BBE Orange Squash anyone?

[schenkadere]

I'm leery not having an attack control, but like what I've heard. Anyone using one? Is it more subtle or a squish type? I've only heard limited clips.

 

[zombiwoof]

It's supposed to be an Orange Squeezer clone. I don't have an original Orange Squeezer but I have the Orange Squash (actually I have the early version called the "Main Squeeze", they had to change the name because of trademark problems), and it is awewsome. No problems with attack like I had with an MXR DynaComp, and it's usable through the whole range of control. Great pedal.

Al

 

[Agreed]

I've got one hooked up to my recording rig right now, tell me what amp you'll be using with it and what kind of demo you want and I'll record one for you.

I agree that its attack, though not adjustable, is well-tuned for guitar or bass and doesn't cause inordinate "pop" like a Dyna-comp does. Before I got the Barber Tone Press, I thought this had no compression artifacts at all, but since using the excellent Tone Press with its parallel compression that really has NO pop at all, I do notice a small, subtle dip when playing hard with higher levels of compression. It is so slight in the Orange Squash that I never noticed it before, especially compared to the Dyna-Comp. And compared to the original Orange Squeezer, you'll find the Compression knob incredibly handy for choosing just how much squash you want - it can be as subtle and warm as an opto-comp, or at higher settings you can get some real squashing going on. It's up to you. I actually tried the BBE Opto-Stomp which uses the same vactrol opto-isolator as the Diamond Comp (but different circuitry otherwise, don't take this as a slap against the Diamond Compressor), and the Opto-Stomp lost in every way. The Orange Squash is just as transparent and keeps your whole frequency range just as well, but its compression just plain sounds better, and the Opto-Stomp had an unpleasant pop-in at higher settings.

Fun fact - your Orange Squash might still say "Main Squeeze" on the PCB Mine does. Digitech owns that name and sell a Main Squeeze compressor.

 

[gatordoc]

How is the noise level with the Orange Squash? Always liked the Orange Squeezer but not the noise.

 

[Agreed]

Well, it raises the noise-floor insofar as any compressor raises the noise floor, but it does not introduce substantial self-noise (like the stock CS-3).

 

[schenkadere]

I really like my DOD FX84 Milk Box (USA made 1st version), but I've been interested in this pedal for a while. I like the BBE stuff. More grass is always greener syndrome.

The FX84 is quite versatile...does subtle and squash...and Hi Expansion control is a nice extra...brings back the highs if you want...relatively "quiet" too, LOL.

I may just go for it...you can find them pretty cheap now.

 

[schenkadere]

I've got my eye on one on ebay.

Any other thoughts?

 

[zombiwoof]

I really like my DOD FX84 Milk Box (USA made 1st version), but I've been interested in this pedal for a while. I like the BBE stuff. More grass is always greener syndrome.

The FX84 is quite versatile...does subtle and squash...and Hi Expansion control is a nice extra...brings back the highs if you want...relatively "quiet" too, LOL.

I may just go for it...you can find them pretty cheap now.

I've got that same Milk Box as well as the Orange Squash/Main Squeeze, they are both great pedals. The Milk Box is really an under-appreciated pedal, it's a little more versatile than the OS, might be better for someone wanting to get chicken' picken kinds of sounds, but the OS is a great simple compressor that gets the job done. Has anyone compared the Orange Squash to an original Orange Squeezer? Wondering if it really sounds the same. I always wanted an Orange Squeezer in a floor box (the original was a plug-into-guitar thing), but most of the clones were so expensive, when I saw the BBE I just had to get it.

Al

 

[schenkadere]

I've got that same Milk Box as well as the Orange Squash/Main Squeeze, they are both great pedals. The Milk Box is really an under-appreciated pedal, it's a little more versatile than the OS, might be better for someone wanting to get chicken' picken kinds of sounds, but the OS is a great simple compressor that gets the job done. Has anyone compared the Orange Squash to an original Orange Squeezer? Wondering if it really sounds the same. I always wanted an Orange Squeezer in a floor box (the original was a plug-into-guitar thing), but most of the clones were so expensive, when I saw the BBE I just had to get it.

Al

Do you find one more hissy than the other?

