Wednesday, February 12, 2014

The Ditto Looper

Learning of the kit others use can save you a bunch of money either in showing you hardware that would work well for you or reminding that, damn, I'm sure glad I didn't buy that piece of junk.  Loopers are fascinating to me as I very much appreciate the technology but it varies tremendously from one unit to another.

My choice for a looper is the Boss RC-50 which has now been replaced by the Boss RC-300.  The newer model didn't strike me as radically different from the original so I'd look for a used RC-50 for cheap if I were shopping.  This unit is characteristic of the high-end loopers with a billion buttons and knobs on them.

The Ditto looper is an alternative to devices that require a PhD before you can even look at them.  It only has one button on it.  If you have been saying loopers are too complicated, this one might be your answer.  It doesn't have the capability of a multi-phrase looper but only the best will use multiple phrases anyway.

There's one disadvantage to the Ditto is that it's tiny.  While there are some aspects of coolness to that, the problem is that you have to put it on a pedalboard or it will be flying around like Dumbo in a windstorm.  It's a minor concern and I raise it because I don't have a pedalboard and don't want one.  I use multi-function devices so I don't need a pedalboard.  There are all kinds of arguments one can make in favor of doing it one way or the other but they are boring and will make your teeth itch.

The Ditto looks like a fairly cool gadget, particularly if you're just starting with looping.  Lefty Unplugged uses one so there's your pro endorsement.  I've heard him use it multiple times and I can tell you it works smoothly, quietly, and effectively.  You can get one for about $130 US from Guitar Center, etc.  For feature / function / price comparison, you might want to check it out in comparison with a Boss RC-2 which you will find is more expensive and very much less elegant.

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