.


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## CathodeRay (Jan 12, 2018)

1SweetRide said:


> Myself, I use a Digitech JamMan XT.


Instructions printed right on the XT Solo's top face, gotta love it.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

Sorry for the hijack. I've got an interest in this thread also. I gave up gigging for the most part but like to jam at home so have been thinking of getting in to loopers. I'd like something with drums and at least 2 tracks.
I was watching a demo video that Andertons did of the Boss RC10. Anyone have a comment on that.
I'd spend a max of $500 to get something decent. Are their any units where its possible to patch the drums in to a stereo and the rest to the guitar amp?
For me dead simple is paramount.


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## 1SweetRide (Oct 25, 2016)

guitarman2 said:


> Sorry for the hijack. I've got an interest in this thread also. I gave up gigging for the most part but like to jam at home so have been thinking of getting in to loopers. I'd like something with drums and at least 2 tracks.
> I was watching a demo video that Andertons did of the Boss RC10. Anyone have a comment on that.
> I'd spend a max of $500 to get something decent. Are their any units where its possible to patch the drums in to a stereo and the rest to the guitar amp?
> For me dead simple is paramount.


A lot of them come with drum tracks that sync to your playing. Boss for sure and I think my JamMan XT does that too.


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## Chito (Feb 17, 2006)

I use the Ditto and a beat buddy for drums. That's the simplest setup that I have found.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

I recently picked up an Amoon Stereo Looper, dirt cheap. It's essentially a cheaper version of the EHX 720, but with a smidgen less sample time (10 vs 12 minutes) I wish my foot timing was as good as my hand timing.


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

1SweetRide said:


> Ditto perhaps. If you need to keep the tracks then the Boss RC-30s are easy to use yet very flexible. Myself, I use a Digitech JamMan XT.


I have a Digitech JamMan Solo XT and have never been able to get to work right, despite the rather good YouTube videos I have watched


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## tonewoody (Mar 29, 2017)

Boss RC-50 is fairly straightforward. Tracks are synced and quantized. 

Depending on your expectations and abilities, the RC-50 can provide three tracks plus drums. Hook up a computer and you can move files back and forth, save backups, import drum loops etc.


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## Greg Ellis (Oct 1, 2007)

It depends very much on how you intend to use it, in my experience.

I tried to like the Ditto, but tap dancing on a footswitch to access all the different functions really wasn't working for me. The Ditto doesn't have any way to kill the "thru" signal either and that feature was important to me.

I switched to an old used Boomerang+ a few years back, and it's vastly simpler to use, for me. Separate foot switches for record, play/stop, A loop/B loop, stack (overdub). It's a very well thought-out product that works great for live applications. It's also got a switch that kills the "thru" signal too, which is a rare feature and a very handy one depending on how you intend to use the looper. I feed mine a sub-mix from the mixer and bring the output back to a spare channel, so I can loop vocals (sing harmonies with myself) and well as guitars. 

It's limited in some other ways. There's no library of saved loops. The idea is to play each part live and then recycle it while you play other parts over top. There's no way to remove a layer, or synchronize different loops so you can bring parts in and out. It's two simple loops (used for verse/chorus usually) and anything you stack on top is permanent until you wipe out the loop entirely. 

TLDR - think about how you're going to use it and buy something that covers ALL those functions


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

My L6 M9 and KPA have loopers built in. Fancy multi-button loopers --- way overkill for what I need. My Jamman Solo is just about perfect for the simple applications I have.


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## Lord-Humongous (Jun 5, 2014)

I picked up a Boss Rc1 at L&M after Christmas and it’s become a big part of my playing. It’s easy to use and your imagination is the limit. I’m pretty sure any of the single pedal loopers will work similarly.


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## jontheshredder (Sep 13, 2019)

I bought an EHX 720 after watching videos of people doing pedal comparisons (RAT in this case) like the ones below. What I love about it is it has a ton of memory, and 10 different banks where you can store your loop. I don't really use reverse and 1/2 speed so those don't excite me. What I dislike about it is that you can't chain loops together. Like, say you record a verse in slot 1 and a chorus in slot 2, it would be awesome to have an external footswitch where you could switch between them and concatenate them. 

It is easy to use, however!


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## jimsz (Apr 17, 2009)

I have the Digitech Trio Plus. Has everything you asked and more.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

jontheshredder said:


> I bought an EHX 720 after watching videos of people doing pedal comparisons (RAT in this case) like the ones below. What I love about it is it has a ton of memory, and 10 different banks where you can store your loop. I don't really use reverse and 1/2 speed so those don't excite me. What I dislike about it is that you can't chain loops together. Like, say you record a verse in slot 1 and a chorus in slot 2, it would be awesome to have an external footswitch where you could switch between them and concatenate them.
> 
> It is easy to use, however!


