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April Birthdays
Keeley Compressor
Joined: Aug 23, 2009 Posts: 44 Brookings, South Dakota |
Posted on Feb 12 2010 11:19 AM
Hello. Sonic Screwdriver |
Joined: Dec 12, 2006 Posts: 2687 Ventura, CA 
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Posted on Feb 12 2010 11:52 AM
Dave Wronski told me that he ALWAYS uses a Keeley compressor for recording only, but not for live performance. Listen to some Slacktone records and you be the judge. Dave is very picky about his gear and it shows. |
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Joined: Aug 23, 2009 Posts: 44 Brookings, South Dakota |
Posted on Feb 13 2010 05:25 PM
Let me re-phrase slightly: do any of you use compressors in your rig - either live or recording? If so, what types do you use and are you impressed with the way your tone/sound is influenced? Sonic Screwdriver |
Joined: Apr 05, 2006 Posts: 1547 Bethlehem, GA
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Posted on Feb 13 2010 06:57 PM
For recording I use a Demeter Compulator for guitar and a MXR Dynacomp for bass when using a Showman amp. Lately I've been using a Mesa amp for bass recording that doesn't need any compression. For live work, Guitar>Fender Reverb>Amp...(no compressor); Bass>Dynacomp>Amp. Compression is akin to make-up on a woman. A little is all that is needed unless the subject is beyond help and then too much just makes things worse. Jack Booth The Mariners (1964-68, 1996-2005) |
Joined: Feb 28, 2006 Posts: 2384 San Jose, Ca. 
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Posted on Feb 13 2010 07:10 PM
I've got a Keeley compressor, and in my opinion, they are the best stompbox compressor on the market. It's a clone of the Ross compressor from the 70's, but made with premium components. It is very transparent, and is very quiet for a compressor, but compressors are generally very noisey. Everything that Robert Keeley builds is top-notch, and I've never gotten better customer service from anyone. Whether it is the right pedal for your live rig, or for recording, depends on a lot of things. Almost nobody in surf uses compressors live. For Byrds-style Rickenbacker 12-string guitar it is almost mandatory to use a compressor. They're also great for slide guitar. Some country and rock players use them for virtually everything they do. If you're playing music with a lot of dynamics, you're probably not going to want to use a compressor much because they kill dynamics. But used in the right application, they are an invaluable tool. The Janglebox compressors are getting rave reviews, too. I haven't tried them, but with endorsements from the likes of Roger McGuinn, Peter Stroud, and Mike Campbell, they must be very good. Bob —Bob |
Joined: Feb 25, 2008 Posts: 321 Canada's Wet Coast
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Posted on Feb 13 2010 10:02 PM
I tried a number of different compressors, Boss CS-3 (with Monte Allums mod), Keeley, ART, Maxon and the one I stayed with is the Barber Tone Press. I found its unique blend type of compression works better than the others to my ears. Plus it works great with bass which a lot of the others don't do very well. With the blend I could dial in the amount of compression that gets blended with the original signal so it works more like a mixing board with a send/return, thus more control for me. I normally use it in front of a re-issue Fender tank with a Reverend Club King 290 and I really like the way it sounds and works. Used it live and recording. I also use it in front of a Radial JDI for recording Bass. For compressor reviews, I found this site that gives a lot of information: http://www.ovnilab.com/index.shtml Mel —Mel |
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Joined: Aug 23, 2009 Posts: 44 Brookings, South Dakota |
Posted on Feb 14 2010 09:49 PM
Thank you, all, for your input. I now know more than I did 48 hours ago! Sonic Screwdriver |
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Joined: May 20, 2009 Posts: 525 Leipzig 
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Posted on Feb 15 2010 06:22 AM
@Mel What do you say about the noise floor of the Barber Tone Press? http://www.reverbnation.com/bangmustang |
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Joined: May 20, 2009 Posts: 525 Leipzig
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Posted on Feb 15 2010 06:49 AM
Any experiences with the philosopher's tone? —http://www.reverbnation.com/bangmustang |
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Joined: Feb 25, 2008 Posts: 321 Canada's Wet Coast
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Posted on Feb 15 2010 12:01 PM
