Rock Players - Do you have a Compressor on your board?

[scmavl]

I've had one in the past (MXR DynaComp) but it was noisy and I just never found myself using it. With distortion, its hum was horrid, and clean, I just couldn't get a balanced sound from it.

So if you use one, what do you use? Also, how do you set it and when do you use it?

I play rock (from Beatles to Radiohead) but not really any country type music.

 

[Seektone]

I leave my Wampler Ego Squasher (original) on pretty much all the time, in various settings depending on the situation.

I think it adds sheen and helps even out the sound, sometimes adding note definition was well. It can also shape my Bad Cat's overdrive really well.

I use it heavily on Tom Petty tunes (runnin down a dream) as well as Radiohead (The Bends).

 

[Pat Healy]

I used them for years, but stopped recently. My fave was the Barber Tone Press. It's one of the more transparent compressors out there, but even so, I found that it just squashed things too much. When I turned it down to the point that the dynamics came through the way I liked, I might as well have had it bypassed. So no more comps for me.

 

[Lt_Core]

I used them for years, but stopped recently. My fave was the Barber Tone Press. It's one of the more transparent compressors out there, but even so, I found that it just squashed things too much. When I turned it down to the point that the dynamics came through the way I liked, I might as well have had it bypassed. So no more comps for me.

Same story for me. No compressor anymore.

 

[bandofthieves™]

Analogman Bicomp here.. Short of a DBX or Valley People I don't know how I made it this long without it. Thanks Mike:AOK

 

[dosmun]

No need for one here.

 

[Jet Bycraft]

I use an HBE Compressor Retro with both controls set to two o'clock. It stays on all of the time.

 

[clothwiring]

Technically no, but I use an RC Booster which offers up some compression so sorta yes.

 

[scmavl]

I did try an Aphex Punch Factory the other day and it was more versatile, but like another poster said, when I got it where I liked it, it was almost bypassed. It did have a drive control for a little grit though...

 

[tinkercity]

I used a Analogman CompRossor in the MXR box for years. I was a huge Phish and Trey phan...chased that tone for many years. Took it out about 3 years ago and haven't looked back. It just put a huge squishy blanket over my tone. I've since moved further away from the Trey tone and couldn't be happier. A compressor would never work in my setup.

I have heard useful applications from the likes of Nels Cline using one when he has a rented bummer of an amp that needs help with the dynamics...other than that my 15-20watt amps don't need any help in the compression department!

 

[charmboy]

I've never used one regularly... I've got alot of always on stuff with the fuzz at the beginning of my chain and the SHO at the end as a buffer. Always kicking a treble booster on or off as well so the idea of having something else as an always on just seems like too much overhead to me.

I suspect I might like what they could do to my tone, but since I'm very happy with my currrent tone, I'm claiming ignorance is bliss... I'm playing lots of different stuff but mostly going for classic rock tones.

 

[ruach1]

nope

 

[steadygarcia]

I never use one anymore either. I used to own a CS-2 and a DynaComp. Still own the Keeley compressor, but it hasn't been on my board in ages.

 

[mcerreta]

I used to have a tone press, I liked it but it saw almost no use on my board so I sold it, now I am compressor-less

 

[zaraflux]

I use a modded CS-3 to balance volume between a strat and a les paul going into a plexi

 

[BMF Effects]

Never underestimate the uses for a good compressor. When you find the one that works for you the light bulb comes on.

 

[Foster]

Yup...CS-3 here.

Tones down an overly loud G string on my Mexi strat.

 

[Jon Silberman]

Finally, someone (Foster) includes the most relevant info. of all: what guitar he's using it with and why.

When I play my Tele and hang on the bridge PUP, a little compression is a beautiful thing. Same when I play into my Mutron model on my M13 and need to squash the top just enough to avoid triggering high end harshness. Or when I play slide at a low volume jam session. Etc.

If you say you never need it and your typical playing is a LP into a cranked 50W Marshall and you don't tell me those things, the info. is pretty much useless.

 

[MoPho]

Tone Press works best for me on my rock board. Always on...I loves the sustain. I use a bi-comp on my other board which is primarily used for cleaner tones and is tapped when only playing clean. I play single coil strats into the clean channels of my amps.

 

[BMF Effects]

Finally, someone (Foster) includes the most relevant info. of all: what guitar he's using it with and why.

You're right, relevant information should have been included.

Guitar - Nocaster with a Fred Stuart Lap Wrap bridge pickup and a Peter Florance Longneck neck pickup.
Amp - Carr Rambler.
Compressor - BMF Effects Little Red Compressor and a big box Analogman Comprossor.
Why? - I use the compression sparingly to just even things out...clean passages through a chorus or delay or pseudo chicken pickin'. I didn't get the whole compressor thing until I played a script Dynacomp. Now I do get it and I know where to use a compressor to get the tone I want.