I really can't justify the BBE having the Milk Box...guess I was trying to convince myself, buy can't really see the need. Is there anything that the BBE excels at above and beyond the DOD?

 

[smoss469]

The time to buy was when MF was blowing out the old BBE stuff. I bought 2 for like $65 shipped. I really like it. I don't use it a whole lot, and it was my first compressor. It adds that special something to a nice clean signal.

 

[schenkadere]

The time to buy was when MF was blowing out the old BBE stuff. I bought 2 for like $65 shipped. I really like it. I don't use it a whole lot, and it was my first compressor. It adds that special something to a nice clean signal.

Yeah...missed that one. They've been discontinued by BBE...wonder why?

Not even worth the eBay prices since I like what I have and my FX84 is probably more versatile anyway.

I've decided against it unless I run across a steal. No more GAS for me.

 

[smoss469]

Yeah...missed that one. They've been discontinued by BBE...wonder why?

Not even worth the eBay prices since I like what I have and my FX84 is probably more versatile anyway.

I've decided against it unless I run across a steal. No more GAS for me.

Someone mentioned it above. They had to quit making them because it was a shared name w/the Digitech compressor. So they had to move them quickly. They sold a few other BBE's at a cheap price. I'm really kicking myself for missing their Treble Booster for the same price. They had a period of a full week or so where every day there was a $90 or more pedal for $29.99.

 

[Agreed]

Yeah, as much as I like the Orange Squash, the Freq Boost has seen a lot more use since I got it. I was really missing a treble booster in my setup and I knew it, but filling that gap has done a number of very pleasant things to my tonal possibilities. Treble boosters, simple and old-school though they may be, do things to other distortions (be they pedals or amps) that overdrives and full-range boosts just don't. Sometimes it's more, sometimes it's less, but it's always something pretty unique that you won't get with a pedal besides a treble booster up front.

 

[schenkadere]

Someone mentioned it above. They had to quit making them because it was a shared name w/the Digitech compressor. So they had to move them quickly. They sold a few other BBE's at a cheap price. I'm really kicking myself for missing their Treble Booster for the same price. They had a period of a full week or so where every day there was a $90 or more pedal for $29.99.

No..they changed the name from the Main Squeeze to Orange Squash because of the Digitech thing...but that was years ago. They were discontinued for another reason...maybe they just didn't sell.

 

[Agreed]

I think it was to make room for the new pedals with the prettier graphics. They're a quality manufacturer and it would be a shame for these cool units to just disappear.

 

[schenkadere]

I think it was to make room for the new pedals with the prettier graphics. They're a quality manufacturer and it would be a shame for these cool units to just disappear.

I heard complaints on another board about BBE's quality control and I agree. I had a pedal with a bent input and rough pots. I've had one's with sloppy paint jobs and other aesthetic issues. Made in China! Lower the price or up the quality.

 

[Agreed]

Actually, I was saying that they already make quality stuff. Sorry for the misunderstanding, but also sorry to hear that your experience doesn't match mine - it sucks to pay good money for a pedal with problems. I have a number of BBE products and have never had any trouble out of any of them. However there are going to be some bum units from every manufacturer, so it's unsurprising to hear about the odd QC miss - if it's a broader thing, I haven't heard about it, though. My two BBE pedals seem very sturdy, inside and out, for what it's worth.

 

[schenkadere]

Actually, I was saying that they already make quality stuff. Sorry for the misunderstanding, but also sorry to hear that your experience doesn't match mine - it sucks to pay good money for a pedal with problems. I have a number of BBE products and have never had any trouble out of any of them. However there are going to be some bum units from every manufacturer, so it's unsurprising to hear about the odd QC miss - if it's a broader thing, I haven't heard about it, though. My two BBE pedals seem very sturdy, inside and out, for what it's worth.

Check out some of the issues of quality on their wah.

 

[zombiwoof]

The blowout on the BBE pedals wasn't because they discontinued them, they just changed the graphics on some pedals, and the older style pedals were being sold on sale.

Al

 

[schenkadere]

The blowout on the BBE pedals wasn't because they discontinued them, they just changed the graphics on some pedals, and the older style pedals were being sold on sale.

Al

No...the BBE site lists it as a discontinued product.