Compressor Pedals??

[wurs]

When do you use your Compressor Pedals? Only for clean? and Which is the best compressor? According to Pro Guitar shop they seem to fee that the Rothwell Love Squeeze Compressor is the best one.

I just don't know when I would use a compressor but I know John Mayer uses one and I love his tone in most of his clean songs.

 

[whaiyun]

He uses the Keeley Compressor. Most of his tone is from his Two Rock and/or Dumble and his low output pickups.

 

[NyteOwl]

I have mine on all the time. As for which compressor is best, that's a totally subjective debate. I have two Monte Allums-modded Boss CS-3s (one with the Opto mod, the other with the Opto+), an MXR DynaComp and a Pigtronix Philosopher's Tone. I like them all real well but favor the Opto+ CS-3. YMMV...

 

[tinkercity]

Been very interested in the Wampler Ego Comp - it's got a clean blend as well as a great EQ. I've been digging using the Tube Comp model in the M9 but can't wait to have the dynamic presence a real comp will bring.

 

[DSnellen79]

I have a keeley two knob comp that I love and it stays on all the time. I don't like alot of compression so I set the sustain/compression at about 9 o'clock or 9:30 with the level/volume at 11 o'clock. the keeley is very transparent and doesn't suck tone. I used to have a boss cs3. It was ok but is effected my tone a little. I sold the cs3 and got the keeley. I have heard the rothwell is supossed to be good but I dont know. I've heard sound clips of the Pigtronix Philosopher's Tone and it sounded pretty good. I'll stick with keeley.

 

[clc12rock]

I have a Keeley Comp4. It sounds pretty good, but it's noisy. Some people say theirs isn't noisy, but mine is, there's no way around it. I usually just use mine for clean tones, but I actually JUST used it more as a clean boost and liked the tones I was getting. Keeping the sustain fairly low (around 10 oclock) and cranking the level and then running it into an HBOD sounded pretty killer. I know Trey uses this method sometimes, but he might run the comp after the dirt, I can't remember.

But I remember watching a PGS video where Andy said his favorite comp was the Retro Sonic clone of a Ross Comp. But maybe he likes the Rothwell better now???

The next comp I wanna try is the Diamond, which they also have on PGS. The demos of it sound pretty awesome.

 

[whaiyun]

If it's noisy. Turn up the clipping/sensitivity. I think that would help. High Sustain also adds to the noise of any compressor as well.

I have a Keeley Comp4. It sounds pretty good, but it's noisy. Some people say theirs isn't noisy, but mine is, there's no way around it. I usually just use mine for clean tones, but I actually JUST used it more as a clean boost and liked the tones I was getting. Keeping the sustain fairly low (around 10 oclock) and cranking the level and then running it into an HBOD sounded pretty killer. I know Trey uses this method sometimes, but he might run the comp after the dirt, I can't remember.

But I remember watching a PGS video where Andy said his favorite comp was the Retro Sonic clone of a Ross Comp. But maybe he likes the Rothwell better now???

The next comp I wanna try is the Diamond, which they also have on PGS. The demos of it sound pretty awesome.

 

[Hugo Da Rosa]

When do you use your Compressor Pedals? Only for clean? and Which is the best compressor? According to Pro Guitar shop they seem to fee that the Rothwell Love Squeeze Compressor is the best one.

I just don't know when I would use a compressor but I know John Mayer uses one and I love his tone in most of his clean songs.

There's no rule of thumb to when you should use a compressor - it's all about when you would like to use a compressor. Many use it for cleans, others use it to smooth out some of their harsher drives, some use it for solo boosts, and many (like myself) use it for everything. Compressors will ultimately alter your tone and dynamics so when it's applicable is when you feel like it's applicable.

As for which is the best compressor is determined by application. Some compressors are designed to be heavily compressed for chicken pickers and others are designed to subtly sit under your mix for those who want compression to smooth out their overall tone. That being said, there really is no "best" compressor. There are good ones for this use and bad for that use, and vice-versa. Unfortunately, you can only really determine that through trial and error and no one can really tell you what to think. But as a starting point, here are some comps I can think of in both those categories:

Heavier/punchier compression: Keeley, Barber Tone Press, Ross style comps, Wampler Ego(?)

