Compressor? Yea or Nay?

[butwhatif]

There are so many classic ones out there, and used in the right context, they work well, 1176s, LA-2a's, 3a's, neve 2254, hard to beat

[crbowman]

I use a BYOC compressor as well although mine is the old two knob variety.
I set mine primarily to give a gain boost with very light compression. This way you present a hot signal to everything else downstream, but the extreme transients are attenuated. My other effects (particularly the Tube Screamer) seem to really like this.
I just turn up the output level to the desired amount of boost, and then dial in the compression to where it just starts to squish when you really get on it hard. Then it's on all the time.
For the style of music I play these days this works really well, but I can certainly see why some people wouldn't like this. If I played anything that required primarily staccato, punchy guitar stuff I would approach things much differently.

[NickC]

I failed to mention the Janglebox I use with acoustic/electric instruments. It evokes the chime of Byrds era 12-string jangly goodness using compression and EQ ..... in a pedal. Neat.

[Cliff Schecht]

I'm a big fan of the old Dan Armstrong Orange Squeezer. I had one on my pedalboard for years and used it pretty much anytime I played clean. It fattens up the sound and gets really squishy if set to do so (how I like it!).


Even when I switched to the guitar-->amp setup when I built an Express I found that the Orange Squeezer was a great fit in front of this amp (a rare feat IMO, the Express HATES pedals!). I would set the OS so that when I kicked it on, the amp would clean up completely and wouldn't clip no matter how hard I hit. Worked great for part changes that have to go clean/dirty quickly (I have always been kinda clumsy jumping between controls and playing).

The OS has some uniqueness in how it compresses because of its uber-simple design. The one on my pedalboard is setup so that if I smack the strings hard enough it will actually duck too low very briefly, come back up naturally and sustain well. I think this is in part because the high amplitude from striking bass strings hard causes the compressor to duck really hard until the transient dies. I like that the OS does this and also is great at balancing out the string response of your guitar.

It's a deceptively simple circuit that I think fits really well with guitar. It brings out nice harmonics in your chords that otherwise stay as subtle overtones. I think there is a slight amount of distortion that helps add the girth to the signal, not clipping distortion but just enough to fatten things up a bit. Try one if you haven't!

Now I need to build a Dynacomp, I've never played one but I've heard mostly good things. Maybe I will breadboard one tonight, it's a pretty simple circuit too.

[Colossal]

Now I need to build a Dynacomp, I've never played one but I've heard mostly good things. Maybe I will breadboard one tonight, it's a pretty simple circuit too.

Hearing Eric Johnson's stereo clean tone with a pair of Twins (or Deluxe Reverbs depending on the venue), a TC stereo chorus, an Echoplex, a bit of Memory Man, and a Dynacomp in front of it all is pretty incredible. Definitely fattens the tone and adds a bit more clarity and complexity. Great effect! I've been considering one for the longest time...

[martin manning]

+1 on the Dynacomp! I built one a little while back on an original MXR board I got from someone here and an old school TO5 CA3080 OTA. For pure tone it can't be beat IMO.

[M Fowler]

+1 on the Dynacomp! I built one a little while back on an original MXR board I got from someone here and an old school TO5 CA3080 OTA. For pure tone it can't be beat IMO.

I just finally got all the parts to put my TAG board Dynacomp together. I bought that on this forum a while back but never put it together.

Working on a Tone Bender and RangeMaster right now.

Mark

[Cliff Schecht]

Who was selling the boards?

[M Fowler]

I don't remember but I swore I recently saw them for sale on Ebay.

[martin manning]

Who was selling the boards?

Member Chris G https://tubeamparchive.com/profile.php? ... ofile&u=25

[mlp-mx6]

The old Orange Squeezer was Jay Graydon's "secret weapon" for his uber-smooth distortion tone. 335->Orange Squeezer->modified Deluxe Reverb=Peg solo (and countless others).

If you aren't familiar with the Jay Graydon/David Foster project called "Airplay" - and if you like late-70's/early-80's West Coast pop - you *really* need to check it out. It is THE West Coast album. And that Orange Squeezed 335 tone is all over that album.

[jelle]

Who was selling the boards?

Member Chris G https://tubeamparchive.com/profile.php? ... ofile&u=25

Chris is great, he probably has some more boards that he can let go.

[Chris G]

Hi All,
Thanks for the kind words Jelle!!!

I have plenty of Dynacomp boards left. I was selling them on the BAY...when it just dried up......

I have the original boards.. parts placement and schematic.....
I believe I was doing $11.00 ea.....Shipped / paypal...ect.

paypal is: fial@frontiernet.net
Thanks
Chris

[SoundPerf]

Compressor Yae! Especially the Orange Squeezer. It doesn't have a bunch of knobs, but it's perfect for guitar. I have a clone with a 3-way swtich for different attack levels. Like the BYOC Armstrong Twin. If you want that Hey Nineteen, Sultans Of Swing sound, it's the ticket.

Another compressor I really liked was the Carl Martin compressor/limiter. It has a very clear, open sound, yet can get squishy if wanted. Although it's pricey.

[Cliff Schecht]

I built another Orange Squeezer last night. Couldn't help myself, I had a third board from a past project laying around that just needed a bit of TLC. I frickin' love this simple little circuit. IMO there is a sweet spot to set the trimpot where you get that almost tremolo warble effect and things get super squishy. I usually don't put a second knob, I prefer to find that sweet spot and leave it. Like Perf said it's just a great compressor for guitar. I wouldn't use it on many other instruments though..

Thanks for the reference guys, I messaged Chris about some boards.

Does anybody have any opinion on the Ross compressor and how it compares to the Dynacomp?

MX6 I'll check out those videos if you can find a link. I can't find anything on Youtube!