Effects - Pedals, Multi-Effects, and Floor Boxes

[Slartibartfars…]

I'm looking at getting rid of my multi-FX RP1000 and going back to more conventional pedals. One effect I use a lot is a compressor but I'm a bit stuck on what to look for. I use it on both the clean and dirty channels to liven clean sounds and thicken and sustain my tone on the dirty channel when I can be using quite a bit of gain. I think for the way I use it I'd need a Compressor with a good amount of headroom. Anyway, my research so far indicates that these would all be decent buys:

Black Finger
Tone Press
Dyna Comp
Super Comp
CS-3
DOD FX80
Seymour Duncan Double Back

Would any of these stand out as a 'best buy' or should any of these be avoided compared to the others?

[bernardo gui]

I bought a 2 knob Keely Compressor on Craigslist/DC for $120.

I swapped out a MXR Custom Comp for the Keely.

There is DEFINATELY a difference.....Keely Compressors are the shit !

[FormerlyBassred]

I've got the Aphex Punch Factory - It is nice and subtle (You can't hear a difference, but you miss it when you don't have it) as comps should be...

[Slartibartfars…]

I'm afraid they don't appear to be as readily available here in the UK so I suspect it will have to be one of those listed above. There's a good deal at the moment on the Seymour Duncan as it's old stock so it wouldn't work out that much more than something like the Boss or MXR pedals. As nobody has really expressed an opinion on any of these yet I'm a bit in the dark but I get the impression that the Black Finger, Tone Press and Double Back are the best in terms of quality while the others are very good within their price bracket. Please bear in mind that most of my use of the compressor will be on a distorted signal to give it thickness and sustain both on chords and single notes. I'm not sure if that makes a difference for which one's best.

[Highway_61]

I recommend the DOD Milkbox: inexpensive and higly underrated.

I like the DoubleBack, but not as much as the Milkbox.

For compressor reviews, check out this guy's site: http://www.ovnilab.com/

[scolfax]

The Xotic SP might be a good choice too.

[TomVanDeven]

Out of your list, the Tone Press for sure. 

[SonicMayhem42]

Have a Tone Press and a Dynacomp, had a CS-3.  Tone press is the best out of those by far.  The blend knob is great for returning any attack lost from the compression.  Plus there is a trim pot inside to alter the tone of the compression.

[Slartibartfars…]

The Tone Press does seem to get a lot of love here. I had been given the impression from some of the reviews that it might be best for using on cleans and may be too subtle for my use but it appears not. Could you also please stick to those on the list as i've searched endless compressors and if it's not on the list, the probability is that it will either be very difficult to get in the UK or too expensive or both. Also keep in mind that I don't use a compressor too much for cleans (although it is used) as most of our set uses distortion. It really is primarily used to give me some thick 'chug' on the heaviest songs we do and to give me loads of sustain (think Gary Moore for this) without being excessively noisy.

[Matt_was_taken]

I have the black finger and love it. only downsides to it are it uses a funny power supply and its size. if they arent a problem then I fully recommend it, its got some great sounds and very its useable

[A.P. Ryder]

Tone press is supposed to be very nice (and cheap).

I always recommend Analogman's comps.  I've had his DynaComp clone for 14 years and have never felt that I needed another compressor - except for his Mini Bi-Comp.

[SnowViking]

I can only talk about the entry level CS-3, which sort of works okay as a clean boost and if you put it in front of an overdrive it gives a lot of nice sustained gain, plus some harmonics if you are lucky. It's a bit noisy with single coils if the sustain is turned up. Okay pedal though. If you push it too much it clips, and that is a pisser. 

Maybe look for a CS-2 instead and I agree about the Keeley compressor - good stuff.

[KuntfacedKunt]

 my best advice would be, don't use a compressor for your distorted tone

[Slartibartfars…]

Well at the moment it's all speculation because I also want to try a Carl Martin Quattro and there are no local dealers. However, I found a dealer a bit north of here, in York, UK (Gear4Music) so I booked a couple of nights away so that I could call in to try some gear under the pretence of taking my wife away for a couple of days  I was disappointed when they replied to say that they only brought a Quattro in if it was sold. However, I emailed Carl Martin and within 30 minutes I had a reply from their CEO to say that he would make sure a Quattro was there for me to try. Now that's service!! I'll make sure to try the Quattro and some individual pedals side by side while I'm there..

[macadood]

+1 for Diamond Comp, Tone Press, or the '76 reissue mxr dyna comp.

+100 for the boss cs-3 with monte allums opto plus mod, but only if you desire some serious squish, squishier than the dyna comp

[mr benn]

I love my EHX white finger, although I use it on bass it sounds great with dirt!!

[MacBradley]

mxr m87

Its a bass compressor, but unlike most guitar compressors it actually has things that should be STANDARD on ANY compressor EVER, guitar or not.  A compressor without a way to alter input/threshold is about as useful as a dirt pedal without a gain knob.  It also has some options to adjust the ratio, and a nice visual indicator that saves a lot of time finding just how hard you have to play to hit small amounts of compression.

[Slartibartfars…]

All of the pedals I've been looking at are currently on hold while I wait to see what the Carl Martin Quattro is like. Unfortunately, having arranged myself for Gear4Music to get a Quattro in stock for me to try, it now turns out that they don't hold in stock most of the individual pedals I'd like to compare it to!! I'd understand if I was asking about expensive and boutique pedals but I was wanting to try Hardwire, Marshall and MXR etc. It may not be the end of the world as if I like the Quattro, that is my first choice. On the face of it, by using Ebay I could get individual pedals of the same effects for about £100 less but that would be easily eaten up with the cost of a pedalboard and power supply and I'd probably still end up with most effects not as good as Carl Martin. If anyone lives in the York area you might want to go down to Gear4Music to give the Quattro a try on or around the 18th. I only mention it because they're bloody hard to find in the shops so somebody might want to investigate it while it's there. Once I've given it a go, I'll report back anyway.

[goodhonk]

fyi slartifartbast, there are two quattros for sale at tgp.

http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showthread.php?t=1208162&highlight=quattro

http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showthread.php?t=1204117&highlight=quattro

[Slartibartfars…]

Sadly I'm in the UK so those ones aren't really viable