Subtle compression: Diamond, Visual Sound Route 66, Mirage...can't think of any more right now for some reason.

 

[sub rosa]

On most of the time and run AFTER drive pedals. Opinion seems to be an opto unit is better for this use. I don't use a hard setting.

 

[Dickie Fredericks]

I leave mine on all the time.

 

[sanhozay]

One of the most complex & musical devices is a compressor, I think there's enough variety between brands to warrant owning a few. I presently have the '76 Dyna Comp RI and recently acquired a Diamond, both very different sounding but both quite musical. I still consider myself a compressor neophyte but these two are just awesome comps. The Diamond really slides under the notes and nudges them out front, sounds great sustaining modulations & delay without squashing the snot out of the tone. I still prefer the mxr for straight up clean finger picking and squash, but it often has too strong of a personality for other stuff.

 

[orogeny]

i fell in love with the barber . . . and the girl who bought it for me. . .

i use it in a very subtle way and almost always on clean tones. . . . very sometimes on dirt. . .

i still say you don't need it for john's clean tones though. . . . a cheapo strat and a blues junior with the right setup and attack WILL get you there. .

oh. . . i love the barber for the mix knob. .. he was the man for putting that on a compressor before the rest. . ..

 

[Sturgeon83]

I use my Analogman regular ole two knob Comprossor always and for everything. It's definitely become my can't do without pedal. That said, I could probably do without it for clean tone. It really rounds out and warms up my overdriven tone and lets leads sing.

 

[Lucidology]

I leave mine on all the time.

Me too ....

 

[slacker]

I bought a Keeley a month ago and use it first in the chain, controls around 9 o clock. I use it for clean sounds with a Rickenbacker. It's taken me a while to get used to it. The trick for me is to run it first in the chain and to back off the sustain.

 

[Wagster]

When do you use your Compressor Pedals? Only for clean? and Which is the best compressor? According to Pro Guitar shop they seem to fee that the Rothwell Love Squeeze Compressor is the best one.

I just don't know when I would use a compressor but I know John Mayer uses one and I love his tone in most of his clean songs.

I did not like the Rothwell. It darkened the tone too much for my taste. For the life of me I don't get the Pro Guitar review. My Keeley and Barber both sounded better. My friend who owned the Rothwell also agreed.

 

[cholula69]

I use an Analogman Bi-Comp and it is great. As others pointed out, some compressors work with some amps better than others and this is precisely why I find the Bi-Comp so great. The Ross side seems to go better with my Marshall-style amps while to Orange Squeeze works with the Fender amps.

Highly recommend the Bi-Comp.

 

[blackba]

I use a Barber Tone Press. I generally only use it when playing clean at lower volumes at home. When playing live, I can crank my amp a bit more and get natural sustain from the tube amp.

My only quibbles with the Barber Tone Press is the noise and roll off of low end (I like to use a comp with my bass rig). I recently got a Diamond BCP-1 (bass version of the Diamond comp) and its amazingly quiet, very low noise. Sounds good on guitar too, although I prefer the Tone Press.

I used to have a Guyatone ST-2. Great compressor for the money. I am borrowing my old one back and going to do a head to head. The ST-2 so far seems to have lower noise than the tone press.

 

[Anna_Laurel]

I've been trying out a Keeley 2 knob. Pretty nice for cleans and also useful behind overdrives. I'm impressed. It reminds me a lot of the old grey Ross I used to have, but not as noisy.

 

[analogmike]

I just don't know when I would use a compressor but I know John Mayer uses one and I love his tone in most of his clean songs.

Did anyone see the recent FUSE program, John Mayer live at Beacon theater? You could see the pedals in his rack and it sure looked like there was a red sunface logo on his small grey comp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqRmrmD6w6s