Best stomp box compressor?
Joey Goldstein
Hi
I'm thinking of changing some of my gizmos and might be looking for a
new compressor stomp box for guitar.
I already own a Boss CS3 pedal. The new pedal I buy should be A LOT
better sounding than this "industry standard".
I've been using a Boss CL-50, 1/2 rack compressor for several years now
and it does real nice job. So I'm trying to find a stomp box of similar
or better audio quality.
True byapass switching would be nice but may not be necessary. I just
picked up a VHT Valvulator-1 tube buffer amp and it does a GREAT job at
minimizing the loading and capacitance of all those poorly designed
stomp box bypass circuits.
Any suggestions?
--
Joey Goldstein
Guitarist/Jazz Recording Artist/Teacher
Home Page: http://www.joeygoldstein.com
Email: <joegold AT sympatico DOT ca>
AMost2001
<< Hi
I'm thinking of changing some of my gizmos and might be looking for a
new compressor stomp box for guitar.
I already own a Boss CS3 pedal. The new pedal I buy should be A LOT
better sounding than this "industry standard".
I've been using a Boss CL-50, 1/2 rack compressor for several years now
and it does real nice job. So I'm trying to find a stomp box of similar
or better audio quality.
True byapass switching would be nice but may not be necessary. I just
picked up a VHT Valvulator-1 tube buffer amp and it does a GREAT job at
minimizing the loading and capacitance of all those poorly designed
stomp box bypass circuits.
Any suggestions?
>>
Alot of folks like the Carl Martin - sounds pretty nice..is AC powered though.
I like the stinking Dyna Comp as long as the threshold is like not on at all(or
whatever it's called on there)
My tunes at:
http://www.geocities.com/mondoslugness
Pat Smith
Joey Goldstein
Pat Smith wrote:
>
> try the Carl Martin
> http://www.carlmartin.com/
Thanks Pat. That looks promising.
--
Thom_j.
just curious.. tia. thom_j.
"Richard" <hud...@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:MPG.175f02445...@news.bellatlantic.net...
> Joey Goldstein (nos...@nowhere.net) wrote:
> >
> > Hi
> >
> > I'm thinking of changing some of my gizmos and might be looking for a
> > new compressor stomp box for guitar.
> > [....]
> > Any suggestions?
>
> I went through this drill about a year ago: Carl Martin won, no question.
>
> --
> "Osama Bin Laden wants you to have bad tone, so the best way to
> help America is to get an old Fender or Marshall and turn it
> up loud." -- Scott Henderson
>
> The post simply expresses some of my personal opinions.
> ObURL: http://home.earthlink.net/~huddler
>
Michael Porter
news:MPG.175f02445...@news.bellatlantic.net...
> Joey Goldstein (nos...@nowhere.net) wrote:
> > new compressor stomp box for guitar.
>
> I went through this drill about a year ago: Carl Martin won, no question.
>
for ~ $170US at AMS (American Musical Supply, a mail-order
house). It beats the standard price of ~$190US. A local dealer
has one, but he wants over $225US for it; that's a sizable difference.
I guess for a quality stompbox compressor, it's not bad. It's a
shame FMR audio doesn't make one; such a splash they made
with their RNC...
---Michael (of Gambit)...
Jim
Try the Menatone J.A.C. I had the Boss CS-3 and this sounds A LOT
better. It's also true bypass.
> >
> >
Lawren Daltroy
I've owned (and sold) the Carl Martin and the Boss CS-3. I still own
the Bellari LA-120 (velcro to top of amp and use in effects loop), the
Maxon CP-109 stompbox, and the Alesis Nanocompressor. I have a/b'd the
ART Tube Levelar with the Alesis and the Bellari. The ART is
better-sounding than the Nanocompressor but not so versatile. I am
very picky about tone and lack of noise. To my mind, the Maxon and the
Bellari are the best by far. Both have limited controls, but focus on
getting a natural (not squashed) sound that lets pick attack through -
soft knee, RMS. The Maxon is so good that you almost swear that it's
not on until you check out the sustain by switching the unit on and
off. For a stompbox compressor, I would definitely go with the Maxon.
It also gets great reviews on Harmony Central.
Best,
Lawren.
Joey Goldstein
Thanks. I'll look into those, especially the Maxon.
Thom_j.
"Richard" <hud...@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:MPG.175f53f55...@news.bellatlantic.net...
> Thom_j. (thom_...@yahoo.com) wrote:
> > Richard, your're talking about their "Compressor Limiter," correct?
> > just curious.. tia. thom_j.
>
> Yes, it's a two-in-one. You've got a lot of control over it.
