Best loop switchers

The PEC-2 is hands down one of the best loop switchers around. Put any pedal combination you can think of at your feet, at the click of a button. It features 5 loops connected in series and 3 that are independent, all with Single Contact True-bypass. This creates maximum fidelity in the signal, especially when using high-gain pedals. 84 memory locations give you more recall than you’ll likely ever need.

An onboard buffer keeps the signal clean, and a tuner out lets you keep that out of your main pedal chain altogether. MIDI routing lets you use external processors, and if for some reason you need additional switching, the Link mode lets you connect two PEC-2s together for a total of 16 loops!

Best loop switcher for multiple amps: MESA/Boogie Head-Track

Best loop switcher for multiple amps

MESA/Boogie Head-Track

This unique loop switcher allows selection between two amps running through one cabinet. Two effects loops let you route your effects simply between them.

Pros

Switch between two amps

Remote switching through MIDI or onboard switch

Two effects loops

Cons

Pedal needs to be close to amps to maintain signal quality

Not a traditional effects pedal loop switcher

Buy From

musician’s friend

guitar center

Almost every loop switcher on the market is designed to provide sophisticated effects routing and switching through a single amp. But what if you want to use two amps?

That’s where the Head-Track comes in. It lets you seamlessly switch between two amps that are running through the same speaker cabinet. Through the remote switch input you can use a MIDI or latching footswitch for amp selection, and the pedal has an onboard switch.

One of the downsides is that it requires a short cable to maintain signal fidelity. It’s not meant for traditional effects switching, but it does have dual effects loops so there is an element of customization.

Best analog loop switcher: Decibel Eleven Palette

best analog loop switcher

Decibel Eleven Palette

A great analog loop switcher with a lot of routing and preset options.

Pros

All analog signal path

Great amount of presets

Can be synced with other units via MIDI

Cons

Four loops might not be enough for some players

Buy From

A lot of loop switchers rely on a digital heartbeat to accomplish things. Which is great, as digital adds a lot of versatility. Decibel Eleven’s Palette works a little differently.

It’s a combination loops switcher, router, and mixer. You can move effects around easily through the four loops. A fully analog signal path keeps things clean, and there is an optional input buffer so you don’t experience any signal loss.

There’s a parallel mix bus for blending in clean signal. But the coolest feature might be the Tails control. This lets the tails of your reverbs and delays ring out even if the looper is switched off.

It can store up to 128 presets. Being a smaller loop switcher, you can daisy-chain multiple Palettes via MIDI to expand your options.

Most versatile loop switcher: Voodoo Lab Ground Control Pro

most versatile loop switcher

Voodoo Lab Ground Control Pro

One of the industry standard loop switchers that provides multiple switching options and MIDI control.

Pros

Multiple number of banks

MIDI controllable

Easy-to-read display

Cons

Large footprint might be too cumbersome for some players

Buy From

Another model that a lot of professional guitar players have moved to is the Ground Control Pro. It is compatible with all MIDI controlled devices, this is a fine choice to integrate into a system that runs on one of the newer next-generation digital amp modelers.

The stompbox-style switches provide familiar control over engaging the Ground Control Pro. With simultaneous control over devices with assignability. The control scheme provides 12 switches for patches and 2 bank switches. The large display won’t give you visibility issues no matter what environment you might find yourself in.

Best MIDI loop switcher: Electro-Harmonix Super Switcher

Best MIDI Loop Switcher

electro-harmonix super switcher

The pedal giants at EHX do it again with this mono/stereo looper that features an onboard boost. It might take some time to set it up, but it’s highly versatile and well-made.

Pros

Mono and stereo loops

Boost control to combat signal loss

Cons

Can take some time to set up properly

Buy From

MIDI control lets you choose any combination of effects. If you need to tap in a specific tempo there is a dedicated switch for that. It can be set global or per patch. There is also a tuner out that also mutes output. The loops include mono/stereo send/return, mono/stereo out, and inserts.

Additionally, there are 6 mono loops, and 2 stereo returns, all relayed true bypass running across 128 presets across 16 banks with 8 presets each. And if you feel your signal needs a little more juice, there is a boost control on both channels of the output.

Best compact loop switcher: BOSS ES-5

Best Compact Loop Switcher

BOSS ES-5

This compact, high-quality loop switcher brings the quality you would expect from BOSS.

Pros

Compact, high-quality loop switcher

Great amount of patches

Cons

Might not offer enough flexibility

Buy From

This is the little brother of the ES-8, the professional standard from BOSS when it comes to loop switching. Each of the five loops runs through an analog signal path to keep the signal as pristine as possible.

Everything connects in a clean way through the back of the unit, and the parallel chain function gives you even more effect combinations. Two TRS control output jacks and a TRS control/expression pedal jack let you add more control to effects like delays and reverbs. It offers 200 patch locations that can save things like on/off state and more!

Best loop switcher for presets: One Control Caiman Tail

Best Loop Switcher for Presets

One Control Caiman Tail

A small but effective loop switcher with fantastic build quality.

Pros

Great build quality

Streamlined enough to fit on most pedalboards

MIDI compatible

Cons

Small format might be a turnoff to some that want a larger unit footprint

Buy From

The Caiman Tail is the most compact option on this list. It comes with 5 true-bypass loops that offer up to 150 preset combinations. There are 5 banks, with 5 program options each. The combination of analog and MIDI compatibility increases the utility of this pedalboard-friendly unit.

For the player that doesn’t have a lot of pedals going on, but still wants an increased level of control in a small footprint, this is a solid choice.

Easiest loop switcher to use: Acoustic LS6 Loop Switcher

Easiest Loop Switcher to Use

u003cstrongu003eAcoustic LS6 Loop Switcher u003c/strongu003e

A no-nonsense loop switcher that streamlines things.

Pros

Easy to use

Compact but with a good feature set

Cons

Might not provide enough loops for all players

Buy From

If you just need an easy-to-use analog looper, this might be the most affordable option around. There are 6 discrete loops with true bypass across 36 programmable patches. Live mode lets you operate your pedals as you normally would, while Program mode lets you recall your saved patches for infinite combinations.

A large display and illuminated switches make it easy to see even in the darkest environment. And the mute button, tuner out, and front or back end signal buffering add the finishing touches. All of this comes in an affordable package in an all-steel enclosure that can stand up to the rigors of the road.

Best small format loop switcher: Lehle 1at3 SGos

Best small format loop switcher

Lehle 1at3 SGos

If you don’t need a very elaborate loop switcher, and want one in a small format, this programmable switcher by Lehle offers useful features.

Pros

Programmable, true bypass loop switcher

Can route signal out up to three amps

Effects loop

Cons

Some players might need something more elaborate

Buy From