compressor pedal

[feyshay]

I need a compressor pedal. I know this is not necessarily the best thing for my Fender Super Reverb, taking away the dynamics, but I want one anyway. I decided to try out the Line 6 Constrictor and bought it to mess around with, knowing I can return it in 30 days.
What I'm wondering is would it be worth getting something twice the price like the Carl Martin Compressor/Limiter, which gives more control over the variables.
Also note that I plan on getting a good compressor/equalizer (probably the Toft EC-1/ or ATC-2 or Joe Meek's One or Two Q) in the future.
Would it be worth ordering the Carl Martin from a company in order to try out. Will it make a big difference. Of note, I play a Les Paul Standard.
Thanks for any and all suggestions.

[pan60]

i have tried a few, and used a older MXR dyna comp for some time.
when i plugged into the Carl Martin Compressor i bought it.
i like the control, and it dose not have that drastic sag or pump some have.
it dose squeeze a lot, i do wish the compression was not so drastic up front, when you first turn the comp knob you get a lot of compression, but it is the sweetest compressor i have seen in a stomp box.
it has become a mainstay for me.
i play a G&L ASAT Classic and mostly older fender amps, ( so you have a reference ).
i have become a fan of Carl Martin products as a result, and picked up a few more of their box's, before my Carl Martin Compressor i had not found a stomp box i was will to use regularly.

[sonic dogg]

The Carl Martin is the best. I love the 'busy' light...

[JMURRAY16]

The Carl Martin Compressor is a good unit, but there are better units out there now.
Firstly, the Keeley Compressor - terrific.
Next the Analogman Compressor - Analog Mike always makes great stuff.
I even like the Menatone unit a bit better on guitar.
Any other questions please let me know.

[feyshay]

Anybody try the Line 6? I know it just came out recently.
Don't the pickups on the Les Paul run pretty hot? I always have to keep my volume knobs down to about 4 when I use pedals. Should that be a factor in the decision as to which compressor pedal I go with?
I was on the Keeley and analogman pages before and was intrigued, especially by the Comprosser. A couple hundred is a lot for a compressor pedal, no?

[Amplove]

Menatone makes a compressor pedal for guitar that's based on an 1176! That's pretty bitchen. Black Dog anyone?

j.

[neve1073]

I sometimes use a boss compressor pedal with 65 super reverb. The mxr dynacomp is very good too of course.

For a certain squishy sound you need a compressor. But I have mixed feelings about compressor pedals. If I have one in my rack I will use it (on a gig) constantly with subtle settings, but for the music I play I'm pretty sure it sounds better w/o. I know that doesn't make sense which is why I usually don't put a compressor in my pedalboard anymore. It all depends what sound you are going for.

I haven't tried the many other compressor pedals.

[TAVD]

Here's a few more to check out:
Barber tone press
Demeter compulator
Aphex punch factory
Janglebox
EH Blackfinger or Whitefinger

And my fav, the HBE compressor.

[retropete]

I love my Keeley Compressor. When I got it, I was mostly playing a strat through a Pro Reverb. I never dug compressors on guitar before, but what I found was that I could play lead with less distortion, get more tone and just as much sustain. Sweet!

[cdog]

Tube amps compress enough for me....

I'm down to "just the basics:"



PEDALBOARD 1
Z Vex Super Duper
Stephenson Stage Hog
Teese RMC1 Wah
EH Wiggler
EH Tube Zipper
EH Electric Mistress
Boss OC2

PEDALBOARD 2


Digitech Wammy
SE Phaser
SE Filter
SE Chaos
EH Stereo Polychorus
Foxrox Paradox TZF
Line 6 Echo Park

[DonPedro]

The T-Rex CompNova is unbelievably good at compressing without destroying your sound and killing your dynamics. Keeley is great as well. These 2 rule the comp pedal market in my opinion, transparent and well constructed. My CompNova will never leave my signal path.

Check it out here

[audioez]

Originally Posted by retropete

I love my Keeley Compressor.

don't own one but the Keeley kicks arse!!!