Joey Goldstein
Richard wrote:
>
> Thom_j. (thom_...@yahoo.com) wrote:
> > Richard, your're talking about their "Compressor Limiter," correct?
> > just curious.. tia. thom_j.
>
> Yes, it's a two-in-one. You've got a lot of control over it.
How's the bypass circuit on the Carl Martin? True bypass or non? How
'bout the Maxon?
Martin's web site info makes it look like his compressor only works on
AC. Is this true? Will it not work on 9 volt DC batteries or an AC
adaptor. I sent him an email but you're probably faster Richard! <g>
Kate Ebneter
>
> Hi
>
> I'm thinking of changing some of my gizmos and might be looking for a
> new compressor stomp box for guitar.
> I already own a Boss CS3 pedal. The new pedal I buy should be A LOT
> better sounding than this "industry standard".
>
> I've been using a Boss CL-50, 1/2 rack compressor for several years now
> and it does real nice job. So I'm trying to find a stomp box of similar
> or better audio quality.
>
> True byapass switching would be nice but may not be necessary.
<snip>
Based on your requirements, I'd have to say Carl Martin Compressor,
hands down. It's the only stompbox comp I'd recommend given what
you describe. The others are all more or less -effects- as opposed
to proper compressors. They're good for what they do, but it doesn't
sound like that's what you need. The Carl Martin is literally the
only one I know of that is. To get better you have to go rackmount.
Kate Ebneter
Collector of Noise Toys
HarryJ
Have not seen it for years, but perhaps there is a used one floating around
their stuff id top notch and true bypass
Harry Jacobson
www.surf.to/harryj
"Joey Goldstein" <nos...@nowhere.net> wrote in message
news:3CF5113A...@nowhere.net...
AMost2001
<< TC Electronics made a great one ...
Have not seen it for years, but perhaps there is a used one floating around
their stuff id top notch and true bypass
Harry Jacobson
www.surf.to/harryj >>
I dunno about that.....their chorus ain't true bypass.
Jay Wolfe
--
Jay Wolfe,
RC Moonpie
wrote:
>Joey Goldstein (nos...@nowhere.net) wrote:
>
>> Thanks. I'll look into those, especially the Maxon.
>
>Build quality is a little dicey on the Maxons. Nice sound, though.
gig worthy? throw in the back of yer van worthy?
Steve
new compressor stomp box for guitar.
I already own a Boss CS3 pedal. The new pedal I buy should be A LOT
better sounding than this "industry standard".
I've been using a Boss CL-50, 1/2 rack compressor for several years now
and it does real nice job. So I'm trying to find a stomp box of similar
or better audio quality.>>
The Carl Martin sounds very good, but does imprint its own sound on the signal.
You'll love it or you'll hate it.
SEFSTRAT
music webpage: http://members.aol.com/sefstrat/index.html/sefpage.html
Lawren Daltroy
> Richard wrote:
> >
> > Thom_j. (thom_...@yahoo.com) wrote:
> > > Richard, your're talking about their "Compressor Limiter," correct?
> > > just curious.. tia. thom_j.
> >
> > Yes, it's a two-in-one. You've got a lot of control over it.
>
> How's the bypass circuit on the Carl Martin? True bypass or non? How
> 'bout the Maxon?
>
> Martin's web site info makes it look like his compressor only works on
> AC. Is this true? Will it not work on 9 volt DC batteries or an AC
> adaptor. I sent him an email but you're probably faster Richard! <g>
As I recall, the CM is true bypass. It's also fairly large and uses AC
only - no batteries, no walwart. It costs a lot more than the Maxon.
The CM sounded no better to me than my Alesis Nanocompressor (1/3 rack
spack - just velcro onto amp). Although the CM has lots of control, I
honestly could not get the sound I wanted out of it after a couple of
months of fiddling. The attack never sounded quite natural, which is
what I like about the Maxon. The Maxon, which is much cheaper, is set
up for a slow, soft-knee attack. It's almost impossible to get it to
sound like an effect, or really squashed, like the MXR. Perfect for
jazz, but perhaps not for country. You can order the Maxon from
www.americanmusical.com and try it out - 30 day no questions asked
money back return policy.
Regards,
Lawren.
AMost2001
Chorus has this great vibrato/leslieish Landau in a box thing going for it.
It is a POS plastic thing, not true bypass & wouldn't trust it to throw it
anywhere but when it's working it sounds great IMO. Not the slow stereo chorus
thing but just the speeded up gak thing.