I typically run my sustain setting between about 8 and 11 o'clock depending on whether I'm using bass or guitar (bass between 8 and 9 o'clock). Volume and Blend are both set to 1 o'clock for bass. With guitar it varies to what I want. I've yet to find a pedal compressor that doesn't have a noise floor and in that respect I didn't find any more noise coming from either the Keeley or the Tone Press. What sold me on the Tone Press was the blend control. Mixing the wet signal with the dry one. I found I could dial in what I wanted quite easily. The Keeley I felt offered more/heavier compression, but at the cost of the tone. Both are top grade units and I doubt you could really go wrong with either. I had the Keeley and picked up the Tone Press off eBay for a price I couldn't pass up. Mel —Mel |
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Joined: May 20, 2009 Posts: 525 Leipzig
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Posted on Feb 15 2010 03:59 PM
The Blend thing is really interesting me too. The effect "Philosophers Tone" has the same blend effect like the Tone Press. Maybe its better? —http://www.reverbnation.com/bangmustang |
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Joined: Feb 25, 2008 Posts: 321 Canada's Wet Coast
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Posted on Feb 15 2010 05:16 PM
You may well be right, no one locally carries the Philosophers Tone so I couldn't compare the two and that's something I like to do if at all possible. The Barber has a "tone" pot inside, the Philosopher is external. The only thing that kind of worries me is the "dirt" knob on the Philosophers box. I try to avoid "dirt"...:) Actually no one carried the Tone Press either but as I said I got it off eBay for less than half price and even if had turned out to be a dud I figured I could easily recoup the money. Once I had the Tone Press, I basically stopped looking (it seems like an endless cycle when you start weeding through pedals)... Mel —Mel |
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Joined: May 20, 2009 Posts: 525 Leipzig
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Posted on Feb 17 2010 08:55 AM
I think the dirt knob won't be a problem. Simply don't turn it up. http://www.reverbnation.com/bangmustang |
Joined: Jul 01, 2006 Posts: 657
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Posted on Feb 17 2010 09:07 AM
I now use a cmatmods Cigna Comp. http://www.cmatmods.com/deluxe-signa-comp.html It's a bit more aggressive sounding. The Keeley is great, too. I never used a compressor for any Slacktone recordings. Just my home demos. I might experiment with other uses when I start playing again. ~ dave |
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Joined: May 20, 2009 Posts: 525 Leipzig
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Posted on Apr 14 2010 12:26 PM
I also bought the Barber Tone Press, but I have to say its really not what I was looking for. It sounds really muddy, bad tone. No use for me, sold it. http://www.reverbnation.com/bangmustang |
Joined: Jun 09, 2009 Posts: 267 Amstelveen [The Netherlands] 
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Posted on Apr 14 2010 01:09 PM
Maybe you must check out the wampler ego compresser, Member of the league of banana yamaha's ! |
Joined: Aug 23, 2006 Posts: 2123 The jungle 
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Posted on Apr 14 2010 01:29 PM
I use an old Dynacomp all the time. I turn the sensitivity up a wee bit for outdoor shows or for those with really crappy sound reinforcement. Otherwise the sensitivity stays at -∞. At all times, I use the thing as an attenuator to present a slightly lower-gain signal to my reverb unit. Even "off" the thing alters my tone. It is a tiny bit like playing through a wah pedal half-open. If is just a slightly different timbre. Compressors are bad. — |
Joined: Oct 10, 2009 Posts: 228 South Bay, CA
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Posted on Apr 14 2010 03:02 PM
I really enjoy the Keeley. Have mine set at 9:00 and 12:00 respectively, and evens out things. Haven't messed with the internal attack yet, nor do I plan to. Mine is before my Timmy and Barber Direct Drive; a company called Pedalboards http://pedalboards.com/new_page_2.htm makes a Flip Flopper pedal, so that you could have compression before or after overdrive - nice idea. —'65 Fender Tremolux, '74 Princeton; 77 Vibrolux Reverb; '81 Princeton Reverb |
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Joined: Feb 25, 2008 Posts: 321 Canada's Wet Coast
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Posted on Apr 14 2010 07:48 PM
Sounds you had a defective unit to me. Mine is crystal clear for guitar and bass. Mel —Mel |
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Joined: May 20, 2009 Posts: 525 Leipzig
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Posted on Apr 16 2010 03:20 PM
I didn't mean muddy. I meant it is too dark, not on the bright side. —http://www.reverbnation.com/bangmustang |
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