Boss RC-3 Loop Station
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Three hours of recording, stereo I/O, and much more!
The BOSS RC-3 Loop Station adds a powerful new single-pedal looper to the company's industry-leading lineup of pedal-based loop recorders, featuring high-powered digital signal processing, stereo operation, and cutting-edge features. Powered by the ESC2 DSP chip, the RC-3 Loop Station offers musicians powerful, great-sounding recording and manipulation of loops live and in the studio.
Housed in BOSS' popular single-pedal chassis, the RC-3's new features include true stereo ins/outs and up to three hours of onboard stereo recording and loop storage. 99 onboard memory slots are available for storing your creations. The RC-30 also boasts a USB 2.0 port for swapping and managing WAV loops with your computer. An aux in jack for portable devices and a key selection of onboard rhythms including real audio drum loops come standard. Connect an optional BOSS FS-5U Foot Switch for additional foot control if desired!
Features
- Three hours of onboard recording time
- High-powered DSP from BOSS' ESC2 chip
- True stereo I/O
- 99 memory slots
- USB 2.0 port for swapping/managing files with your computer
- Aux in jack
Add exciting new textures and creative touches to your songs with the powerful RC-3 Loop Station from BOSS!
Review Snapshot®
by PowerReviews(based on 30 reviews)
Ratings Distribution
67%
of respondents would recommend this to a friend.
Pros
- Compact (10)
- Excellent sound quality (8)
- Responsive (5)
- Versatile (4)
Cons
- Difficult to use (4)
Best Uses
- Home studio (6)
- Amateur recording (5)
- Performances (5)
- Practice (3)
- Reviewer Profile:
- Experienced (9), Professional musician (3)
Most Liked Positive Review
Does the job as good as my JamMan Solo
For my type of live looping and layering, song creation and rehearsal, the Boss RC-3 is equal to the JamMan Solo. Now that I have both, I have been able to test...Read complete review
For my type of live looping and layering, song creation and rehearsal, the Boss RC-3 is equal to the JamMan Solo. Now that I have both, I have been able to test them side by side. I like the RC-3 for the battery option and stereo i/o, I like the JamMan solo for the memory card option and the 3-button (stop, program up, program down) footswitch option. Either looper works well for me and now that I have both, I can actually use them chained together or one thru the guitar pedal board and the other through the mixer fx buses.
I've been using my trusty DigiTech JamMan Solo for a solid year now and love it... I needed a second looper for more complex songs (too bad the RC-30 does not allow the individual loops to be different lengths) The reason I got the RC-3 instead of a second JamMan Solo is because the RC-3 will also run on a 9-volt battery. I have a Roland Cube Street (also battery powered) and wanted to use a looper in place where there is no electricity, such as busking, house parties, performances in small shops, campgrounds, etc. The RC-3 has everything that the JamMan Solo has except that the JamMan accepts a memory card (a feature I use a lot for writing and exchanging songs) I picked up a external footswitch to enable one-click stops and the external a/c adaptor for uses when there is electricity. Just as with the JamMan Solo, the RC-3 adds no noise or signal degradation and it works stand-alone or thru the effects send/return of my board. I also like the stereo inputs/outputs. Operation is solid and although it takes time to master the footwork when using a looper, understanding how the RC-3 functions takes minutes... I have read that there is a 'delay' on the RC-3 when switching between two pre-loaded loops but since I don't use it this way, it is not an issue for me.
I am writing this review after using the pedal in only a few rehearsals and one live performance, but the metal chassis and solid controls make me think the quality is top-end, as with all the Roland/Boss gear I have. I am still using Boss pedals that I purchased in the 80's and they do not fail. I still purchased the extended warranty for peace of mind...just in case there's a surprise down the road...
For the purposes that I use this device, it is a good value. Of course I wish these things were less costly however, it is like having a song writing tool, timing and rehearsal 'clone-of-yourself-metronome' AND a backup guitarist all in one little box.
VS
Most Liked Negative Review
Almost great. Too many small flaws.
3-1/2 out of 5 stars, really, although I regret buying this on impulse without doing more research. It's almost a great product, but considering its relatively high price it's disappointing that ...Read complete review
3-1/2 out of 5 stars, really, although I regret buying this on impulse without doing more research. It's almost a great product, but considering its relatively high price it's disappointing that Boss cut corners and didn't get some of the details right.
