Compressor for bass - definitely not for me

Rocker

I tried out my Marshall Compressor on my bass earlier today.  And I did not like what it did to the sound.  It works very nicely with both of my Teles, but the additional gain and noise simply sounded wrong to me.  It took away the note quality, this quality was the reason I bought a Fender Precision.

The number of FX pedals that I like is getting very small........

Funkfingers

Would that be the Marshall ED-1 Edward The Compressor pedal?

If the gain reduction is tracking the strongest signal (usually, the E string), it will be doing horrid things to the signal from the other three strings. 

If, as I suspect, you play bass through an Ampeg amplifier, it is probably wisest to let the valves do the compressing for you.

ThorpyFX

I’d suggest that it’s just that compressor rather than compressors per se

Rocker

Thanks guys.  @Funkfingers, my amp is a Markbass Minimark 802 and the compressor is the ED-1 as you suggest.

Funkfingers

I like the tc electronic Spectracomp but Mr. Thorpe could probably suggest something better.

octatonic

Yes, try a better compressor.

prowla

I recently bought a Boss CP-1X - it's rather good.

JezWynd

I find some compressors thin out the bottom end, esp if you use high compression. The Maxon RTC 600 is very good, it actually enhances the low end, possibly due to its valve gain circuit. Keeley Compressor Pro is excellent too.

ICBM

Try a limiter rather than a compressor - eg the Boss LMB-3. It affects the dynamics you normally use less, while still preventing excessive transients that can overload the amp or speakers.

The Marshall is designed as an 'effect' compressor for guitar - like (but not the same as) the MXR Dyna Comp - so I wouldn't expect it to work well on bass. I've never tried it.

Rocker

I see where you are coming from @ICBM @prowla @JezWynd, I like what the Marshall does to my Tele sounds. I will check out better units when next in Dublin, possibilities still exist....

sgosden

I can't get on with compressors on guitar, but find them usefull on bass. More to smooth out my sloppy playing when my wussy guitar hands are getting tired of big strings.

MXR bass compressor is my favourite.

Octafish

I'd suggest you're only going to really appreciate a compressor on bass when playing with a band or when used in recording.