Integrated compressor unit? Do they exist or how do I make one?

[FrankensteinsLobster]

Any idiot who knows anything will tell you that a compressor is the most cost-effective way to make your guitar (and your playing) sound better. But I've yet to come across a neat little unit that will fit into a control cavity.

Before I go taking my pedal apart to see what's going on - is the circuitry particularly complicated? Is it just a matter of the right series of resistors and capacitors, maybe a simple IC? Can it be miniaturised, and is there any reason to avoid attempting it? I'm thinking of something I could just throw underneath a pickguard or something, set and forget, no routing or extra knobs. Maybe just a switch if anything. The only drawback I can think of is the feedback issues - would there be a clever way to counteract that too?

I'm interested in any schematics or pre-existing components that might point me in the right direction, if anybody knows of any.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Integrated compressor unit? Do they exist or how do I make one?

EMG 81

 

[Gtrjunior]

Re: Integrated compressor unit? Do they exist or how do I make one?

If all you want is a “set and forget” why don’t you just put one on your board and be done with it?

 

[Kamanda~SD]

Re: Integrated compressor unit? Do they exist or how do I make one?

Any idiot who knows anything will tell you that a compressor is the most cost-effective way to make your guitar (and your playing) sound better.

You must think I'm an idiot then.

However, in regards to your question, any circuit is basically just a matter of the right components. There are lots of DIY resources online describing how a compressor works (technically) and what you need to make one. However with full size components, it won't be all that small. Perhaps you could rip out the guts of a mini-pedal and wire it up accordingly, but then you also have to worry about power and...the whole thing isn't really worth all the headache imo. But hey...I'm just an idiot.

 

[FrankensteinsLobster]

Re: Integrated compressor unit? Do they exist or how do I make one?

You must think I'm an idiot then.

However, in regards to your question, any circuit is basically just a matter of the right components. There are lots of DIY resources online describing how a compressor works (technically) and what you need to make one. However with full size components, it won't be all that small. Perhaps you could rip out the guts of a mini-pedal and wire it up accordingly, but then you also have to worry about power and...the whole thing isn't really worth all the headache imo. But hey...I'm just an idiot.

If you insist .

But yeah I've thought of ripping the guts out of an ammoon or joyo or something but that's still too big - a lot of that circuit board is just gonna be there to make it long enough to be practical as a pedal. I'm betting I could make it smaller. Power isn't a huge issue, i'll find somewhere to stick a battery, if I use a stereo output it wont even need a switch. I'm thinking of making it as small as humanly possible and working from there. I could google it but I don't necessarily know what I'm looking at, there'll be a lot to sift through, so just seeing if anyone could maybe narrow down my options? I can follow instructions and use a soldering iron, that's probably enough to get it done.

 

[FrankensteinsLobster]

Re: Integrated compressor unit? Do they exist or how do I make one?

EMG 81

I did not know they had that much circuitry in them

But also a set of EMGs is like, I dunno 150 new? I'm betting cheap clone plus home-made circuitry will sound somewhere on the level but infinitely cheaper.

 

[FrankensteinsLobster]

Re: Integrated compressor unit? Do they exist or how do I make one?

If all you want is a “set and forget” why don’t you just put one on your board and be done with it?

Because I'm bored and I want a project to do. I have my other reasons. Don't question my methods. Nobody ever asked Einstein why he spent so much time staring at train-tracks.

 

[Gtrjunior]

Re: Integrated compressor unit? Do they exist or how do I make one?

Because I'm bored and I want a project to do.

Haha!! Go for then. I’d be curious to see your final product. Keep us in the loop.

 

[Artie]

Re: Integrated compressor unit? Do they exist or how do I make one?

Compression, or I should say good compression, is a fairly complex circuit. I'd start by looking at the "small" series of pedals from companies like Moor, and see if you can just fit one in. Moor makes the Yellow Comp Optical, for example. Mind you, I have no idea how good it sounds. But that's the idea.

 

[FrankensteinsLobster]

Re: Integrated compressor unit? Do they exist or how do I make one?

Compression, or I should say good compression, is a fairly complex circuit. I'd start by looking at the "small" series of pedals from companies like Moor, and see if you can just fit one in. Moor makes the Yellow Comp Optical, for example. Mind you, I have no idea how good it sounds. But that's the idea.

One option might be to strip the components from something like that and move it to a smaller board. Maybe even cut it in half and stack it.

Actually, that brings me to another point - do we have a consensus on whether all of these cheap mini-pedals are, in fact, from the same factory in China, just with different names stamped on them? And who is imitating who?

And why is the term 'true bypass' thrown around so much, and erroneously, and why would bypass be something that is difficult to achieve when in theory it should only involve one or two wires running through a switch from one jack to another, and maybe some tinfoil?

 

[DavidRavenMoon]

Re: Integrated compressor unit? Do they exist or how do I make one?

I did not know they had that much circuitry in them

They don’t. He was being facetious. It’s just an op amp buffer inside.

You can fit this in a guitar.

https://www.guitarfetish.com/OPTICAL-ANALOG-CompressorLimiter-COMPLETE-Install-kit_p_175.html


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[Mincer]

Re: Integrated compressor unit? Do they exist or how do I make one?

I am sure you can fit it in a guitar. You can also get one of those mini pedals and rip the guts out.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Integrated compressor unit? Do they exist or how do I make one?

They don’t. He was being facetious.

You’re right, and I was being facetious, but isn’t excessive compression the biggest complaint about old-tech actives? Depending on what the OP is going for, a really hot pickup may get pretty close.

 

[DavidRavenMoon]

Integrated compressor unit? Do they exist or how do I make one?

You’re right, and I was being facetious, but isn’t excessive compression the biggest complaint about old-tech actives? Depending on what the OP is going for, a really hot pickup may get pretty close.

