studio "rack" compressor + electric guitar?

[nedorama]

Short answer - yes.

Use the search function as this has been covered before many times. No need to start a new topic on it.

[Edoardo]

Thank you very much

[hymenoptera]

I could be wrong, but I believe compressing a guitar is usually called "sustain"?

and as mentioned, you'll be fine. I believe the effects loop is expecting line level which is low impedance, while pedals are high impedance and meant to be inserted BEFORE a high impedance input, such as the ones found on guitar/bass amps.

[Edoardo]

Originally Posted by hymenoptera

I could be wrong, but I believe compressing a guitar is usually called "sustain"?

and as mentioned, you'll be fine. I believe the effects loop is expecting line level which is low impedance, while pedals are high impedance and meant to be inserted BEFORE a high impedance input, such as the ones found on guitar/bass amps.

I want something to decrease/mute the attack level/volume/speed

So you say I'd need to check the impedances... I was more concerned about having to amplify/boost the gain somehow.

[electricity17]

FMR A.R.C. pedal might be the best solution for you, it's built to take an instrument level signal rather than a line level signal like a rack compressor would. It has a similar circuit to the PBC-6A compressor (which is awesome), I haven't used it but the reviews I've read are good and everything I've bought from FMR has been great.
FMR Audio A.R.C. Dynamic FX Pedal

[FireBros.]

The old dbx 163 series had low z (guitar/bass) inputs right on the front panel. I use mine all the time.
Whenever I'm using a single coil, fender style guitar, I like it last in the chain, and I sit it right on top of my amp.
I don't use it as much with higher output guitars.
You can pick them up on eBay , as cheap as many pedals, and as a bonus have a classic comp to use them with your studio gear as well. They have normal line level in/out on the back.

[hymenoptera]

Originally Posted by FireBros.

The old dbx 163 series had low z (guitar/bass) inputs right on the front panel. I use mine all the time.
Whenever I'm using a single coil, fender style guitar, I like it last in the chain, and I sit it right on top of my amp.
I don't use it as much with higher output guitars.
You can pick them up on eBay , as cheap as many pedals, and as a bonus have a classic comp to use them with your studio gear as well. They have normal line level in/out on the back.

I think you might mean high Z? guitar/bass inputs should be high Z... if they are marked "low z" they might be for microphone, or just line level ins even, although line into a mic input the gains should be mostly down or all the way down.

[hymenoptera]

Originally Posted by Edoardo

I want something to decrease/mute the attack level/volume/speed

So you say I'd need to check the impedances... I was more concerned about having to amplify/boost the gain somehow.

essentially there's several different kinds of ins/outs, and impedance is probably the #1 consideration. without going into balanced/unbalanced, consumer -10db vs pro +4db, you basically have

• Microphone - inputs which are typically expecting 600ohm load and a VERY low voltage. These are almost always preamplified with tons of gain available. A guitar into a mic input will sound weak and lacking high frequency definition.
• Guitar/Bass - again low voltage, but MUCH higher impedance, and not exactly compatible with the others due to the impedance difference. Typically preamped and again lots of gain to work with since like a mic you need to boost the tiny voltage to a usable level. Guitars are often in the 50,000 ohm range and should always be plugged into high impedance inputs.
• Line Level - higher voltage, usually more than a volt to make a useful signal, and low impedance. Usually attenuation knob instead of gain, but sometimes both. Typically used as an interconnect between two devices, like a signal processor and a mixer, or mixer and recording interface. A mic or guitar in a line input will give you no usable signal, very quiet. Note that a guitar/bass with a preamp installed inside the guitar (active pickups) can often be plugged directly into a line level input, and in fact, that's one of the great things about an active bass is that you can go right into the mixer's inputs direct.
• Speaker - (relatively speaking) VERY high voltage, VERY low impedence, anywhere from several volts, to several dozen, and often only 8 ohms. NOT compatible with anything but speakers!! Don't ever send the spearker/cab outs from your amp into ANYTHING but a speaker cab!!!

It's a shame there are so many different kinds of ins and outs, and little to no standardization between jack/plug types. It's too easy to blow something up if you don't pay attention to what you're doing.

[Manfrensengensen]

Rack gear needs line level so as long as you have an effects loop on the guitar or bass amp it will work fine. Feeding an instrument level into rack gear that requires line level will not work well.

[string6theory]

Originally Posted by electricity17

FMR A.R.C. pedal might be the best solution for you, it's built to take an instrument level signal rather than a line level signal like a rack compressor would. It has a similar circuit to the PBC-6A compressor (which is awesome), I haven't used it but the reviews I've read are good and everything I've bought from FMR has been great.
FMR Audio A.R.C. Dynamic FX Pedal

That looks interesting, may have to check that out, thanks!

The PBC-6A is a very nice value comp. I've had one for about a year now and like it a lot.

OP, as mentioned, an amp with (switchable) line level serial FX loop would work with line level rack gear.

[FireBros.]

Originally Posted by hymenoptera

I think you might mean high Z? guitar/bass inputs should be high Z... if they are marked "low z" they might be for microphone, or just line level ins even, although line into a mic input the gains should be mostly down or all the way down.

Yes I meant high z. The dbx 163 series have a high z input on the front, designed for guitar or bass input.

[Manfrensengensen]

The 163 hi z on the front has a preamp built in. You can plug a guitar or bass in direct and it outputs line level unbalanced that could be plugged into an amps return or to an interface line in. I have 3 of them.

Running the 163 output into a guitar amp inst input will give you distortion.