compressors...

thomasw88

looking at a smallish (boss sized) or smaller compressor pedal.   not wildly keen on trim pots so initially discounting the xotic sp.

Ideally would have a tone pot, and work equally well with single coils/humbuckers for both clean, crunch and dirty sounds.  I don';t use a massive amount of compression so able to do subtle will be fine.. oh and if it can take 12volt then even better.  I generally leave my compression pedal on all the time and may slightly tweak the amount of compression/tone during a gig if changing a guitar type.

so far current one I can see is the diamond compressor Jnr -  so any users of that would be interested in their opinions.  Or recommendations for alternatives would be appreciated.

MrMusic

I've stuck by Keeley compressors for years, never let me down. Rumours of a mini Keeley comp last year but still not materialised and with that D & M drive now out, i guess that will be there focus for the near future. Heard very good things about the new Wampler mini ego compressor. Maybe have a look at that?

Col_Decker

I've got a Keeley 2 knobber that's doing nowt at the moment if that's of interest. £90 UK delivered.

JezWynd

Tone controls are rare on comps, possibly because a comp shouldn't mess with your tone in the first place, so a tone control insinuates that something needs fixing? There's a mini Dyna Comp coming shortly, with an attack button and metal can CA3080 apparently.

Having worked through a shed load of comps I've found the Keeley Pro to be outstanding, like an Empress on steroids. It's not small though.

The Boss CS-3 has a tone control and it's quite useful to regain some top end that can get lost with heavy compression. I have one of the original Japanese ones, modelled on CS-2 specs, in the classifieds.

thomasw88

JezWynd said:

Tone controls are rare on comps, possibly because a comp shouldn't mess with your tone in the first place, so a tone control insinuates that something needs fixing? There's a mini Dyna Comp coming shortly, with an attack button and metal can CA3080 apparently.

Having worked through a shed load of comps I've found the Keeley Pro to be outstanding, like an Empress on steroids. It's not small though.

The Boss CS-3 has a tone control and it's quite useful to regain some top end that can get lost with heavy compression. I have one of the original Japanese ones, modelled on CS-2 specs, in the classifieds.

have you tried the diamond jnr?

dindude

I've never been heavily into comps but have the diamond jr and it is fantastic. Can be as subtle as you want, dead easy to dial in, and that tone control really works. Look no further I say.

Sassafras

Most subtle natural compressor I've used was the Rothwell Love Squeeze.
You don't lose any frequencies and it works with all types of pickup.
Can't comment on the Diamond although it does seem well thought of.

JezWynd

@thomasw88. No, I haven't, nor the SP or the Accountant as I'm not keen on mini pedals, so I have big holes in any critical appraisal. Fwiw, among my own faves are the Bearfoot EverGreen (but it's overpriced), Boss CS-2 (something about this one, it just sounds lovely), old Dyna Comps (metal can CA3080 is overrated imo, the plastic ver is just as good), Keeley Pro, VFE White Horse. These are all comps with a defined personality - not transparent - the Diamond jnr from what I've read and heard is more of a smoother, sweetner style comp.

It's probably a good idea to decide what you want a comp to do ( level volumes, increase sustain, click & swell etc.) and then select one that focusses on that function. They'll all cover most of those bases to an extent but some are better for one or another style of play. Except the Keeley Pro, that does it all.

Dominic

check out all the reviews on OVNILAB .COM  -that's the comp bible

Beexter

The Suhr Koji is great. No tone control but a 3 way toggle switch which is perfectly tailored. Can take up to 18v too.
I've been through a few comps and have settled on this. Has a Mix control too which I now consider an essential feature. 

Winny_Pooh

The Bearfoot pale green comp sounds beautiful and has a dual pot tone control

Sassafras

Surprised no-one's suggested Origin Effects Cali yet.

Heartfeltdawn

thomasw88 said:

looking at a smallish (boss sized) or smaller compressor pedal.   not wildly keen on trim pots so initially discounting the xotic sp.

Ideally would have a tone pot, and work equally well with single coils/humbuckers for both clean, crunch and dirty sounds.  I don';t use a massive amount of compression so able to do subtle will be fine.. oh and if it can take 12volt then even better.  I generally leave my compression pedal on all the time and may slightly tweak the amount of compression/tone during a gig if changing a guitar type.

so far current one I can see is the diamond compressor Jnr -  so any users of that would be interested in their opinions.  Or recommendations for alternatives would be appreciated.

I wouldn't look at anything else. Get the card out, get the Diamond. It has the best tone control of any compressor I've used, perfect from all the types of playing you mention, and you can run it at 24v if you so wish for a load of headroom. 

I do regret selling mine but needs must at the time. When I've got a new job, I will have one on the board again. 

Grunfeld

Wampler Ego
which now comes in mini version too -- but the full version is only Boss-sized.

My compressor search stopped with the Wampler. 
Because:  I love the "blend" which allows you to mix the compression in from 0-100%.
I love the Tone control.  Because I tend to the 100%, fast attack, long sustain side of things and I like being able to brighten things up.

Not especially cheap but not stupidly expensive either.

Telejester

Diamond cpr1 , just buy one, astonishing.

VJIves

I never really understood compression until I picked up a Xotic SP off someone on here. The first time I plugged it in and started playing was the most revelatory moment I've had on guitar since I first moved from an acoustic to a strat.

fretmeister

I really like the Empress and the Darkglass, but they are quite large.

I'd love to try the Joe Meek FloorQ and the Keeley Pro, and of course the Cali.

JezWynd

This Donner has just arrived on eBay. It has a tone control. Looks identical to the Mooer Blue Comp, which in turn was modelled on the Boss CS-1, an optical comp. The CS-1 could get very compressed sounds with a pronounced bloom effect on the attack. Keep it dialld back and it could work well.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Donner-New-Compressor-Pedal-Ultimate-Comp-Guitar-Effect-Pedal-Best-/361965325214?hash=item5446d08b9e:g:B1wAAOSww5NZAwtt

thomasw88

Grunfeld said:

Wampler Ego
which now comes in mini version too -- but the full version is only Boss-sized.

My compressor search stopped with the Wampler. 
Because:  I love the "blend" which allows you to mix the compression in from 0-100%.
I love the Tone control.  Because I tend to the 100%, fast attack, long sustain side of things and I like being able to brighten things up.

Not especially cheap but not stupidly expensive either.

is the full size one compatible with 18v @Grunfeld?   I know the mini one is but can't find out if the full size one is.  I do like the look of that.

also, people complained about it being too bright? is that your experience?

Grunfeld

thomasw88 said:

...is the full size one compatible with 18v?.. 

also, people complained about it being too bright? is that your experience?

@thomasw88  ; Looks like it can do 18v, "Power draw: between 14mA (9v) and 22mA (18v)"
And I didn't know it could do 18v.  I'm running mine at 9v with no issues but I can easily try 18v.  (18v made a nice improvement on my Belle Epoch.)

No, it's definitely not too bright.  I have it squashing hard and fast and I have the Tone dialled at least 75% of full to add back the brightness which always gets lost at harder settings on every compressor I've owned (it's a long list).  The Tone on the Wampler is not harsh and that's one of the things I really like about it.

All pedals are a sort of bonding between the way one plays and the idiosyncrasies of the pedal.  The Wampler definitely works for me and I knew it the instant I got it and sold all my others. 

monquixote

I've had quite a few comps and my favorites have been the Xotic and the Suhr Koji.

I'd go for the Koji. It only has an EQ switch, but it's perfectly voiced.