The 720, and the Amoon clone of it that I have, are ostensibly stereo loopers, with 2 ins and 2 outs. Is it possible to double the number of loops by switching between the two channels? Or is there some sort of bleedthrough or obligatory use of all the RAM when using a mono input?


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## knight_yyz (Mar 14, 2015)

If you like the Ditto mini but not the price, look for Deadbeat Sound Playback which is basically the same thing at a better price


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## Dorian2 (Jun 9, 2015)

Picked up a used Boss RC2 used at L&M for a decent price earlier in the year. The thing I like about it is it can be both simple and a little more complex, but not too crazy. Lots of cool options like 11 phrase(loop) banks, rec, playback, overdub, etc. I rarely use it but it comes in really handy when I do. I'd use it more if I didn't have a small, cheap, dirty yet effective studio setup at hand. Not sure what the differences between this and the RC1&3 are. The 300 series and up are really great in the right hands as well.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

The new one from MXR looks very straightforward. I like the fact that it has more distinctly coloured status LEDs to let you know what it's doing at the moment.


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## troyhead (May 23, 2014)

If you don’t need to overdub stuff, the TC Wiretap kind of works. It can save up to 8 hours of various clips to recall later. 

I didn’t use it so much for looping, but I think you can. I recorded longer parts and then played on top of them afterwards. 

Unfortunately, the iPhone app suuuuuuucks, but you don’t need it to use the pedal (but it would make managing clips easier if it actually worked).


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## Dave B4 (Jan 11, 2020)

I had the Amoon looper to try out the concept. It is a one button, similar to the Ditto from a control/functionality perspective. $59 on Amazon 

liked playing with it enough to upgrade. Went with the Boss RC-3 due to the reputation and the simple drum beats. Enjoying it so far. 

made a few of my own loops and also downloaded a few from the internet. 

Pretty cool for me


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## Cardamonfrost (Dec 12, 2018)

Easy? maybe in a studio environment. I have yet to find one other than my Boomerang that can be used live. Too many functions with one switch.

I have a EH 360 and once I understood where its failings were (same as other one button loopers I have used) it became more useable. The thought of using it live gives me shivers (bad ones) though. I find it indispensable as a song writing tool. The ability to store 10 loops is incredible.

C


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## MarkM (May 23, 2019)

I spent last night watching videos on the different loopers and I have narrowed it down to the Boss RC3 and the Digitech JamMan solo XT.

All I can source though is the JamMan express XT and it doesn't seem to have a beat box?


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## MarkM (May 23, 2019)

Watched a pile of YouTube and I think I am actually going to go with the Boss RC-30 I read of either. Some used ones at L&M for not much more than the RC-3 new and I can't find a used RC-3 anywhere around here. I picked up a used FS-6 already to make it easier to use.


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## tonewoody (Mar 29, 2017)

mhammer said:


> The 720, and the Amoon clone of it that I have, are ostensibly stereo loopers, with 2 ins and 2 outs. Is it possible to double the number of loops by switching between the two channels? Or is there some sort of bleedthrough or obligatory use of all the RAM when using a mono input?



You should be able to take advantage of the two channels. Use an A/B pedal on the ins/outs, maybe try a stereo pan rocker pedal to blend the outputs.

I have done this config with a RC-50, (6 channels !), definitely worth trying.


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## tonewoody (Mar 29, 2017)

Cheap or easy?

For me, easy is a dedicated foot-switch for all essential functions.


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## MarkM (May 23, 2019)

I bought a RC-30 and I already have the FS-6 so I am golden. I liked how simple it is to use, two tracks, mic input and a simple beat box/metronome. The effects are pretty cheesy and I can't see myself ever using them, I find their choices odd considering its Boss?


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## MarkM (May 23, 2019)

So after a couple months and a cut in hours thanks to the Rona I have become a looper!

Youtubed the hey out of this and any had some time to spend with this and it's awesome. Really excited about playing over a good rhythm guitar player and adding layers.

I like it better than recording on GarageBand, more like jamming without the drama.


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## BlueRocker (Jan 5, 2020)

I have a Boss RC-20 and previously owned the RC-30 (sold it - too complicated). I prefer the RC-20 for ease of use, but the 30 is more feature rich, better I/O, etc plus USB. I think the RC-20 with an FS-6 foot switch is a good option.

That said, I recently rented a Digitech Trio + for a month. After a week with it, I bought it out from L&M and ordered the external foot switch. It has a good mix of ease of use but is also incredibly powerful for those who like to read the manual.

If renting is an option, you may want to try some out before making a purchase.


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