Loop Pedals

From bassists to beatboxers to solo acoustic performers, it seems everyone is using loop pedals, and rightfully so they, are great fun!

The recent success of loop pedals has come by way of popular artists like KT Tunstall and Ed Sheeran using them on the live scene whilst Dub FX and Shlomo have gained huge followings displaying their beatbox skills across plenty of youtube videos and at the Roland LoopStation World Championships.

Many find loop pedals as an ideal tool for song writing in the studio, whereas others use them in a live scenario to layer tracks and fill out a song. There are a countless number of options as to what can be done with a loop pedal giving you the opportunity to layer multiple loops and build ideas quickly.

So what is the best loop pedal? Well, these pedals come in a variety of shapes and sizes, giving you more variants and added features as the range goes on.

For starters and at the lower end of the spectrum is the Akai E2 Head Rush (NOW DISCONTINUED) - as used by Katie Tunstall. Designed as more of a delay pedal but with up to 24 seconds worth of looping capability, designated play/stop and record switching, it is definitely worth a mention. With a choice of modes, level controls and doubling up as a delay pedal it is definitely a great choice for musicians wanting to test the water with both delay and looping.

A newbie to the scene is the NUX Loop Core. This superb value looper features upto 8 hours of record time, 99 save memories, built-in drum loops and more. This is one of our best selling loop pedals, and for good reason! There is a special package where it comes bundled with a Dual footswitch giving you complete control of your looping creations.

The TC Electronic Ditto Looper is another popular model, compact and simple to use it delivers a stripped back design, perfect for guitarists who just need the essentials for looping. This loop pedal has been designed especially for guitarists with a stripped back, essentials only layout. It delivers up to 5 mins of recording time, has a simple one button operation and delivers true bypass, analog dry-through, ensuring your tone always stays true and 24 bit uncompressed audio. The Ditto Looper is a high quality, pedalboard friendly, budget 'aware' loop pedal! 

BOSS are surely the kings of loop at the moment with a wide choise of models aimed at giving any level of player access to great, simple to use looping tools. The very latest BOSS loop pedal to hit the shelves is the BOSS RC-10R looper. The RC-10R takes compact loop pedals to the next level with high quality drum sounds straight from Rolands TD Electronic drums, visual aids to help you keep great time and a stack of inputs and outputs.

BOSS RC-10R Loop Pedal video:

Boss' affordable BOSS RC-1 - a simple to use loop pedal that delivers all the essential features that many people require in a looper. Next is the BOSS RC-5, it features up to 13 hours of stereo recording, has the ability to store 99 loops, “real drums” and also features USB connectivity to conveniently run loops straight to another platform or even import WAV files.

BOSS RC1 Loop Station video:

The next model up, the BOSS RC-500, a larger unit that allows for more conmrol and features with 2 synchronized stereo tracks and built-in loops effects. Catering for both instrument and microphone with an XLR input, the RC-500 is a superb option for not only guitarists, but singer songwriters wanting to take this performances to the next level.. Finally, and the biggest in the family, we have the BOSS RC-600 – ithe flagship looper by BOSS. It features an impressive 6 synchronized stereo tracks, dedicated volume controls and separate footswitches for each track. With its impressive i/o section, you have plenty of access to connect your guitar, bass, keyboard, or instrument of choice and create a variety of loops in real time. Also providing an XLR input, complete with phantom power means singers, percussionists, violinists, beatboxers, or anyone with a mic’d instrument can all get involved! Added options for performance come via the large section of built-in fx and on-board rhythms, making for a true looper powerhouse!

BOSS RC-5 Loopstation video:

As with most FX, testing and experimenting is the key to finding what is right for you, so feel free to pop into our Harlow Superstore where we have a great range available on display to try out or if you can't get down just give us a call (01279 432900) and our friendly, knowledgeable staff will be happy to help.

Updated on 28th March 2023 by Rob Evans