The American Loopers Studio Grade Boutique Buffer is a small guitar buffer box from American Loopers, a maker of junction boxes and board accessories. A buffer addresses a familiar problem: as cable length and pedal count grow, a guitar's signal loses high end and clarity. American Loopers says that with this box "that problem is solved," because you can connect your guitar to it and run long cables or a big pedalboard without losing your tone1. For more on how buffers work and how they compare, see Buffer Pedals.
Impedance and circuit design
The buffer presents a high input impedance of 1M ohms to the guitar, which keeps the pickups from being loaded down, and drives a low output impedance of under 75 ohms into the rest of the chain1. American Loopers describes the circuit as ultra low noise and notes that it uses SMT components with a value tolerance of less than 1%, which the maker ties to precision and sound quality1.
Size and placement on a board
The enclosure measures 3.64 x 1.52 x 1.06 inches1. American Loopers says it designed the box as small as possible so it can sit right in the corner of a pedalboard, or even underneath a Pedaltrain or other slanted type board1. That makes it a candidate for players who want a buffer out of the way rather than occupying a spot in a row of pedals, unlike larger footswitchable units such as the Empress Effects Buffer or the compact JHS Pedals Little Black Buffer.
Availability
American Loopers describes the buffer as handcrafted in the USA and ships it worldwide1. The maker also recorded a high quality HD video with Pro Tools using a professional recording setup, intended to show what the buffer does for tone1.
Questions
What does a guitar buffer do?
A buffer takes the signal from your guitar's pickups at a high input impedance and drives it at a low output impedance, so long cable runs and large pedalboards do not dull your tone. American Loopers describes its buffer as letting you connect your guitar and have long cables or a big pedalboard without losing your tone.
Is the American Loopers Studio Grade Boutique Buffer made in the USA?
Yes. American Loopers describes the buffer as handcrafted in the USA, and the company ships it worldwide. It also uses genuine Neutrik jacks.
How big is the American Loopers buffer?
The enclosure measures 3.64 by 1.52 by 1.06 inches. American Loopers designed it as small as possible so it can sit in the corner of a pedalboard or even underneath a Pedaltrain or other slanted type board.
Sources (1)
- American Loopers Boutique HD Buffer product page, American Loopers (www.americanloopers.com)
