Pedals/Effects compressor on a budget?

snarf

making guitars wish they were still trees
Looking for a cheap compressor pedal just to see if I can better understand what it does. Correction, I know the concept of what a compressor does, I've just never been able to put my finger on it when I hear it. I know that country music uses it a lot, and there is something about that sound that I've never been able to say "yep, that's xxx" so I'm guessing that may be what I'm hearing.

Neeways, so I'm looking for a cheap compressor pedal to play around with for a few weeks. I'm currently debating between grabbing the Behringer or the Caline. I've had good experience with both brands when I'm looking at the budget category. Anybody had any experience with either of these? Or any other compressor on the cheap for that matter? I imagine, if I finally figure it out and feel like I need it, I'll get the Wampler Ego Compressor because I've never heard anyone say a single bad thing about that one.

Thoughts? What's a good, cheap compressor pedal that I can play around with and not really be out any cash if I end up never using it after this initial foray into the territory of compression?
 

mountain man

Still got the Blues!
I have a compressor but I can't say I use it much. I do use some subtle OD and a Klon clone when I play and there is compression built into those pedals. I probably have used my clean boost pedal (mainly for the strat) far more than the compressor and I definitely use my Klon clone all the time. I mentioned I have a compressor pedal, it's the Philosopher's Tone micro by Pigtronics. My recommendation on getting a compressor pedal? Get a good one as you will most likely never get another one. Wampler makes great pedals and if you really want to know what those pedals do? Get the Wampler. I've got 2 Wampler pedals and they are truly great pedals. Once you get a Wampler you won't need to replace it and spend your money twice. :Beer:

I should probably say that if you were not already talking about upgrading your pedal to the Wampler I might not have had the recommendation to just get the Wampler. There are lots of pedals in the $50 range that will give you a basic compressor effect that might very well work quite adequately. But it won't be a Wampler or work like a Wampler.
 
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snarf

making guitars wish they were still trees
snarf do you not have a multi fx unit? maybe im thinking of someone else lol
You're right. I've got a Mustang Floor tucked in the closet at the moment that probably has a compressor in it. I'll pull that out and that should probably do the trick. Truth to tell, it probably has a country sounding preset or two in it that I can use, and just start pulling stuff off of to see if the compressor is indeed that that sound that I hear in that genre but can't ever identify.

You, mi amigo, are a genius. I think you just told me how to answer all my current compressor questions in one easy step without having to buy any new gear. :Beer:
 

mountain man

Still got the Blues!
You're right. I've got a Mustang Floor tucked in the closet at the moment that probably has a compressor in it. I'll pull that out and that should probably do the trick. Truth to tell, it probably has a country sounding preset or two in it that I can use, and just start pulling stuff off of to see if the compressor is indeed that that sound that I hear in that genre but can't ever identify.

You, mi amigo, are a genius. I think you just told me how to answer all my current compressor questions in one easy step without having to buy any new gear. :Beer:
That's the best thing you can do to figure out if you basically like (or can use) a compressor! Great!! If you like it? Then buy the Wampler! I've got a multi-pedal workstation that has 100 different effects programmed, different amps, and also artists like Eddie Van Halen, Carlos Santana, Angus Young, etc. It's a big ole kluge and takes up so much space that I don't even have it out.........
 
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MarkDyson

Blues Hound Wannabe
That's the best thing you can do to figure out if you basically like (or can use) a compressor! Great!! If you like it? Then buy the Wampler! I've got a multi-pedal workstation that has 100 different effects and programmed, different amps, and also artists like Eddie Van Halen, Carlos Santana, Angus Young, etc. It's a big ole kluge that takes up so much space that I don't even have it out.........

Yep. I got a BOSS ME-80 for about the same reason: audition what effects do as I learn how all this stuff works. It's just that it's a floor space hog and my little home studio is, well, little. :Beer:
 

Rancid Rumpboogie

Blues Mangler
Compressors are a strange brew. I don't think any two of them sound the same or even actually do the same thing. The main thing I wanted out of a compressor is increased sustain. I went through at least six, and none of them cheap, to find one that actually did what I wanted it to do. The most expensive of them, my Rivera Sustain Shaman, is nothing but a noise generator, if you dial it in for great sustain mostly what you get is uncontrollable feedback. My MXR Dyna Comp yields great sustain but it audibly "pumps" or "breathes" and you hear it kicking in and out. Three others did nothing but add punch, and that's all the one built into my Mustang III does.