Yeah they sound a bit compressed on 9 volts. That goes away on 18 volts. I like them on 9 volts better.

Dynamic range on stage is overrated. So some compression helps you get a solid signal.

The OP might like an 81, but he’d have to change both pickups.

I’d rather have a floor pedal compressor. I use an old MXR limiter.

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[FrankensteinsLobster]

Re: Integrated compressor unit? Do they exist or how do I make one?

What if you could put a simple chip into a cheap beginner's guitar - for example - that would make it sound twice as good, and not expect said beginner to worry about - or necessarily know they were using - a compressor? Kind of what got me on to thinking about this was that I was mucking around with cheap pickups and noticed how the compressor gave them a nice 'quack'.

That's not the specific application I had in mind. But just.... sssshhhh about telling me to just use a pedal. I'm just experimenting with stuff. Think outside the box so to speak. *I* don't know where I'm going with this. I have a lot of ideas, travel guitars also. Some people dig built-in effects. Having everything on the floor has its draw-backs too. You only have one foot (assuming you're using the other one for balance).

 

[FrankensteinsLobster]

Re: Integrated compressor unit? Do they exist or how do I make one?

You’re right, and I was being facetious, but isn’t excessive compression the biggest complaint about old-tech actives? Depending on what the OP is going for, a really hot pickup may get pretty close.

I kind of like the combination of hot pickup and compression tbh. Really 'squishy' kind of distortion.

Also sometimes I like to play fingerstylie on actives, play softly for cleans and then thwack it with my nails for distortion without needing to change effects. Compressors help facilitate that too

 

[DavidRavenMoon]

Re: Integrated compressor unit? Do they exist or how do I make one?

What if you could put a simple chip into a cheap beginner's guitar - for example - that would make it sound twice as good, and not expect said beginner to worry about - or necessarily know they were using - a compressor?

Compressors just even out your dynamics. They make softer things louder, and louder things softer, depending on how you set them.

They are great for bass players. They help make the bass seem louder, without being louder. Just about every recording has compression on the bass, as well as drums and vocals.

That's not the specific application I had in mind. But just.... sssshhhh about telling me to just use a pedal. I'm just experimenting with stuff. Think outside the box so to speak. *I* don't know where I'm going with this. I have a lot of ideas, travel guitars also. Some people dig built-in effects. Having everything on the floor has its draw-backs too. You only have one foot (assuming you're using the other one for balance).

I’ve had effects in guitars before. But here’s why it’s a better idea to use a pedal;

You can have a compressor with no controls, like a Dan Armstrong Orange Squeezer. Some cheap players have compressors on all the time.

But having controls lets you do more interesting things with them. You might just want a little compression, or you might want to really squeeze your clean tones.

That compressor kit I posted would fit in your guitar. But you have to add knobs. Unless you put them inside the guitar.

You can buy a Behringer or Mooer compressor pedal for like $25 bucks. And that way you can use it on more than one guitar. And if you don’t like it you can get a different pedal.


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[Gtrjunior]

Re: Integrated compressor unit? Do they exist or how do I make one?

What if you could put a simple chip into a cheap beginner's guitar - for example - that would make it sound twice as good, and not expect said beginner to worry about - or necessarily know they were using - a compressor? Kind of what got me on to thinking about this was that I was mucking around with cheap pickups and noticed how the compressor gave them a nice 'quack'.

That's not the specific application I had in mind. But just.... sssshhhh about telling me to just use a pedal. I'm just experimenting with stuff. Think outside the box so to speak. *I* don't know where I'm going with this. I have a lot of ideas, travel guitars also. Some people dig built-in effects. Having everything on the floor has its draw-backs too. You only have one foot (assuming you're using the other one for balance).

Now that I think about it...google Jason Hook (5 finger death punch). He has an Explorer in which he installed a full size boss pedal in. If you just removed some circuitry I’m sure you could figure a way to install it.

 

[FrankensteinsLobster]

Re: Integrated compressor unit? Do they exist or how do I make one?

Compressors just even out your dynamics. They make softer things louder, and louder things softer, depending on how you set them.

They are great for bass players. They help make the bass seem louder, without being louder. Just about every recording has compression on the bass, as well as drums and vocals.

Yeah, I'm probably referring more to gain boost than compression, just that the compressor is the better place to get the extra gain, particularly as i use it as the first link in the chain. In combination with a loud guitar, it works great as an overdrive, but with the added benefit of evening out chords, especially on the higher strings for that nice 'wall of sound' kind of deal. But also the kind of 'purist' sound that AC/DC and Manowar use. The kind of thing that would make Rick Rubin wet himself.

The Behringer is the one I'm using atm. I'm noticing that it starts to have issues when the voltage in the batteries starts to drop, and I've read of a few complaints in that same regard. Are compressors the kind of thing that would be sensitive to that for some reason?

 

[Artie]

Re: Integrated compressor unit? Do they exist or how do I make one?

One option might be to strip the components from something like that and move it to a smaller board. Maybe even cut it in half and stack it.

Modern effects pedals, especially a compressor, is likely to be LSI, (large scale integration), SMD chips, on a multilayer circuit board. This just wouldn't be practical, or do-able.

And why is the term 'true bypass' thrown around so much, and erroneously, and why would bypass be something that is difficult to achieve when in theory it should only involve one or two wires running through a switch from one jack to another, and maybe some tinfoil?

Somewhere around here I have both a calculator and a DMM that were $3 each. A decent quality 3PDT switch, (needed for true bypass), is closer to $15. So I could get 5 of the former for 1 of the latter. Electronics, and the cheap Chinese labor to assemble them, is far cheaper than decent mechanics.