The good stuff about the RC-3 is obvious and easy to find online--it loops, has lots of memory and I/O, is easy to use, and is excellent for practicing and song writing--so I'm focusing on the less obvious bad stuff:
- Various online sources, including, until recently, the Boss and Roland websites, claim you can specify tempo incrementally. Unfortunately this is not true. There is no tempo display and it's tap tempo only, which is a ridiculous pain in the neck. At the very least one should be able to fine tune the tempo in 1 BPM increments with the increase/decrease buttons, even if the tempo isn't also displayed. And no, unlike the Jamman Solo, you can't use the pedal to tap in the tempo--you have to get down on the floor and use the dinky little button.
- The drum beat and tempo reset to their defaults if you change the phrase number, even when the new phrase is blank. That means you can't record several versions of the same thing, or different parts of a song, without re-setting the beat and tempo. BUT, as noted above, you can't set the tempo numerically, so it's impossible to get the same tempo. Great. (Please tell me I'm wrong on this.)
- Built-in time signatures are 3/4 and 4/4 only. No 7/8, 5/4, etc. Boss's marketing department was inspired on how to play this--the web site says, "You can also specify the time signature." Uh, thanks, but the choices, which Boss conveniently neglects to mention, are almost as limited as the color of a Ford Model T. ("Any customer can have a car painted any color that he wants so long as it is black.") I should add that one of the 4/4 beats is a 12/8 shuffle, and that one of the 3/4 beats is a 6/8 shuffle and another is 9/8, but that doesn't excuse Boss's mendacity. It's clear they are trying to hide their product's shortcomings.
- The 10 built-in drum beats are very basic and are not adequate. There's a reason you can't listen to them on the Boss site. There are actually 20 beats, since there are versions for 3/4 and 4/4, but with all the storage space on this thing, surely Boss could have included more. Even the previous model, the RC-2, had 30 (?) beats.
(Yes, you can recording and import your own rhythms to get any time signature and pattern, but recorded rhythms are part of a loop--they can't be re-used without re-importing, the number of measures can't be changed, changing the tempo usually sounds crummy, and the volume can't be adjusted independently of the guitar playback.)
- The 5 year warranty is parts only. Labor is only 90 days. Return shipping is on you, and if you choose not to get the repair after receiving an estimate, then you are charged for the review anyway. I could not locate warranty info on the Boss site, and the documentation that comes with the pedal is a wonder of obfuscation: "... this product will be free from defect in materials and/or workmanship from the date of purchase until the period of time indicated for this product." Uh huh. And what "period of time" would that be and where would it be "indicated"?
- Power supply is not included.
- Buttons are mushy, rubbery stuff like a tv remote. Probably saved on costs, but the durability is questionable.
One other note: I'm using the RC-3 in a guitar amp's effects loop. It works so far, but, unlike the Jamman Solo, this is not a mode that is recommended in the instructions.
Reviews
Reviewed by 30 customers
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Pros
- Compact Design
- Excellent Sound Quality
- Good Selection Of Effects
- Responsive
- Versatile
Cons
- Difficult To Use
- Not Responsive
Best Uses
- Performances
Comments about Boss RC-3 Loop Station:
This is a great looper pedal, Boss makes quality pedals, but be forewarned it's a lot of pedal to try and figure out. The drum patterns are good for playing along with, but switching modes and overdubbing got way too complicated for me.There are a lot of options with limited knobs and pedals that made it not so easy to use for me. I swapped it out and got the new Ditto Looper which is much simpler to use. I'm a guitarist and simply want to be able to layer 2-3 layers and jam along with them. The Ditto records it at the tempo you play it at, as long as you play it, and then repeats it back at that tempo, no tapping tempos, etc.
Pros
- Compact Design
- Responsive
- Unique Features
- Versatile
Cons
Best Uses
- Amateur Recording
- Events
- Home Studio
- Performances
- Professional Recording
Comments about Boss RC-3 Loop Station:
This pedal is an amazing recording and overdubbing machine. I own 2 FS-5U that I also use with my other BOSS pedals that makes this pedal very easy to use. Yes it's annoying having to push those little mushy buttons! I love this thing because you can hook it up to your laptop and import phrases. This compact pedal has true bypass and never changes your tone, even when on. I always have this in my effects chain and it's great for when you just wanna jam or make some cool noises! Great little pedal, recommend for any guitarist.
Pros
- Excellent Sound Quality
- Great Storage Space
- Lots Of Features
- Versatile
Cons
Best Uses
- Amateur Recording
- Home Studio
Comments about Boss RC-3 Loop Station:
I wanted this to practice leads. I can lay down a simple or not so simple chord progression and then work out all kinds of licks to embellish it. This comes in really handy when I working on my chops, as well as how I can play when I get together with my band on weekends. With all of the memory slots, it is great to discover a riff or chord progression, and use the loop station sort of as a notebook for writing songs. Like other have said, it would be better if the tempo for the drums could be adjusted via the dial, and monitored on the display. The tap feature is ok, but hard to sync if you are planning to take your little sketches over to a recording program. Still, it is great, and I enjoy playing much more than in the past. I think I play more often, and better.
