Help me choose a compressor

Ray 911S

Ray 911S

New member
I don't have one yet. Frankly I still experimenting with tone and haven't found on I like (using my gear, anyway). But it seems that a compressor is a pretty basic need on a pedal board.

See my sig for all the gear, but generally I'm playing Strat or Blueshawk through Marshall tube pre, Mesa tube power, Marshall 4X12 cab (Hellatones).

Which pedal should I start experimenting with?
 
Re: Help me choose a compressor

Ray 911S said:
I don't have one yet. Frankly I still experimenting with tone and haven't found on I like (using my gear, anyway). But it seems that a compressor is a pretty basic need on a pedal board.

See my sig for all the gear, but generally I'm playing Strat or Blueshawk through Marshall tube pre, Mesa tube power, Marshall 4X12 cab (Hellatones).

Which pedal should I start experimenting with?
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wow, forget pedals. with gear like that I'd seriously look at pro rack stuff. maybe a dbx 266XL.
 
Re: Help me choose a compressor

Well, I like my analogman mini bi-compressor. It is two compressors in one pedal. One side is supposed to be a Ross clone and the other side is like a Dan Armstrong Orange Squeezer. Each side has a very distinct personality, But I pretty much leave the Ross side on all the time - set the other side hotter, and then either change channels or cascade them for some added push.

http://www.analogman.com/


The Ross side should be very much like Robert Keeley's compressor.
 
Re: Help me choose a compressor

rack gear might be the best solution here, but i dont know too much about that subject.

I can tell you that boss compressors, (the stompboxes) are pretty good as long as you dont put everything on 10. also, this pedal, i think its digitech, "Main squeeze".
 
Re: Help me choose a compressor

I actually really like the MXR Super Comp, I've used Keeley before and it was great too, but honestly just didn't feel worth the money to me.

I'm pretty much a price is no object guy when it comes to effects, but only if I can hear a difference, and in regards to compressors, spending nearly $400 on ebay for a bi-comp (due to the 1 year order wait) or $200+ on a Keeley etc I just couldn't do.

The Supercomp is pretty low noise, doesn't suck my tone when off, has the attack knob which is nice, compact, has a 9v dc input and also a LED, everything I could need/want for a mere $70.

No point to spend more, provided you want the classic Ross/Dynacomp compression, which I find works well for what I do.


Might as well start out with something like that and if its not doing the trick, then go spend 3-5 times as much, but I just don't hear hundreds of dollars difference myself
 
Re: Help me choose a compressor

if you don't want to spend the $ for a Keeley or a Tone Press, and can solder, check out the BYOC compressor.
 
Re: Help me choose a compressor

I really like the Barber Tone Press. You should be able to pick one up used from The Gear Page forum for around $130, lots of feedback there on this and other compressors as well.
 
Re: Help me choose a compressor

+1 on millstart

I have a mxr supercomp and love it. It gets a little noisy when put on extreme settings but...its VERY rare you'd use those anyway (I sometimes dime it to get a little more extreme "another brick in the wall" solo tone). It's a great transparent compressor and built like a tank.

+1 on the supercomp.
 
Re: Help me choose a compressor

Don't think you need a compressor just because you think it's "a pretty basic need on a pedal board". I've wanted a compressor for years - all my main influences have gotten brilliant tones with them (Andy Summers, Johnny Marr, James Honeyman-Scott, Jamie West-Oram, etc.). But I have never found one I like, through any amp rig. I finally concluded I don't like compressors (when I'm playing). Weird, but there it is.

BTW, my last one was a Boss CS-3 with Monte Allums' Opto Mod kit in it. It was a great compressor, but still just not for me.
 
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Re: Help me choose a compressor

I was in the same boat as you about a month ago. I decided to go with a Boss CS-3, that i'm in the process of modding with the Monte Allums Opto Plus mod.
 
