The Harley Benton Custom Line Dual Loop Switch is a compact switch box for two signal chains, built around two independent true bypass circuits. Harley Benton describes it as "a simple solution for all your switching needs": instead of stomping individual pedals on and off, you park a group of pedals, or two single pedals, inside two loops and bring each group in and out of your signal chain with its own footswitch1.
What it does and how it is wired
Each loop works the same way. Loop A and Loop B each have a send and return jack1. You connect the send of a loop to the input of the pedal or chain you want to switch, and that pedal's output back to the loop's return. When the loop is off, its true bypass circuit takes the pedals in it completely out of the signal path; when it is on, they sit in line as if hard-wired. The two loops are independent, so you can run both at once, either alone, or neither.
Because the loops are true bypass, the box itself adds nothing to your tone when a loop is off. That matters if the pedals you are switching carry a lot of gain: a fuzz or distortion circuit lifted out of the chain is genuinely gone, not merely cleaned up by a buffer1.
Controls and connections
| Item | What it is |
|---|---|
| Footswitch A | Loop On / Off switch for Loop A, with status LED1 |
| Footswitch B | Loop On / Off switch for Loop B, with status LED1 |
| Input / Output | Guitar in, out to the rest of the chain or amp1 |
| Send / Return A | Patch points for the pedals in Loop A1 |
| Send / Return B | Patch points for the pedals in Loop B1 |
A typical setup looks like this:
- Guitar into the unit's input; output on to your amp or the rest of your board1.
- Send A to the input of your first switched pedal or chain; its output back to Return A1.
- Send B to the input of the second pedal or chain; its output back to Return B1.
- Stomp each footswitch to bring its loop in or out; the status LED shows which loops are live1.
One player on Harley Benton's page describes the arrangement in practice: "I use one loop for my filters and one loop for my fuzz/distortion circuit."1 That is the common use: grouping pedals by role, for example filter pedals in one loop and fuzz or distortion in the other, so each group can be switched as a block. For more on how boxes like this fit a rig, see the site's switching pedals page.
Power
The Dual Loop Switch can be operated with a 9 Volt battery or a 9 Volt power supply. Harley Benton notes that a matching supply, given as article #409939# on the product page, is not included in the delivery1. The same arrangement appears across the Custom Line range: the OD-5 overdrive runs on a 9 V battery or 9 V adapter, also not included2, and the CS-5 compressor lists the same 9 V battery or adapter operation3.
No power supply is included in the box. If you plan to run it from a pedalboard supply rather than a battery, you will need a 9 Volt adapter.
Size and where it sits on a board
Harley Benton lists the Dual Loop Switch at 120 x 56 x 95 mm (W x H x D) and 0.380 kg1. Those are the same dimensions the maker gives for the OD-52 and the CS-53, so it matches the rest of the Custom Line pedals in footprint and lines up cleanly beside them on a pedalboard.
What customers rated
On Harley Benton's product page, the Dual Loop Switch is rated 4.3 out of 5 from 85 reviews, with the features category rated 4.4 out of 51. The distribution leans strongly positive: 47 customers rated it 5, 24 rated it 4, 9 rated it 3, 2 rated it 2 and 1 rated it 11. For comparison on the same page family, the OD-5 overdrive sits at 4.5 out of 5 from 95 reviews2 and the CS-5 compressor at 4.3 out of 5 from 82 reviews3.
Videos
Harley Benton
Questions
Does the Harley Benton Dual Loop Switch run on a battery?
Yes. Harley Benton's product page says the Dual Loop Switch can be operated with a 9 Volt battery or a 9 Volt power supply, and notes that a suitable supply is not included in the delivery. If you use a battery, keep in mind that a switching box has no power LED that stays lit when the loops are off, so it is worth unplugging the input when you are done to spare the battery.
Is the Dual Loop Switch true bypass?
Yes. Harley Benton describes it as a compact switch box for two signal chains with two independent true bypass circuits. That means each loop's send and return path is hard-wired straight through when the loop is off, so pedals sitting in a switched-off loop are removed from your signal chain entirely rather than buffered.
How do I connect pedals to Loop A and Loop B?
Run your guitar into the unit's input and take the output to your amp. Loop A and Loop B each have a send and return jack: connect the send of a loop to the input of the pedal or chain you want to switch, and connect that pedal's output back to the loop's return. Each loop is then switched in and out with its own footswitch.
How big is the Harley Benton Custom Line Dual Loop Switch?
Harley Benton lists the dimensions as 120 x 56 x 95 mm (W x H x D) and the weight as 0.380 kg. That is the same footprint the maker gives for other Custom Line pedals such as the OD-5 overdrive and CS-5 compressor, so it sits alongside them neatly on a board.
Can I run both loops at the same time?
Yes. The two loops are independent, each with its own On / Off footswitch and status LED, so you can have Loop A on, Loop B on, both on, or both off. One player quoted on Harley Benton's page uses one loop for filters and one for a fuzz and distortion circuit, switching each group separately.
Sources (3)
- Custom Line Dual Loop Switch, Harley Benton (harleybenton.com)
- Custom Line OD-5 Overdrive, Harley Benton (harleybenton.com)
- Custom Line CS-5 Compressor, Harley Benton (harleybenton.com)
