your favorite compressor pedal

[waltdogg]

so i've got a musicman sub4 stringray bass with an active preamp that's so hot it pretty much blows up my pf-500 unless i use the pad and run it clean. this sucks, i want to be able to crank the portaflex's preamp gain coz it sounds pretty good. it's been suggested i get a compressor pedal (the pf-500 has a built in compressor but it sucks ass). any suggestions? i suppose i could also figure out how to rewire the bass passive.

[frodog]

The Accountant. I dunno how it is with active bass, but has been great those times I've tried it with a Jazz. It's not a super clean comp tho, as ye know.

[K2000]

Rothwell Love Squeeze is pretty neutral and remains quiet, even when cranked all the way.

I'm sure you know about the reviews at http://ovnilab.com?

[kbit]

Haven't used it, but the Boss LM-2 is supposed to be great with bass, & it will do compression and limiting (which might be more of what yr lookng for).

[popvulture]

I have a mostly hate relationship with comp pedals. Studio compressors are wonderful, but good ones cost pretty much $1500 and up, so it's kind of ridiculous to expect a $100 pedal version to sound great.

That said, it's fun to go super low-tech and extreme sometimes, in which case something like an Orange Squeezer can be fucking awesome.

As far as usable pedal compressors that come close to the function of a real studio comp, I think the Cali76s are pretty impressive. Even still, I have the Compact Deluxe and still kind of hate it. Can't you maybe get a more aggressive in-line pad?

Zero help

[ALLisNOISE]

FMR Audio A.R.C.

I just got this about 2 weeks ago, and I'm digging it quite a bit.

I use it with a passive P with tapewound strings, and some guitars that are tuned to C.

It's nice and "transparent" , in that it adds a little extra oomph and sustain that I was looking for, without being too squishy about things.

I used to use an EBS Multi-Comp, and that did a pretty good job, but I dig the A.R.C. way more.
Before that, I had a Pigtronix Philosopher's Tone, and that thing was just too squished at any setting; congested. It sounded like my guitars had a head cold.

If your looking at just cutting volume without changing your over all dynamics though, why not look into a volume pedal with a knob to set the minimum volume?
That way, you can roll it back to, say 5 or so, and there's your clean tone, then rock it up to 10 when you want to brick wall fuzz your amp.

[Mosfed]

I have gone on a major compressor binge in the last few years.

A few I have or have tried in my setup -

- FEA Opti-fet, FEA DE-Cl, FEA DB-CL
- Cali Compact Bass and Cali 76-TX
- MarkBass Compressore
- Analogman Juicer and bo-comp
- Darkglass Super Symmetry
- Sfx Micro-Comp

My favorites are the Cali Compact bass for gigging along with the FEA Opti-fet. I love the TX for recording but it's big.

I have a MarkBass compressore for cheap in the classifieds which I love but it's a little bit of a pain to power.

[GardenoftheDead]

I actually like the MXR Bass Comp a lot.

[digi2t]

Engineer's Thumb. I haven't tried a ton of them mind you, but this one is my fav to date. Very smooth and not "breathy" like some compressors. Super quiet too. Don't see it getting dethroned from my pedalboard any time soon.

[popvulture]

I love the TX for recording but it's big.

Yeah the TX is rad. I had one of those too and it's definitely the best pedal comp I've ever heard, but I sold it due to its ginormity. The Compact Deluxe gets like 90% there though, so I felt like it was a pretty happy trade.

Forgot to mention the Effectrode comp is cool too. Has a tube in it, and I believe is based on the LA-2A. A little softer than the 76, but pretty.

[waltdogg]

holy shit the cali is expensive. might as well buy a real 1176. but if you guys are suggesting pedal sized versions of studio comps maybe i should check put the mxr bass comp. i always suggest it to people based on it being a cheap, pedal sized, 1176 clone. i also might wanna use the compressor i get for guitar as well.

[Inconuucl]

holy shit the cali is expensive. might as well buy a real 1176. but if you guys are suggesting pedal sized versions of studio comps maybe i should check put the mxr bass comp. i always suggest it to people based on it being a cheap, pedal sized, 1176 clone. i also might wanna use the compressor i get for guitar as well.

The mxr bass and guitar compressors are the same circuit,btw.

[waltdogg]

mxr makes a bunch of compressors. i'm talking about the m87 bass compressor, and then there's the studio compressor model which is the same. then there's the dyna comp which is totally different.

[mysteryroach]

As far as usable pedal compressors that come close to the function of a real studio comp, I think the Cali76s are pretty impressive. Even still, I have the Compact Deluxe and still kind of hate it. Can't you maybe get a more aggressive in-line pad?

What's your opinion on the Roger Mayer RM58 and the API TranZformer?

[polyslax]

Any thoughts on EQD's The Warden or the Empress compressor?