RC Moonpie
wrote:
>
>Ehhhh...
look. the offishual code is Era. I'm not gonna continue the
subordinate deconstruction of our offishul newspeak.
>It was sporadic, and took about 4 months to start occuring. I figured it
>was only going to get worse. Great chorus, too, damn it.
>
huh. I guess that translates into about two gigs of serious cowboy
boot stompage and back of the van abuse. not good.
RC Moonpie
where does the DOD Milkbox fit into this equation? anybody besides me
and Kate and Danley mess around with one of these?
Dan Stanley
"RC Moonpie" <rc_mo...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:68icfu89mh2ii8duv...@4ax.com...
>
>
>
> where does the DOD Milkbox fit into this equation? anybody besides me
> and Kate and Danley mess around with one of these?
Me! Oh, wait, I'm Danley. Never mind.
I think it's a great guitar-effect compressor, but I think the original
poster was looking for something a little less "guitar effect" and more like
a real honest to god compressor. Plus, the DOD ain't even close to true
bypass.
However, it is my fave of that ilk. I like it better than the Dynacomp, the
Boss whatever and the whatever whatever.
What the world needs is the RNC compressor in a stompbox!
Dan
Kate Ebneter
>
> HarryJ (harr...@aol.com) wrote:
> > TC Electronics made a great one ...
> >
> > Have not seen it for years, but perhaps there is a used one floating around
> >
> > their stuff id top notch and true bypass
>
I believe you are correct: They're not.
The fella who designed a lot of the classic t.c. electronics stompers now
designs stuff for Carl Martin (which is a company, not a person -- well, it
probably is a person as well, I suppose, but it's not like Mike Fuller).
Must be something in the water in Denmark.
Jeff Liberatore
"Dan Stanley" <vze2...@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:FltJ8.6426$9V....@nwrddc03.gnilink.net...
> a real honest to god compressor. Plus, the DOD ain't even close to true
> bypass.
Never heard one of them things!
> However, it is my fave of that ilk. I like it better than the Dynacomp,
the
> Boss whatever and the whatever whatever.
I used to use a Dynacomp for about 5 years straight in the early to mid
80's... Now I have a reissue Dynacomp... Sounds the same to me, but I'm less
impressed with it than I was back then... Then again, it sounds GREAT on
certain things. It needs a HPF if you ask me... It lops them highs right off
the top. I actually liked the Boss comp the few times I messed with one, but
true bypass is a must for me at gigs... Not necessary for recording though.
You can always futz with your amp when recording...
> What the world needs is the RNC compressor in a stompbox!
I have 3 of those things (in the studio) and I like them on drums and
acoustic guitar, but never liked them on electric... I think they are a bit
too transparent, or would be as a stompbox... Even in the regular mode. They
are almost TOO "sheeny" on the top end for me..
Damn... I just realized that I'm a picky bastard!
Jeff
>
> Dan
>
>
Carlfia
--
"Jeff Liberatore" <jlib...@columbus.rr.com> wrote in message
news:ad70a6$v1o4f$1...@ID-70176.news.dfncis.de...
Robert Keeley's Ross clone is considered one of the best you'll find.
Dan Stanley
"Jeff Liberatore" <jlib...@columbus.rr.com> wrote in message
news:ad70a6$v1o4f$1...@ID-70176.news.dfncis.de...
>
> news:FltJ8.6426$9V....@nwrddc03.gnilink.net...
>
>
> > a real honest to god compressor. Plus, the DOD ain't even close to true
> > bypass.
>
> Never heard one of them things!
>
> > However, it is my fave of that ilk. I like it better than the Dynacomp,
> the
> > Boss whatever and the whatever whatever.
>
> I used to use a Dynacomp for about 5 years straight in the early to mid
> 80's... Now I have a reissue Dynacomp... Sounds the same to me, but I'm
less
> impressed with it than I was back then... Then again, it sounds GREAT on
> certain things. It needs a HPF if you ask me... It lops them highs right
off
> the top.
That's why the DOD is "better." In addition to the usual output, ratio, and
attack controls, it has a fourth that adds highs back. Kate could probably
explain.
> I actually liked the Boss comp the few times I messed with one, but
> true bypass is a must for me at gigs... Not necessary for recording
though.
> You can always futz with your amp when recording...
I don't really give a rats ass about "true bypass." I don't have a chain of
effects a mile long, though.
> > What the world needs is the RNC compressor in a stompbox!
>
> I have 3 of those things (in the studio) and I like them on drums and
> acoustic guitar, but never liked them on electric... I think they are a
bit
> too transparent, or would be as a stompbox... Even in the regular mode.
They
> are almost TOO "sheeny" on the top end for me..
