Members FFG37 Posted July 7, 2006 Members Share Posted July 7, 2006 I'm trying to decide between a Keeley, a Barber Tone Press, and a Maxon. Unfortunately, I have no way to sample any of them. Any advice? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ZJD Posted July 7, 2006 Members Share Posted July 7, 2006 I've got a Keeley and it's great, but many around here we'll prob say get the Tone Press because of the Blend knob. I'll eventually get around to trying one out myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GuitArtMan Posted July 7, 2006 Members Share Posted July 7, 2006 Had both, still have the TonePress. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sethlover Posted July 7, 2006 Members Share Posted July 7, 2006 Good pedal, well made. Ross compressor clone but with better parts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members endo23 Posted July 7, 2006 Members Share Posted July 7, 2006 I vote Tone Press. The Keeley is just an expensive Ross clone. If you want to go that route, there are many more affordable alternatives. MusicToyz is even selling Teese's version for $79 right now, which is ludicrously cheap. I have a Saffron Squeeze (expensive Ross clone) and Tone Press. The Tone Press is on my board. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarcapo Posted July 7, 2006 Members Share Posted July 7, 2006 Kinda squishy sounding past 12:00 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cdp Posted July 7, 2006 Members Share Posted July 7, 2006 I really like mine (Keeley), just set the volume/level on 12:00 and the sustain on 9:00 - and leave it alone. I've run it both before and after the OD and distortion pedals with great results. I leave it on and don't think about it, and really like the sound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members FFG37 Posted July 8, 2006 Author Members Share Posted July 8, 2006 DO they still make the Ross compressor? Seems like that's what everyone is trying to clone. I've never heard that one either. Maybe I'll try the Barber. It's like half the price of the Keeley. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members AnalogJunkie Posted July 8, 2006 Members Share Posted July 8, 2006 Originally posted by FFG37 DO they still make the Ross compressor? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bruno Posted July 8, 2006 Members Share Posted July 8, 2006 You can always go for the Demeter Comp. pedal. It is one hell of a pedal for the price :thu: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members loofery Posted July 8, 2006 Members Share Posted July 8, 2006 Originally posted by AnalogJunkie please no rolleyes hereTo answer, Ross went out of business decades ago. So did Mutron, if you ever want to know.Pretty much all boutique clones are gonna be of pedals made decades ago. Fuzz face, univibe, rangemaster, and so on, and MOST of the companies are out of business, but some like the maker of the CE-1 chorus, Boss, aren't.The exception would be clones of discontinued, fairly recent boutique makers.That includes Way Huge pedals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members #16 Posted July 9, 2006 Members Share Posted July 9, 2006 Originally posted by Bruno You can always go for the Demeter Comp. pedal. It is one hell of a pedal for the price :thu: Check is in the mail! :love: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members FFG37 Posted July 14, 2006 Author Members Share Posted July 14, 2006 Originally posted by loofery please no rolleyes hereTo answer, Ross went out of business decades ago. So did Mutron, if you ever want to know. I appreciate the info. Never really got why some people act that way on forums, just because someone is new to the scene and asks a legitimate question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members endo23 Posted July 14, 2006 Members Share Posted July 14, 2006 So what'd you end up getting? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dot-dot-dot Posted July 14, 2006 Members Share Posted July 14, 2006 Personally I thought the Keeley was worth it, though I bought when the dollar was particularly weak against the pound. Very nice pedal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil O'Keefe Posted July 14, 2006 Share Posted July 14, 2006 Originally posted by Bruno You can always go for the Demeter Comp. pedal. It is one hell of a pedal for the price :thu: +1. I can't really comment on the Keeley because I have not spent a ton of time using them, but the Demeter Compulator is a kick-butt compressor. IMO, you'd normally have to go to studio rack stuff to get anything that good for compression. SERIOUSLY cool pedal.Now if James would just start using something other than 1/8" power jacks... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Wilbo26 Posted July 14, 2006 Members Share Posted July 14, 2006 Will somebody kindly explain why I might need a compressor in the first place? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rememberduane Posted July 14, 2006 Members Share Posted July 14, 2006 analog.man Mini BiComp for like 10 bucks more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil O'Keefe Posted July 14, 2006 Share Posted July 14, 2006 Originally posted by Wilbo26 Will somebody kindly explain why I might need a compressor in the first place? Well, the basic idea behind compression is that it makes the soft notes louder and the loud notes quieter. It compresses the dynamic range. That's in layman's terms. A compressor basically does nothing to signals below a Threshold. For signals that exceed the threshold point, the compressor reduces their amplitude (volume) by a specific amount, based on a Ratio. For example, if the signal would normally go 6 dB over the threshold point if the compressor was bypassed, and it is set for a 2:1 ratio, when the compressor is on, it will only allow 3 dB of signal over the threshold. With a 4:1 ratio, instead of 6 dB over threshold coming out, it will only go 1.5 dB over the threshold point. Due to this gain reduction of the peaks, the signal is generally quieter after being compressed, so compressors usually have a "make up gain" capability. By raising this, the softer notes (below the threshold) appear to be louder, while the loudest notes are attenuated.What does all that mean in practical terms? It means that using compression can give you more uniformity to your playing, with some control over wide fluctuations in individual note volumes. Additional compression controls also allow you to accentuate the note attacks (making them "pop out" - think "Sultans Of Swing" for an example) and increase sustain of held notes... Not a lot of pedal compressors have all the various different types of controls found on studio processors - attack and release times, ratio, threshold, etc... and some incorporate multiple functions into only a few controls, or use automatic circuits that look at the signal and adjust the various parameters in real time, but that's the basics. If you're looking for more