Pros
- Compact Design
Cons
- Difficult To Use
- Poor Sound Quality
Best Uses
- Home Studio
Comments about Boss RC-3 Loop Station:
The idea is nice but there's just too much functionality to operate with one footswitch. Good for bedroom practices but very impractical for live performances. The pedal was also noisy at times and did not agree with my compressor in my chain, a compressor I've had for years and has never had issues with anything else in my chain. Record/Stop/layer or loop are done with the one main footswitch but you can't move to a different phrase without getting down on your hands & knees to use a tiny mushy pushbutton. Also when creating a loop, once you stop the loop the pedal begins to playback the loop but the pedal also keeps recording resulting in loud doubled notes on beat one....it takes a double tap to get the recording to stop which is very annoying. I'm glad I only rented this toy for a month, for a bit more dough the jamMan stereo is a far better looper for a serious musician.
Pros
- Compact Design
- Excellent Sound Quality
Cons
- Difficult To Use
- Too Much Complexity
Best Uses
- Live performance
- Practice
Comments about Boss RC-3 Loop Station:
I just wanted a simple looper to use in songs while playing live. nothing crazy complicated, just something I could quickly set up a loop with and go. or, loop something while in the middle of a song. the Boss RC-3 can do this, but I was also hoping for some use out of the rhythm patterns. they are a bit limited, but work. I just found myself stepping on the pedal too much (for me that is). I returned this, and gave the TC Electronic Ditto Looper a try. simple, straight and to the point. small on the board too. pretty happy with that... YMMV. the RC-3 is a fine pedal, just a little too complicated for what I wanted in the end.
Pros
- Analog Audio In
- Compact Design
- Dual Output
- Excellent Sound Quality
Cons
- Difficult To Use
Best Uses
- Practice
Comments about Boss RC-3 Loop Station:
Bought this as a compact replacement for DL4 to downsize my pedal board.
Tons of cool features if you're by yourself. Hard to keep loop going if you need to layer or change settings so it's very hard to use in a live application. Lots of double taps and you have to manually twist knobs.
Bad design concept. Compact pedals are great for gigging musicians. But the usability and design didn't have the gigging musician in mind.
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
- Amateur Recording
- Home Studio
- Performances
- Practice
Comments about Boss RC-3 Loop Station:
I own the older Boss RC-20XL which I love, as well as the Boss ME-25 which has 38 seconds of loop, but I love the ability to have unlimited time to make loops. Having the FS-5U pedal hooked up to the RC-3 makes it very similar to the RC-20XL in use. I do wish for the price it had a 'reverse' button and I wish you could easily choose whether to 'quantize' the phrase or not. The rythms on this thing are bad as on all of them (I never use) and if you don't pre-set up the beat it never in trying to guess seems to get it right, but I just leave it turned down. I do like it alot, but wish it had the features of the RC20-XL with simply the addition of memory would have made a better pedal.
Pros
- Compact Design
- Excellent Sound Quality
Cons
Best Uses
- Performances
Comments about Boss RC-3 Loop Station:
I'v gone solo from my band and it is a great tool for a one man band I can go acoustic and electric with just me my guitar & amp 7 this pedal it's much more then just a pedal it's a MUST HAVE! And I love the presets for jamming.
I will be using it in my Bean Olsen videos.
Pros
- Compact Design
- Excellent Sound Quality
- Good Selection Of Effects
- Responsive
- Versatile
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Boss RC-3 Loop Station:
Technology has definitely improved. This records nicely with good sound quality, and is easy to use. There are no deep menus to push through. Programmed drumbeats and what you record have separate volume controls for more adjustment. Option to record when you press pedal, or when you start playing. I used too hate Boss products, but I've found a new love for them lately.
Pros
- Compact Design
Cons
- Not Responsive
Best Uses
- Amateur Recording
- Performances
Comments about Boss RC-3 Loop Station:
This pedal does individual looping well.
But I was really surprised when I tried playing back a loop and then changed to a new one on the fly with an FS-6, it has an annoying hiccup, so you cannot do this accurately and keep time. I checked out the JamMan Solo and it is spot on here. Playing live I really need to be able to set up my loops to go back and forth from Verse to Chorus, so I returned it.
It sounded pretty good but was a bit noisier then I expected, especially with a dimed OCD pedal in front.
