Alright pedal building super heros. I need to build a specialized loop box.

[Mr 9finger]

For what I want to accomplish, I need a 2 channel loop channel switching box. The box will sit in the loop to control what's going in there.

The first set of jacks will complete the loop and send the guitar signal to the front of the amp for normal operation.

The second set of jacks will route my guitar signal into the AMT preamp pedal and the other effects.

Basically what I need is something that will split my signal 2 ways into a complete loop and into a broken loop(Guitar-PRE-FX-Loop Return)

Is this possible? Is there a box that will do it commercially available?
Here's a rough little pic I drew up.

 

[RobSoundtrack]

Re: Alright pedal building super heros. I need to build a specialized loop box.

Wait so this is in the fx loop? Or front of amp... Or bothish...

 

[Mr 9finger]

Re: Alright pedal building super heros. I need to build a specialized loop box.

bothish. It'll be ran in the first spot of the effects loop, or at least I think it should anyway.

 

[Toe-Knee]

Re: Alright pedal building super heros. I need to build a specialized loop box.

Would you want one of the sub loops active all the time?

If so you could do that with a normal looper and put the guitar in from the fx send and the out to the fx return then you could have both loops switchable via the toggle then you can just go direct from guitar to amp.

EDIT: I just reread it and you also want a loop for before amp fx?

what you would need for this really is two loopers in one enclosure.

Its perfectly doable. id say the hardest part would be finding an enclosure the right size.

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: Alright pedal building super heros. I need to build a specialized loop box.

You drew two switches on your drawing, but I'm not getting why you need more than one.

Here's how it works, as I see it:

Switch off: signal flows from guitar to front of amp, effects send flows to effects return.
Switch on: signal flows from guitar to effects return

Is this correct?

 

[Mr 9finger]

Re: Alright pedal building super heros. I need to build a specialized loop box.

You drew two switches on your drawing, but I'm not getting why you need more than one.

Here's how it works, as I see it:

Switch off: signal flows from guitar to front of amp, effects send flows to effects return.
Switch on: signal flows from guitar to effects return

Is this correct?

Yup! I don't know why I drew 2 switches in there. It was late and alcohol was involved.

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: Alright pedal building super heros. I need to build a specialized loop box.

This is totally do-able. I don't know of a company that sells anything like this, but it wouldn't be difficult to build.

You could do it using a 3PDT stomp switch. Pole 1 would take the guitar input and route it to either the amp input or the effects loop return. Pole 2 would take the effects send and either route it to the effects return, or disconnect it. Pole 3 would be for the LED.

Here's a quick and dirty diagram for how to wire it up. The LED comes on when the guitar goes to the effects return.

 

[Mr 9finger]

Re: Alright pedal building super heros. I need to build a specialized loop box.

I'm a little dusty on my electronics here, run the leads from the switch to the sleeve of the jacks and all the grounds together? I'm a little foggy. I can read a schematic, not very good at coming up with my own.

Christian sent me to loopmaster, but he hasn't responded yet. If I can build this myself, it would also save me a good bit of money. It's only a switch, some jacks, and a box.

 

[Toe-Knee]

Re: Alright pedal building super heros. I need to build a specialized loop box.

I'm a little dusty on my electronics here, run the leads from the switch to the sleeve of the jacks and all the grounds together? I'm a little foggy. I can read a schematic, not very good at coming up with my own.

Christian sent me to loopmaster, but he hasn't responded yet. If I can build this myself, it would also save me a good bit of money. It's only a switch, some jacks, and a box.

You would be a lot better off building it yourself.

I've worked on a few things from loop master when they've broke and also owned one piece myself and I have been really unimpressed.

The jacks were cheap unbranded things that were very flimsy and the two that I had to fix the switch had worn out after less than a years worth of usage.

It's a shame really as they're put together very tidily just with cheap parts.

You could build this thing for a small fraction of what it would cost to get it from loopmaster also.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Alright pedal building super heros. I need to build a specialized loop box.

