Optical Compressor Pedals and Blah ,Blah,Blah,Blah..

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KevSKevS Frets: 468
edited May 2021 in FX
I got myself a cheapo experiment..A Caline Pressure Tank Optical Compressor..
I have found out the Boss CS1 was an optical compressor..
What other Vintage Compression Pedals were.. ?
What type of Compressor was the Original Electro Harmonix Black Finger.. ?
I have read the Ross and the Ibanez CP 9 are Basically tweaked Dynacomps,,what about the Boss CS 2..

So I hooked up a Telecaster,the Pressure Tank Compressor,a barely detectable overdrive from the Mooer Blues Crab and a Boss BF 2 Flanger..
I was playing around,I've came to the Conclusion you have to use an Electro Harmonic Electric Mistress 
to get the sound on the Cure 17 Seconds album,as this is what he used..
You need a MXR 117 to get John McGeoch Banshees sounds..
I have a 117 R and it just does this Banshees thing..

Anyway I digressed there..,I was playing about with the Flanger and came across a chorus type of setting and 
thought,,F*ck me that sounds really like James Honeyman Scott,,like very like it..
I turned up the compression and tone control a touch and played what Pretenders things I could remember..
Now I know James Honeyman Scott used a EHX Clone theory,,
but he used a Boss CS 1 which was an optical compressor,,which had a treble switch..
The Caline is a Knock off of the Diamond Optical Compressor..
I would have killed to get that Honeyman Scott sound when younger..
I had a Boss CS3 Compressor and a not long out Boss CE 5 Chorus back then,I couldn't get that sound....
The Optical Compressor seems to be part of that sound..

By the way the CE 2 and BF 2 I can get good Marr sounds from..
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Comments

  • benmurray85benmurray85 Frets: 1395
    I love everything about this crazy thread
    How very rock and roll
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  • KevSKevS Frets: 468
    I've just been reading an article,it seems there could be several Flangers on A Forest by The Cure..
    https://www.soundonsound.com/techniques/classic-tracks-the-cure-a-forest?print=yes
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  • JezWyndJezWynd Frets: 6021
    Love the Boss CS-1, it can squeeze your sound til it screams for mercy and the treble switch is really useful (esp for bass). I have three of them, don’t know why as they all sound exactly the same. The DOD 280 is another optical.Both can give a sag feel with the sustain turned up - a glorious mash up of touch, feel and tone. For maximum compression effect, check out the Solid Gold Fx Horizon (also optical), capable of exaggerated dip and swell effects - very entertaining.
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  • KevSKevS Frets: 468
    JezWynd said:
    Love the Boss CS-1, it can squeeze your sound til it screams for mercy and the treble switch is really useful (esp for bass). I have three of them, don’t know why as they all sound exactly the same. The DOD 280 is another optical.Both can give a sag feel with the sustain turned up - a glorious mash up of touch, feel and tone. For maximum compression effect, check out the Solid Gold Fx Horizon (also optical), capable of exaggerated dip and swell effects - very entertaining.
    There is a smoothness to the optical compressor that you don't seem to get with the Dynacomp or CS3..
    I also have an old Locobox Cmpressor with an Attack knob,but from reading it is probably a tweaked Dynacomp..
    I like these compressors..Although I find the CS3 a bit too sterile these days.. The Optical Compessor is a new flavour to me..
    Definitely a missing one..I am really liking it..I know a lot of people mention liking the Boss CS2 over the CS3..
    Apparently Boss couldn't get the VCA part anymore..Is this a chip I take it..??