The one that really tripped my trigger is the Pigtronix Philosophers Tone Germanium Gold. Not the mini version but the full-sized version. They aren't made any more but you can find good used ones if you look. When I saw that they were being discontinued I bought a 2nd one just to be certain I will always have one. The germanium gold was a limited-edition. It has a grit knob so it can be used as an OD as well, and the germanium vs the regular has a much more pleasant OD. I run mine on 18V. It says 12-18V but it will run just fine on 9V as well.

Lots of luck in your search, but if you penny-pinch, be prepared to be disappointed, and do not play with just one and think you know what compressors are all about because you will hate one and love another.
 
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Norfolk Bill

norfolk uk, just knoodling along
You're right. I've got a Mustang Floor tucked in the closet at the moment that probably has a compressor in it. I'll pull that out and that should probably do the trick. Truth to tell, it probably has a country sounding preset or two in it that I can use, and just start pulling stuff off of to see if the compressor is indeed that that sound that I hear in that genre but can't ever identify.

You, mi amigo, are a genius. I think you just told me how to answer all my current compressor questions in one easy step without having to buy any new gear. :Beer:

Thats my whole purpose in life on here Snarf lol,,,yes seriously try it, compression is generally one of the things multi fx do pretty well,,,certainly give you a clue ;),,,without opening the wallet
 

straightblues

Blues Junior
I only use a compressor when I am playing funk or real complex chords. They kill dynamics and make everything sound even. Good for some things, but not good for the blues IMHO unless you have a slide on your finger.
 

Norfolk Bill

norfolk uk, just knoodling along
Agreed i dont use one,,maybe really clean but as you increase the gain on an amp you actually increase the compresion of the signal anyway through the circuit,,
 

Crossroads

Thump the Bottom
One of the big problems with guitar pedal compressors is that most compress everything equally.
The TC hypergravity gives you the ability to compress 3 separate bands independently, as well as 3 separate modes

You can also download artists custom compression settings.

You can pick one up open box or used for about $85 - $90.

There is also a mini available for less, but without the blend knob. I think the blend is worth the extra $ as well as footprint.

 
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PapaBear

Guit Fiddlier
I have an AnalogMan Bicomp, Orange juicer on one side and Ross on the other, also have several I'm building that are Ross clones with some modifications
 

Jalapeno

Student Of The Blues
I've just never been able to put my finger on it when I hear it.
Compression is probably the most misunderstood of all signal processing, or so I learned in my studio engineering courses. It is the opposite of amplification in that it is simply gain reduction. Chickin’ Pickin’ With a Tele on the bridge pickup can have some extreme transients and can possibly damage sensitive studio mics which could be the reason it is so common in country (just a guess on my part :whistle:). If you know how AM radio works you’ll understand why compression was invented.

A good studio compressor should be transparent to the music, but musicians and engineers have learned to use their properties and aural quirks in musical ways.

Guitarists that I know usually use compression to get more “sustain” which a compressor does by boosting the decay (an attempt to keep the signal within the thresholds) and not to change their sound. As rr said, germanium circuits have the “hardest” of the “hard knee” compression so will sound best if sustain is what you’re after. If you want a compressor to color your signal then trial and error is your only hope.

YMMV as in all things on the internet :Beer:

Eric
 

JPsuff

Blackstar Artist
One of the big problems with guitar pedal compressors is that most compress everything equally.
The TC hypergravity gives you the ability to compress 3 separate bands independently, as well as 3 separate modes

You can also download artists custom compression settings.

You can pick one up open box or used for about $85 - $90.

There is also a mini available for less, but without the blend knob. I think the blend is worth the extra $ as well as footprint.


I used to have an MXR Dynacomp but was too choppy.

Then I switched to a TC Hypergravity and I never looked back. I can make it as thick or as transparent as I want and the sustain is awesome.
 

Jalapeno

Student Of The Blues
The Hypergravity looks like it has a lot of flexibility like a studio compressor. How much tweaking do you do with it? I would probably just use it with the default settings out of the box because I imagine in a band situation the subtleties would be lost in the bass guitar, cymbal and snare drum noise anyway.

Eric
 
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