You would be a lot better off building it yourself.

I've worked on a few things from loop master when they've broke and also owned one piece myself and I have been really unimpressed.

The jacks were cheap unbranded things that were very flimsy and the two that I had to fix the switch had worn out after less than a years worth of usage.

It's a shame really as they're put together very tidily just with cheap parts.

You could build this thing for a small fraction of what it would cost to get it from loopmaster also.

I'm not going to argue with you...you saw the insides of those boxes and I did not but my Loop-Master stuff has been very well made and uses killer parts.

 

[Toe-Knee]

Re: Alright pedal building super heros. I need to build a specialized loop box.

I'm not going to argue with you...you saw the insides of those boxes and I did not but my Loop-Master stuff has been very well made and uses killer parts.

I wont say all are like this as I have actually seen one that was really good which was what tempted me to get one.

I have just come across a few shady ones but you can get that from absolutely any company out there.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Alright pedal building super heros. I need to build a specialized loop box.

I wont say all are like this as I have actually seen one that was really good which was what tempted me to get one.

I have just come across a few shady ones but you can get that from absolutely any company out there.

Loop-Master is a brand of loop switchers and I am only speaking for that brand of switchers.

There are dozens of guys out that build loopers and such but Loop-Master is a specific builder and he builds quality stuff.

 

[Toe-Knee]

Re: Alright pedal building super heros. I need to build a specialized loop box.

Loop-Master is a brand of loop switchers and I am only speaking for that brand of switchers.

There are dozens of guys out that build loopers and such but Loop-Master is a specific builder and he builds quality stuff.

I know! I bought one from him and it took nearly 6 months and wasn't that great component wise.

But as I said I have seen ones that were top notch from loop-master

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: Alright pedal building super heros. I need to build a specialized loop box.

I'm a little dusty on my electronics here, run the leads from the switch to the sleeve of the jacks and all the grounds together? I'm a little foggy. I can read a schematic, not very good at coming up with my own.

Christian sent me to loopmaster, but he hasn't responded yet. If I can build this myself, it would also save me a good bit of money. It's only a switch, some jacks, and a box.

No, the leads go to the TIP lug of the jack. The one to ground can just go to any of the sleeve lugs. The rest will be grounded through contact with the metal enclosure.

Loop Master does good work, but it will cost you a lot of money and you will have to wait a long time for the result. This is a very easy build, even for a rookie.

 

[El Dunco]

Re: Alright pedal building super heros. I need to build a specialized loop box.

I had something like but it wasn't self contained and used a lot of cables. In short... it was too messy. My bass player gave me (as in for free) his Digitech RP1000 and it does literally exactly what you described. It has an amp loop so you can use your amps sound and run it dry or add effects to it and then on another patch you can run into the power amp with your preamp model and effects of choice.

 

[Mr 9finger]

Re: Alright pedal building super heros. I need to build a specialized loop box.

Nevermind. I think I have it figured out.

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: Alright pedal building super heros. I need to build a specialized loop box.

I just noticed your diagram has two paths to effects return depending on whether you're bypassing the front of the amp or not. That's do-able as well, but you'll need a Y cable to run both lines into the amp's FX return jack.

Give me some time and I'll update my schematic to account for that.

 

[Loop-Master]

Re: Alright pedal building super heros. I need to build a specialized loop box.

You would be a lot better off building it yourself.

I've worked on a few things from loop master when they've broke and also owned one piece myself and I have been really unimpressed.

The jacks were cheap unbranded things that were very flimsy.

Sorry but I'm gonna call BS here. I haven't changed anything quality-wise since the beginning. I have always bought the best jacks, wire, and switches I could find. Flimsy? I know the one's you're talking about and have never used those and never will. Pic of the unit with said flimsy jacks?

And to update you guys on lead times, we're now at 5 weeks and dropping. I have hired help and since August 2012, been catching up. I should be at a 1-2 week lead time Feb 2013

Thanks for all your support!