Picky bastard. I know what you mean, although I'm not one of the golden
eared. That's why I consider the Milkbox, et. al., to be "guitar effects"
first and foremost, and not just compressors.
> Damn... I just realized that I'm a picky bastard!
About time.
Carlfia
Rene Oliver
> Carl Martin..............Works very well, and high quality construction.
Excuse me for my ignorance. But what does a compressor really do to
the jazz guitar tone? If one decides to play clean, does it improve
or enhance anything?
rene oliver
Jeff Liberatore
> From: "Dan Stanley" <vze2...@verizon.net>
> Newsgroups: rec.music.makers.guitar
> Date: Fri, 31 May 2002 11:44:58 GMT
> Subject: Re: Best stomp box compressor?
>
>
> "Jeff Liberatore" <jlib...@columbus.rr.com> wrote in message
> news:ad70a6$v1o4f$1...@ID-70176.news.dfncis.de...
>> impressed with it than I was back then... Then again, it sounds GREAT on
>> certain things. It needs a HPF if you ask me... It lops them highs right off
>> the top.
> That's why the DOD is "better." In addition to the usual output, ratio, and
> attack controls, it has a fourth that adds highs back. Kate could probably
> explain.
You're probably right... The only thing with compressors like that, is if
you are a tone purist, the highs probably ARE "added" back in... Key word
being "added"... Could be a source of unwanted and unnatural high end... The
again, it IS an effect...
I used to like compressors for clean sounds, but I personally se no use in
them for rhythm... YMMV and all that,,, Usually, I like the dynamics of a
guitar and amp to be at my disposal... Comps can take that away.
>> I actually liked the Boss comp the few times I messed with one, but
>> true bypass is a must for me at gigs... Not necessary for recording though.
>> You can always futz with your amp when recording...
>
> I don't really give a rats ass about "true bypass." I don't have a chain of
> effects a mile long, though.
I have 4 that I use for gigs... They are all true bypass... Some of the DOD
FX are the absolute worst tone suckers I have ever heard... I won't ever buy
another DOD pedal again, or a NON true bypassed wah like a Cry Baby. It's
NOT worth what it does to the sound whether it sounds great or not.
IfyaknowhatImean.
>> I have 3 of those things (in the studio) and I like them on drums and
>> acoustic guitar, but never liked them on electric... I think they are a bit
>> too transparent, or would be as a stompbox... Even in the regular mode. They
>> are almost TOO "sheeny" on the top end for me..
> Picky bastard. I know what you mean, although I'm not one of the golden
> eared. That's why I consider the Milkbox, et. al., to be "guitar effects"
> first and foremost, and not just compressors.
Dig that bro... With all that being said... I still use a Dynacomp
occasionally, and it's NOT true bypass... The new black ones they are
advertising have a high pass knob on them too, BTW. Still doesn't make me
want one.
>> Damn... I just realized that I'm a picky bastard!
> About time.
Yeah dewd... I ALL about {///tOnE\\\}.
Jeff
RC Moonpie
wrote:
>That's why the DOD is "better." In addition to the usual output, ratio, and
>attack controls, it has a fourth that adds highs back. Kate could probably
>explain.
It is pretty groovy. I have tried out several different stomp box
compressors for guitar, and the Milkbox I liked better than the MXR
Dynacomp. Except the names of the controls are perplexing, you cant
figure out what they do by just looking at them. While I like the cow
motif, you have been warned, what good are compressor controls labeled
Pasteurization?
>I don't really give a rats ass about "true bypass." I don't have a chain of
>effects a mile long, though.
me neither, however, i did notice some real "bypass" suckage with an
old PCB crybaby wah. that was obvious, really very bad. most other
pedals, I dont notice any difference unless I get a chain of pedlas
going on for a mile, and I dont er um welll we dont know that one
anymore.
Steve
>the jazz guitar tone? If one decides to play clean, does it improve
>or enhance anything?
>
>rene oliver
You can use it for a number of things, but the most common are:
1. Evening out peaks and valleys in the sound. That is, keeping the minimum
volume up above a certain level, and 'squashing' the maximum volume down to a
predetermined level.
2. Obtaining long sustain without adding the sound of overdrive or distortion;
"clean sustain".
Joey Goldstein
Most jazz players playing straight ahead styles would not use a
compressor. I started this thread because I might be replacing the rack
mount compressor I use in my general business rig with a stopm box. I
use the same setup usually for pop and jazz depending on the gig.
Compressors can compress the dynamic range (volume) of a guitar so that
light picking and hard picking are at more or less equal volumes and as
a note trails off it remains as close to the initial attack volume as possible.