The Maxxon Compressor should get mention as well

[feyshay]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I will keep them in mind. It looks like Keeley, Menatone and Carl Martin are all good picks.
I was messing around with this Line 6 Constrictor. I have more of an acoustic background and am pretty new to electric. I've understood compression when it comes to mixing and mastering, but am having a difficult time appreciate the use for the electric guitar.
My impression (and maybe this is just a limitation of this Line 6 pedal) is that the sound is flattened and louder. The Line 6 seems to color the sound depending on which setting you have it (Mellow, Squeeze, or Compact). I'm sure it is in the same ballpark as the Boss CS-3 and MXR dynacomp (having now tried them). Maybe even a little better for tonal variation.
I don't understand the value of compression, considering I seem to be getting a pretty rich tone with my LP and Super Reverb. It seems to diminish rather than add to the sound. (It does seem to cover up my mistakes, though.)

[guitarbth]

When I think compression on guitar, I think of the Edge... particularly the strat, delay, and compressor set up..."Where The Streets Have No Name." I dont like compression in pedals uless it's a strat. But that's just me. For that I use an MXR Supercomp. It sounds good. The Keely and others mentioned may be a tad better, but I'd rather compress recorded signal with outboard unless, again, if its a strat type guitar. The MXR Supercomp is almost exactly like the Dynacomp except it has an attack control. Its like $70 I think... For outboard compression on electrics I'm liking the RNC. I like it better than my 160VU on that particular task.


Brandon

[s00p3rm4n]

A wonderful compressor at an affordable price - Guyatone ST2.

[doorknocker]

Originally Posted by feyshay

I don't understand the value of compression, considering I seem to be getting a pretty rich tone with my LP and Super Reverb. It seems to diminish rather than add to the sound. (It does seem to cover up my mistakes, though.)

So why do you 'need' one?

[pan60]

Originally Posted by doorknocker

So why do you 'need' one?

[neve1073]

Originally Posted by feyshay

Thanks for all the suggestions. I will keep them in mind. It looks like Keeley, Menatone and Carl Martin are all good picks.
I was messing around with this Line 6 Constrictor. I have more of an acoustic background and am pretty new to electric. I've understood compression when it comes to mixing and mastering, but am having a difficult time appreciate the use for the electric guitar.
My impression (and maybe this is just a limitation of this Line 6 pedal) is that the sound is flattened and louder. The Line 6 seems to color the sound depending on which setting you have it (Mellow, Squeeze, or Compact). I'm sure it is in the same ballpark as the Boss CS-3 and MXR dynacomp (having now tried them). Maybe even a little better for tonal variation.
I don't understand the value of compression, considering I seem to be getting a pretty rich tone with my LP and Super Reverb. It seems to diminish rather than add to the sound. (It does seem to cover up my mistakes, though.)

Stomp box compressors for guitar usually do more harm than good imo regardless of brand. Skip it unless you know the sound you want and unless the compressor is part of that sound.

[Faderjockey]

I like the Barber Electronics Tone Press the best..I use it live and in my studio.
Dave made that thing with a blend knob..It allows you to add the attack back in and it just takes the note and holds on to it. Unlike the Boss style that clamp the first note way to hard.

The Tone Press will sound natural..It sounds uncompressed except it holds the note where you want it. Also works great on bass. I know guys use it on Bass live. I even used it once on bass durning a mix and it was very cool.

I told Dave long ago about the Blend knob being something I wanted in a 2ch rack unit for DAW work...Be nice back before we had ADC in DAW's to have a blend knob for mixing the Dry/Wet compression.

Go check it out while your checking the others out.. http://www.barberelectronics.com/

[retropete]

"I'm sure it is in the same ballpark as the Boss CS-3 and MXR dynacomp (having now tried them)."

"I don't understand the value of compression, considering I seem to be getting a pretty rich tone with my LP and Super Reverb."

-- feyshey

I had a Boss compressor, and I agreed at the time with the above statements. But the Keeley is an audiophile compressor and brings out incredible detail in your tone and playing. My jaw dropped when I tried it, it is that spectacular. But I was using it with a strat, and I just loved what it did for my sustain. A Les Paul is a different story. But I can imagine for blues, it would let you milk every nuance. Plus you would be able to get that sustain with little or no distortion. Mucho tone, senor!

P

[feyshay]

Chicken pickin'. Exactly. I've experimented further with the Line 6 compressor and understand the potential utility and limitation of a compressor. I don't need a compressor. I want one to increase options for tone and sustain.
I've ordered the Carl Martin to check out the difference and may consider adding the Guyatone or Keeley to the audition.
Thanks for all the good feedback.
Let me now go spend more money on something meaningless.