sustain, or want to get your note attacks to pop out a bit, or are looking for a more "even" sound in terms of dynamics, then there are compressors out there that will fill any of those needs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Wilbo26 Posted July 14, 2006 Members Share Posted July 14, 2006 Originally posted by Phil O'Keefe Well, the basic idea behind compression is that it makes the soft notes louder and the loud notes quieter. It compresses the dynamic range. That's in layman's terms. A compressor basically does nothing to signals below a Threshold. For signals that exceed the threshold point, the compressor reduces their amplitude (volume) by a specific amount, based on a Ratio. For example, if the signal would normally go 6 dB over the threshold point if the compressor was bypassed, and it is set for a 2:1 ratio, when the compressor is on, it will only allow 3 dB of signal over the threshold. With a 4:1 ratio, instead of 6 dB over threshold coming out, it will only go 1.5 dB over th threshold point. Due to this gain reduction of the peaks, the signal is generally quieter after being compressed, so compressors usually have a "make up gain" capability. By raising this, the softer notes (below the threshold) appear to be louder, while the loudest notes are attenuated. What does all that mean in practical terms? It means that using compression can give you more uniformity to your playing, with some control over wide fluctuations in individual note volumes. Additional compression controls also allow you to accentuate the note attacks (making them "pop out" - think "Sultans Of Swing" for an example) and increase sustain of held notes... Not a lot of pedal compressors have all the various different types of controls found on studio processors - attack and release times, ratio, threshold, etc... and some incorporate multiple functions into only a few controls, or use automatic circuits that look at the signal and adjust the various parameters in real time, but that's the basics. If you're looking for more sustain, or want to get your note attacks to pop out a bit, or are looking for a more "even" sound in terms of dynamics, then there are compressors out there that will fill any of those needs. Damn, quite the explanation there. I guess I've just never 'got' the punchy sound you get when using a comp. I've used comp plugins when recording to smooth things out many a time, but never really got into using one on guitar. Perhaps I just need to try the right one. If I want sustain I usually just crank up the amp and go for broke, but I can see how a comp would be useful at bedroom volumes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TIKILOCKEDOUT Posted July 14, 2006 Members Share Posted July 14, 2006 I've had the Tone Press for a few years now and it's all I could want in a Comp and more ... not only does it have a blend knob for blending your dry signal parallel to your compression but you can run it as a clean boost and you have adjustable trim pots inside the pedal to adjust the amount of squish you like in your comp. Add to that fact that it's only $139 USD and you've got a winner on all counts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members #16 Posted July 14, 2006 Members Share Posted July 14, 2006 Originally posted by Phil O'Keefe Well, the basic idea behind compression is that it makes the soft notes louder and the loud notes quieter. It compresses the dynamic range. That's in layman's terms. A compressor basically does nothing to signals below a Threshold. For signals that exceed the threshold point, the compressor reduces their amplitude (volume) by a specific amount, based on a Ratio. For example, if the signal would normally go 6 dB over the threshold point if the compressor was bypassed, and it is set for a 2:1 ratio, when the compressor is on, it will only allow 3 dB of signal over the threshold. With a 4:1 ratio, instead of 6 dB over threshold coming out, it will only go 1.5 dB over the threshold point. Due to this gain reduction of the peaks, the signal is generally quieter after being compressed, so compressors usually have a "make up gain" capability. By raising this, the softer notes (below the threshold) appear to be louder, while the loudest notes are attenuated. What does all that mean in practical terms? It means that using compression can give you more uniformity to your playing, with some control over wide fluctuations in individual note volumes. Additional compression controls also allow you to accentuate the note attacks (making them "pop out" - think "Sultans Of Swing" for an example) and increase sustain of held notes... Not a lot of pedal compressors have all the various different types of controls found on studio processors - attack and release times, ratio, threshold, etc... and some incorporate multiple functions into only a few controls, or use automatic circuits that look at the signal and adjust the various parameters in real time, but that's the basics. If you're looking for more sustain, or want to get your note attacks to pop out a bit, or are looking for a more "even" sound in terms of dynamics, then there are compressors out there that will fill any of those needs. Know it all! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil O'Keefe Posted July 14, 2006 Share Posted July 14, 2006 Originally posted by Wilbo26 Damn, quite the explanation there. Thank you. Actually, I'd prefer to spend more of my finite forum time (I have albums to make - which is my main gig) doing posts like that one, and less of it playing "forum cop". I guess I've just never 'got' the punchy sound you get when using a comp. I've used comp plugins when recording to smooth things out many a time, but never really got into using one on guitar. Perhaps I just need to try the right one. If I want sustain I usually just crank up the amp and go for broke, but I can see how a comp would be useful at bedroom volumes. It's not just for "bedroom volume" or even recording... compression can increase your sustain without significantly increasing the distortion or gain - even at "stage" volumes. Of course, if you use the gain knob and crank it, a compressor can also act like a Booster, and drive an amp set for clean or semi-clean into the overdrive or distortion zone. Try an original Dan Armstrong Orange Squeezer, or an Analogman Bi-Comp or (my choice) a Demeter Compulator - all three of those can give you a nice degree of "pop" on the note attacks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ZJD Posted July 14, 2006 Members Share Posted July 14, 2006 Bob Ross doesn't like this thread, but he's in a good mood anyway because the little trees are happy today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Wilbo26 Posted July 14, 2006 Members Share Posted July 14, 2006 Originally posted by Phil O'Keefe I guess my problem is that I don't like the 'extra pop' that comps seem to add. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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