Compressor pedal for acoustic for live playing?

[drive-south]

I have an Exotic SP on my small electric guitar board. I also have a Wampler Ego on my bigger board, which is also for electric. My acoustic board has no compressor but if I had to choose it would be the full size Ego. It is very clean, even on high settings. It also has a blend knob, tone knob, attack, etc. I'm actually thinking about ditching the SP and get another full size Ego. They just have a very smooth sound.

I also own a pair of Art TubePAC units. These are microphone preamp/compressors in 1/2 rack units. They will accept XLR or 1/4" inputs. I've used these as a preamp/DI with great success and the built in compression is very transparent.

https://thumbs.worthpoint.com/zoom/i...3e0d523cfd.jpg

[nostatic]

Originally Posted by drive-south

I have an Exotic SP on my small electric guitar board. I also have a Wampler Ego on my bigger board, which is also for electric. My acoustic board has no compressor but if I had to choose it would be the full size Ego. It is very clean, even on high settings. It also has a blend knob, tone knob, attach, etc. I'm actually thinking about ditching the SP and get another full size Ego. They just have a very smooth sound.

If you don't constantly tweak the tone and attack knobs on the Ego, you should be able to get away with the Mini Ego - same size as the SP, same sound as the full-size Ego. I've had all three at various points, currently have the full size as I was trying to work with a couple different instruments but could have gone Mini.

[rockabilly69]

I use a MXR Bass/Studio Comp (they are the same pedal with different enclosures), and it works fine for taming quick transient peaks, which is what I use it for. But as others have said before, you really have to be careful about not squashing the signal too much as the resultant tone will get pretty artificial sounding pretty fast! The trick is a high threshold, a fast attack, and a medium release. I like it that way because for my use it tames the aggressive peaks but leaves the basic signal uncolored. When they were first introduced they were called the BASS compressor, they just changed the name to studio compressor because they work equally for most things. The model number is M76 as they are alluding to the fact that it works/sounds like an Universal Audio 1176 (which I have in my studio). In my opinion, it only hints at that sound, but I do think it works very well for what I use it for.

Here's mine, and as you can see, like an 1176 (other than the all in button) it has controls for threshold (input), compression ratio, attack, release, and makeup gain (output), and it has metering that shows gain reduction. I set it so that the meters are barely lit until I hit my guitar too hard.





https://www.jimdunlop.com/mxr-studio-compressor/

[JWJ915]

I’ve tried too many than I care to admit. I’ll give you the “best of the best.”

Cali 76, Becos Pro, Empress MKii, Strymon Compadre.

[varmonter]

I used the mooer yellow comp for quite sometime..I had heard john leventhal in concert and he had one on his pedalboard.
In the interest of scaling down i bought
A helix stomp..this had many comp options and im thrilled with the results. Sold most of
My pedals including the mooer. But it was one
Of my favorites..

[Mayaman72]

Thanks for the suggestion. I went with the Yellow Mooer! My ears liked it immediately!

[CASD57]

Originally Posted by Mayaman72

Thanks for the suggestion. I went with the Yellow Mooer! My ears liked it immediately!

Looks like they are on sale at MF-GC $59

[varmonter]

I went to see Rosanne Cash in concert year ago.her hubby John Leventhal was with her.
Both playing acoustics. I honestly paid more attention to leventhal for most of the night.
His tone was spot on and his playing was mesmerizing.. at the time he was using the moore yellow comp..I bought one and liked it alot..

[rschultz]

I'm surprised no one mentioned the Boss CP-1X. How does it compare? I have had it, although I am not a compressor expert. I've also had the Empress v1 and wondered about getting the v2. Both of those have meters which I find so key. The Ego gets a lot of love, though no meters.

I play fingerstyle and strum in a band setting, considering a compressor to even out the volume a bit and a multi-band could also help even out the tone some too. I have a helix, but I really struggle with it's compressors without a meter to help me set it. If I got a compressor, would I put it before the helix or as an insert? Any suggestions?

[jricc]

Originally Posted by varmonter

I went to see Rosanne Cash in concert year ago.her hubby John Leventhal was with her.
Both playing acoustics. I honestly paid more attention to leventhal for most of the night.
His tone was spot on and his playing was mesmerizing.. at the time he was using the moore yellow comp..I bought one and liked it alot..

I dig the Mooer Yellow comp as well. Leventhal is pretty amazing too.

[Medford Guitar]

When I use my Acoustic Fly Rig, I set some minimal compression just to even out things a bit for hard strumming or finger picking. I don't want to squish the signal too hard. I basically just accompany singers and I'm the only instrument.
I really like the Boost option for solos.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by Mayaman72

…Also should the compressor be first in my pedal chain or does it matter?

Hi Mayaman
I set compression at a 3:1 ratio, soft knee and quick release. And I use makeup gain to bring the output volume back to where it should be to be solid in the PA/amp.

It's there for when I transition from strumming to fingerstyle (which I mix throughout songs when I play). It allows me to have a solid sounding fingerstyle sound without plucking/picking too hard (to be heard).

I call it the PA tech frustrater - since they think when people switch from fingerstyle to strumming it's going to get too loud. This levels the volumes and sounds great in a band mix.

[denmalley]

Love my Wampler Ego. I like having multiple parameters in a compressor pedal, and this one checks that box.

[shufflebeat]

Originally Posted by shufflebeat

The last time I toyed with the idea of putting a compressor on my acoustic I was very keen to try the TC SpectraComp. I never got round to it but I'm sure the itch will return:

SpectraComp on Thomann

Looks like:

Incredibly flexible
Multiband
Once programmed simple interface when using in anger
Small

I also ended up with the Mooer Yellow Comp and love the subtle but distinct massage it gives the attack.

If I wanted transparent I have plenty of options built into the desk, the Comp does something else.