    Ah!! I have found this...Was the Original Black Finger Compressor that looked just like a triangle Big Muff Optical though..
    There is a new Valve Black Finger...

    http://www.ovnilab.com/articles/comptypes.shtml

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  • SupportactSupportact Frets: 895
    Love the Cure! I remember finding my first flanger pedal in a second hand shop in the 90s (an Aria branded pedal) . I didn't really know what it did until I plugged it in. And there it was! Probably not exactly what was on the record but close enough for me at the time.
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  • KevSKevS Frets: 468
    Love the Cure! I remember finding my first flanger pedal in a second hand shop in the 90s (an Aria branded pedal) . I didn't really know what it did until I plugged it in. And there it was! Probably not exactly what was on the record but close enough for me at the time.
    First Flanger I got was a Tokai one,again second hand..
    I could get a big jet whoosh from it,but never really understood it back then ..
    For me the Flanger was the hardest pedal to figure out..
    Phasers are more obvious..
    I was like,,what the hell is Manual..
    Then I found out it was a short delay control..
    That didn't really help me very much..lol
    That bit of short delay seems to make it very different from a Phaser..

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  • SupportactSupportact Frets: 895
    Yeah, I admit I spent a fair while with the flanger just making aeroplane noises...
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  • SassafrasSassafras Frets: 30273
    I like that little Guinea pig in your avatar.
    I've never used a flanger.
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  • JezWyndJezWynd Frets: 6021
    KevS said:
    JezWynd said:
    Love the Boss CS-1, it can squeeze your sound til it screams for mercy and the treble switch is really useful (esp for bass). I have three of them, don’t know why as they all sound exactly the same. The DOD 280 is another optical.Both can give a sag feel with the sustain turned up - a glorious mash up of touch, feel and tone. For maximum compression effect, check out the Solid Gold Fx Horizon (also optical), capable of exaggerated dip and swell effects - very entertaining.
    There is a smoothness to the optical compressor that you don't seem to get with the Dynacomp or CS3..
    I also have an old Locobox Cmpressor with an Attack knob,but from reading it is probably a tweaked Dynacomp..
    I like these compressors..Although I find the CS3 a bit too sterile these days.. The Optical Compessor is a new flavour to me..
    Definitely a missing one..I am really liking it..I know a lot of people mention liking the Boss CS2 over the CS3..
    Apparently Boss couldn't get the VCA part anymore..Is this a chip I take it..??


    Ah!! I have found this...Was the Original Black Finger Compressor that looked just like a triangle Big Muff Optical though..
    There is a new Valve Black Finger...

    http://www.ovnilab.com/articles/comptypes.shtml

    That may be the dbx compression chip. Early Japanese CS-3 have the same chip, later ones have a THAT chip I believe. It’s one of the few examples IMO of an early Japanese pedal being better than the later ones - it’s quieter (less hiss) and sounds sweeter;  like the CS-2 but is capable of the CS-3s more exaggerated compression effect. Very underrated compressor the CS-3, esp the mij ones. Keep it under your hat though; everyone will want one.
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  • KevSKevS Frets: 468
    Sassafras said:
    I like that little Guinea pig in your avatar.
    I've never used a flanger.
    It's a European Black bellied Hamster..They actually live in the Wild in Europe..
    They are Big for a Hamster..Much Bigger than the Syrian Hamster people keep as pets..
    Although Syrian hamsters are cool too..

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  • SupportactSupportact Frets: 895
    Clicked on this thread for the Optical Compressor content. Now following for the hamster stuff.
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  • KevSKevS Frets: 468
    Clicked on this thread for the Optical Compressor content. Now following for the hamster stuff.
    Hamsters are Awesome,pity they only live around 2 years..I even had a Band called Gorehamster..
    Hence the Hamster Avatar..
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  • KevSKevS Frets: 468
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  • SassafrasSassafras Frets: 30273
    We need more hamster and Guinea pig threads.
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  • KevSKevS Frets: 468
    What about Marmots..   
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  • KevSKevS Frets: 468
    Then of course Capybara's..Very big Guinea Pigs Basicaly,that are friendly..


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  • SassafrasSassafras Frets: 30273
    Gotta love a big rodent.
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  • ZoolooterZoolooter Frets: 886
    Sassafras said:
    Gotta love a big rodent.
    Definitely more than I do compressors.
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  • SassafrasSassafras Frets: 30273
    KevS said:
    What about Marmots..   

    I prefer them to meerkats.
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  • ZoolooterZoolooter Frets: 886
    Honey badgers for me, mad as a box of frogs.

    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=N7YDBOdZds4
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