Re: Help me choose a compressor

I'm real happy with my Homebrew Electronics CPR. It's my favorite compressor that I've ever used. Lew
 
Re: Help me choose a compressor

First, what makes a compresson a "basic need"?

You need to decide if you really do need a compresson, if you decide you do need one then try to decide which on to get...I have never really used a compressor to be honest. They have their place but for me their place is as far away from me as possible! I have never found that didn't just completely ruin my tone!
 
Re: Help me choose a compressor

the guy who invented fire said:
First, what makes a compresson a "basic need"?

You need to decide if you really do need a compresson, if you decide you do need one then try to decide which on to get...I have never really used a compressor to be honest. They have their place but for me their place is as far away from me as possible! I have never found that didn't just completely ruin my tone!
Click to expand...

I do like the Homebrew CPR Christian...but like most of my pedals, I rarely use it.

I just bought it to get a little more sustain at the low volumes I sometimes have to play at. It's pretty natural and transparent sounding.

It's also real cool with an electric 12 string to get those Byrds "Mr Tambourine Man" kinda sounds...although my electric 12 is a Dam-electro! LOL! (Actually, it sounds pretty good!)

Lew
 
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Re: Help me choose a compressor

http://www.aphex.com/pedals.htm

I have one of the Punch Factory pedals. I like it alot. It's not as "squishy" as other compressors that I have used but if thats what your looking for it may not do. The other reason I like it is I switch between active and passive PUs and it has a preset button to even out each type. I leave it on all of the time.
 
Re: Help me choose a compressor

-1 for the supercomp. Maybe they have poor QC, because mine is nothing to write home about. The attack is strangled and the decay is really notchy. Sometimes it won't compress properly at all- it just sounds noisy and fuzzy around the edges. Makes a great OD, just not a compressor.
 
Re: Help me choose a compressor

ParameterMan said:
-1 for the supercomp. Maybe they have poor QC, because mine is nothing to write home about. The attack is strangled and the decay is really notchy. Sometimes it won't compress properly at all- it just sounds noisy and fuzzy around the edges. Makes a great OD, just not a compressor.
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That is odd, totally opposite experience of mine. The attack knob really works well and adds a good bit of control, and the decay and sustain are totally smooth, even with the effect turned up to pretty high levels. Just like the natural guitar tone, only with compressed dynamics.

I run mine with a 9v DC, do you use a battery perhaps ?



I really don't know if its the best, haven't tried all that many, but it does the job for me. Maybe if I was a chicken pickin Nashville cat or something I'd look for something better, but for my rather limited uses, it gets the job done quite well.


Id suggest anayone who doesn't really use a compressor much and/or that doesn't really want to spend much money on an effect they aren't sure about check one out.

It's a really nice pedal for $70 and if you experiment with it a little, it can add some cool new aspects to your playing. For example while I do really like Floyd, I'm not usually trying to pull Gilmour riffs, but crank the compressor and add a little delay and its really a blast jamming with that crazy sustain.

Its a fun pedal overall that opens up some different styles such as country licks, funk, Gilmouresque stuff etc.
 
Re: Help me choose a compressor

I currently use a Boss CS-3 with the Monte Alums Opto + mod (I did it myself..yay!). This is such an improvement- it takes a barely usable pedal and makes it into one you don't want to turn off.
 
Re: Help me choose a compressor

Lewguitar said:
I do like the Homebrew CPR Christian...but like most of my pedals, I rarely use it.
I just bought it to get a little more sustain at the low volumes I sometimes have to play at. It's pretty natural and transparent sounding.
It's also real cool with an electric 12 string to get those Byrds "Mr Tambourine Man" kinda sounds...although my electric 12 is a ****-electro! LOL! (Actually, it sounds pretty good!)
Lew
Click to expand...

I hear ya...I see the point in compressos in general but for me they just don't cut it...if I am playing at low volumes I use an overdrive pedal and those tend to compress enough to make me happy. I could see using one on an electric 12 string to bring out the jangle but I don't have a 12 string...however i want one pretty bad!
 
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