[PhilE]

MXR,
ROSS, (NOT Boss!!)
or Electro Harmonix do an interesting looking valve one.

Stay analogue in your guitar path wherever posible... especially if using a valve amp.

[rodhmos]

I love the Carl Martin compressor. And not only on guitar!

[Meriphew]

I have both a Keeley compressor and a Boss CS-2 compressor on my pedalboard. I use the Boss when I need a bit more 'color', and the Keeley when I need more transparent compression. I hardly use either. I've thought about selling them, but I've learned from the past to never sell my toys.

[pan60]

Originally Posted by Meriphew

but I've learned from the past to never sell my toys.

never, never, never, never!

[Ruudman]

Originally Posted by JMURRAY16

The Carl Martin Compressor is a good unit, but there are better units out there now.

Better is not the word. We all have different taste.

I did a shoot on comps a while ago. Included were pedals like
CM compressor, Analog Man Bi-comprossor and Juicer, Pedalworx McSqueeze
and more.

I found Carl Martin to be the most versatile, but the Juicer had some mojo.
The Bi-comprossor was a bit of a let down.

I went with Carl Martin, and I don't regret it.

ruudman

[pan60]

Originally Posted by Ruudman

Better is not the word. We all have different taste.
I found Carl Martin to be the most versatile
I went with Carl Martin, and I don't regret it.
ruudman

i have seen no other as versatile.

[feyshay]

can't wait for the Carl Martin compressor to try out. I gotta say this electric guitar stuff is a lot more gadgety than the acoustic guitar stuff I'm used to. A lot of fun actually.
Now, how 'bout an equalizer pedal. The MXR M108 looks to be better than the Boss 7 band.

[Spudro]

My first post here, but I have my own opinion concerning compressors and why I use one. I'll be 55 yrs old in a few days, not that my age matters, but I came up before amps had master volumes for the purpose of scoring distorted "loud" tones while not having somebody call the police.

My main amps were almost always Fenders. That was because they were everywhere and compared to these days, you could pick them up for a song. Marshall was out there and they were the thing. You could play without sounding distort-o raunchy yet still have this tone that was alive and mighty. When you went from playing rhythm chords to single string leads, that energy and level stayed with you. I believe that Marshall had a natural compression as a result of their design. Fender did not have that natural compression. When you went from playing 4 or more string chords to single string lead work, you lost a lot of volume with a Fender amp compared to how it would have been with a Marshall of the day.

Compression pedals kind of make up for that artifact. Now, with a good compressor, you can set a good tone on a Fender and not completely fall out of the mix when you go out on a limb doing lead work. With a compressor, you can play rhythm, fills and solos without having to stomp on a distort-o box. It sounds like you are a better player because you don't have to lean on a boost box every time you play lead.

Not knocking boost or distortion boxes. They can be fantastic tools, just as long as they are tools and not crutches.

[Jay Fitz]

FMR Audio, known and loved for their RNC, RNP, RNLA and the newer PBC-6A will be releasing a new dynamics processor disguised as a gtr pedal. We at Mercenary Audio have not tried it yet, but are expecting one to arrive in the next week or so. But, here is the prelim info that I received from Mark at FMR:

We're calling this pedal the "ARC" because of what it allows a player to do: balance the Articulation, Resonance and Clarity (ARC) of their instrument. It's simply amazing for monitor mixes on stage whether you're playing a guitar (acoustic or electric), mando or fiddle (that's called a "violin" up where you live)...or just "getting the sound right" from your amp. Even though it is a dynamic processor, it's more than just a mere compressor:

* 20dB,1MOhm input impedance preamp
* Balanced XLR output for FOH or recording
* Hard-wired bypass either by BYPASS or power loss
* Single DRIVE control manipulates multiple dynamic
parameters for ease of use
* Output attenuator on AMPLIFIER jack to allow easy
interfacing and volume balancing BYPASSED signal
with EFFECTED signal
* Bright blue LED shows amount of processing
* Cold-rolled, custom-built steel cabinet
* Custom-designed and built solid-aluminum knobs
* 30V internal supply for studio-like performance
* dbx 2181 VCAs
* Daisy-chained power jack for ease of connection into
pedalboards
* Accepts wide range of power supplies: AC or DC from 9 to 12V
* Polarity independent power supply connection

As soon as we receive an ARC we will be sure to post our own experiences here on the Slutz as well as on our site.