Pedalboards and stomp boxes

32Ford · #1 12-23-2011, 12:46 PM

I'm not sure if I consider myself a gear head but I am very particular about my tone. To this day I'm still chasing tone I don't think I'll ever find. So I've decided that I am going to make an effort to really work on my pedal board (Pedaltrain) and work with the stomp boxes I have (BOSS SD-1 OD, BOSS CE-1 Chorus, BOSS Flanger, Danelectro Dan Echo, Danelectro Cool Cat Chorus, Crybaby Wah, Digitech Hardwire Tuner, Digitech Hardwire Valve Distortion and Seymour Duncan boost). My amp is a Peavey Classic 50/212, which I posted in another thread about and will not look to move to a modeling amp.

I've been thinking about adding some kind of Compressor. That said, I had a Marshall compressor for a while but never really understood it and sold it. From what I know, a compressor can give more sustain and works with the output volume???

I guess my question is, how much can a compressor add to overall tone and sustain if you know how to use it?

RockerDuck · #2 12-23-2011, 01:49 PM

Can be really good. Set it low on the attack, then set the level at unity. People like me leave it on all the time. You have to use your ears to adjust it. Just don't add to much compression unless you are a country picker.

terrapin · #3 12-23-2011, 03:15 PM

Personally I don't like compressor pedals. I find them "finicky", hard to dial in and NOISY! I have tried some of the best and still have a nice Ross clone, but it is off the board.

I MUCH prefer to get that extra sustain and attack from well voiced Boost pedals. I have a Keeley Katana and a ZVEX SHO on my board and that has ended my search for compression.

Try using your SD Boost and your guitar tone knobs. BTW, sounds like a fun rig!

pitner · #4 12-23-2011, 03:18 PM

I have tried many compressors and settled on the HBE CPR. You can find em used for $125 or so and new for $160 I think. I also have a Janglebox JB2 which is wayyyyyyy over the top but is very cool if you like the byrds or some of the really heavy compressed stuff. The JB2 was $269 or in that area but worth it for my style. I have heard good things about Keeley and a few other handmades.

32Ford · #5 12-23-2011, 04:25 PM

So maybe I didn't understand everything, but what is the best way to explain what a compressor does and where can it really be heard to know what it's supposed to sound like?

terrapin · #6 12-23-2011, 05:55 PM

A compressor pedal basically "squeezes" the dynamic range of tha audio signal making the loudest notes quieter and the quietest notes louder giving the acoustic perception of increased overall loudness and sustain. It creates a signal that has the ability to cut thru the mix making it useful for lead work...

It's basically the "squeeze" thing I do not like FOR ME. ALOT of players use compression very effectively.

crowhue · #7 12-24-2011, 06:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 32Ford

I'm not sure if I consider myself a gear head but I am very particular about my tone. To this day I'm still chasing tone I don't think I'll ever find. So I've decided that I am going to make an effort to really work on my pedal board (Pedaltrain) and work with the stomp boxes I have (BOSS SD-1 OD, BOSS CE-1 Chorus, BOSS Flanger, Danelectro Dan Echo, Danelectro Cool Cat Chorus, Crybaby Wah, Digitech Hardwire Tuner, Digitech Hardwire Valve Distortion and Seymour Duncan boost). My amp is a Peavey Classic 50/212, which I posted in another thread about and will not look to move to a modeling amp.

I've been thinking about adding some kind of Compressor. That said, I had a Marshall compressor for a while but never really understood it and sold it. From what I know, a compressor can give more sustain and works with the output volume???

I guess my question is, how much can a compressor add to overall tone and sustain if you know how to use it?

It can definitely add to the sustain but shouldnt really colour the tone too much. At least a good one wouldnt anyway.

briggleman · #8 12-24-2011, 08:37 AM

I went through a few compressors before I discovered how they would work for me. What is surprising is what I settled with. My first compressor experience was the Pigtronix Philosophers Tone. Great little box, but mine had issues and I went through 3 of them before it was resolved. I used it for awhile to help with my strumming and finger picking levels to keep things even and for added boost when needed. I played with it awhile, then decided it actually compressed too much and squashed my attack a little too quickly no matter how I adjusted the controls. I next tried the Seymour Duncan Double back, and it worked on the same principle of the Pigtronix in the sense it would add some of your original signal back into the output but gave a little more control in what you actually compressed in terms of mids and treble. Again, found the same issue as before, when it sounded good, it also really cut my attack and squashed the sound too much. Both those pedals claim to be able to control that issue, but I never found the settings that worked for me.

At a yard sale, I picked up an old Line 6 compressor pedal called the constrictor from the tonecore series. You can still find these on Ebay and they are less than $50 bucks in most cases. I picked mine up for much less. What is does seems to work for my playing style. It has a three setting switch which controls the delay and attack, and three knobs which control the built in Noise Gate, level and sustain. I mostly play with the switch set on Mellow, sustain at 1:00 and the level gets adjusted during the performance depending on the song. This one works for me, it does not seem to hurt my attack of the strings, lets the dynamics come through,.. which sounds counter-intuitive to what a compressor is supposed to do. It is what I thought the SD or Pigtronix would do but I could never found the right settings. Those may work for you, but this is my experience, and as they say, your mileage may vary. EXPERIMENT, it is fun.