Kate Ebneter
>
> On Fri, 31 May 2002 11:44:58 GMT, "Dan Stanley" <vze2...@verizon.net>
> wrote:
>
> >That's why the DOD is "better." In addition to the usual output, ratio, and
> >attack controls, it has a fourth that adds highs back. Kate could probably
> >explain.
>
> It is pretty groovy. I have tried out several different stomp box
> compressors for guitar, and the Milkbox I liked better than the MXR
> Dynacomp. Except the names of the controls are perplexing, you cant
> figure out what they do by just looking at them. While I like the cow
> motif, you have been warned, what good are compressor controls labeled
> Pasteurization?
The new ones have sensible names on the controls, actually. Apparently
DOD realized that the stupid names were actually costing them sales.
> >I don't really give a rats ass about "true bypass." I don't have a chain of
> >effects a mile long, though.
>
> me neither, however, i did notice some real "bypass" suckage with an
> old PCB crybaby wah. that was obvious, really very bad. most other
> pedals, I dont notice any difference unless I get a chain of pedlas
> going on for a mile, and I dont er um welll we dont know that one
> anymore.
Wahs are positively infamous tone suckers. DOD's FET switches aren't quite
as good as the ones Boss and Ibanez use, somehow, though, and they tend
to load down the signal a bit. But the Milkbox is, IMHO, the best inexpensive
stompbox comp available. It's still my go-to box, and I own a buncha comps.
Steve Modica
"smooth" Steve Vai distortion for a guitar solo I had to record. At the
time I was playing a les paul and a marshall 30 watt artist head.
Anyhow, I can recall the smart ass engineer saying "if you want to sound
smooth, play smooth" :)
So it's maybe 10 or 15 years later and I'm at a birthday party and this
guy pulls out his strat and some little fender amp and he connects it
through three pedals. compressor->distortion->compressor-> amp
And guess what?! There was the sound. The trick was the two
compressors (I think). I'm not sure how it was all dialed in, I didn't
go over and write down the settings.
I don't play that sort of music anymore, so I'm not going to go drop
$180 on a couple compressors and a distortion pedal, but if anyone is
looking for that sound, that's the rig I saw being used to get it.
Steve
icarusi
> Most jazz players playing straight ahead styles would not use a
> compressor.
I think that's why they often choose dark muted tones, which limit the
initial pick transient, and have a compressing effect in that way.
Maybe if there was a simpler 'plug and play' compressor, which was
pre-tuned to the dynamics of a typical 'dark tone' jazz guitarist,
they might be able to roll off less highs from their guitar and amp
and still get a very similar sound?
Icarusi
--
remove the 00 to reply
Lawren Daltroy
I play straight ahead jazz and like to use a compressor, but I use one
(either the Maxon CP101 footpedal or the Bellari LA120 1/3 rack, tube)
that makes minimal change in tone and allows pick attack through. Most
important, I use a very low compression ratio (about 2:1) set so that
it's always operating (instead of just on peaks). What this does, esp
on an archtop, is to even out the playing a bit and help the notes
sustain a bit longer, and helps the guitar cut through a mix of other
instruments better. I use compression the way a sound engineer would
use it, not as an effect that you actually would notice. I do this
partly because I played finger-style steel-string acoustic for 20
years before switching to electric and jazz with a pick. I never
developed the light, even touch with the pick that people seem to have
when they grow up playing electric.
Lawren.
Adam Gottschalk
Your comments are very interesting to me. I grew up playing fingerstyle
acoustic, and I do feel I have trouble with the "light, even touch with
the pick" part of things, especially strumming/comping.
I like compression. Lately I've been quite enjoying the compression from
my tube preamp and tube power amp. I had been adding an ART Tube Levelar
in the loop for a while, but I realized the preamp/amp tubes were
already more than enough. (I'll use the ART when I get an SS combo
again.)
What I like most of all from compression is "punchiness". The sound just
seems to jump out from the speaker cabinet more. I generally like there
to be enough so that it _does_ "mute" the attack somewhat (reminds me of
Bill Frisell), and definitely so there's "extra" sustain (though I've
been using a pretty sustainy neck-through axe).
Obviously, I don't go for that classic jazz tone. In fact, I think the
compression effects my ears enjoy are the single most important
difference between what sounds "old" to me and what sounds hip and new
and fresh (to be overly simplistic). I don't want my electric guitar to
sound like an acoustic (I have an acoustic for that), and I defintely
don't really "appreciate" (fully) the limited sustain of some of the
"classic" sounds.