The JOYO Iron Loop, model JF-329, is a digital phrase looper for electric guitar from Joyo's Ironman Series of mini pedals. It records what you play and loops it back, so you can layer a second part over the top, practice against your own rhythm track, or build a full performance one pass at a time. JOYO describes it as a digital phrase looper with "a very intuitive user interface"1.
It was announced in March 2017 as the latest addition to the Ironman mini pedal line, alongside JOYO's compact overdrives and other effects23.
What it does
A looper is the simplest form of accompaniment you can carry on a pedalboard: press the footswitch, play a phrase, and the pedal repeats it for as long as you leave it running. The Iron Loop records your guitar signal digitally and plays the recording back on a continuous loop, and the ring on the pedal shows the length of the recorded loop2. Joyo describes it as a digital phrase looper with a very intuitive user interface1.
The pedal is light and compact, in keeping with the Ironman Series mini format, so it fits on a crowded board23. Like other Ironman pedals, it includes a knob guard to prevent your settings getting knocked mid-gig3. It is not a stereo pedal, with a single 6.3 mm jack input and output2.
A useful visual touch: a ring on the pedal shows the length of the recorded loop, so you can see at a glance how much recording time a loop uses1.
Controls
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Level knob | Sets the loop playback volume1 |
| Footswitch | Records and plays back the loop1 |
| Loop ring | Displays the length of the recorded loop1 |
Like other pedals in the Ironman line, the Ironloop includes a knob guard to prevent your settings getting knocked mid-gig, as MusicRadar noted when it was announced2.
The Ironloop's control set follows the pattern of other Ironman-series pedals, with its knobs recessed so settings are not knocked around in transit or on a crowded pedalboard2.
For a player comparing compact loopers, the Iron Loop sits among other mini options such as the Mooer Micro Looper, the Donner Tiny Looper and the Rowin Tiny Looper, all of which trade features and recording time for a small footprint. More on the category as a whole is on the Looping Pedals page.
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Alexandre Almeida
Questions
What is the JOYO Iron Loop?
The Iron Loop, model JF-329, is a digital phrase looper pedal for electric guitar from JOYO's Ironman Series. It records what you play and loops it back so you can practice or layer parts over it. It is light and compact, built for a small pedalboard.
What controls does the JOYO Iron Loop have?
It has a single Level knob that sets the loop volume, plus a footswitch to record and play. A ring on the pedal shows the length of the recorded loop as it plays.
How much recording time does the JOYO Iron Loop offer?
The Iron Loop gives you 20 minutes of recording time, which is generous for a mini pedal and enough for long phrases or several layered parts in a practice session.
Sources (3)
- JOYO JF-329 Ironloop product page, JOYO
- Joyo drops Ironman Ironloop mini looper pedal, MusicRadar, March 20, 2017
- Joyo JF-329 Ironman Series Ironloop, gearnews.com, March 20, 2017
