BASS COMPRESSOR PEDALS? Suggestions please?

[Greg.Bassman]

[font=Calibri][size=3][color=#000000]Hi all. Hope you[/color][/size][/font][font=Calibri][size=3][color=#000000]’re well.[/color][/size][/font]

[font=Calibri][size=3][color=#000000]I’ve been experimenting with a lot more slapping and tapping recently. The dynamic nature of the slap and tap techniques, means that I’m experiencing a lot of harsh volume peaks. [/color][/size][/font][font=Calibri][size=3][color=#000000]Presumably, I’d need some form of compression to keep my levels sounding smooth and controlled, right?[/color][/size][/font]

[font=Calibri][size=3][color=#000000]If so, can anybody suggest a good bass compressor pedal please? Something that…[/color][/size][/font]

[font=Calibri][size=3][color=#000000]- Is simple to use (too many controls is mind-boggling).[/color][/size][/font]
[font=Calibri][size=3][color=#000000]- Doesn’t mud or compromise my tone in any way (just something that simply brings all the frequencies together).[/color][/size][/font]

[font=Calibri][size=3][color=#000000]Many thanks. Greg[/color][/size][/font]

[font=Calibri][size=3][color=#000000]P.S - Any suggested pedal settings would be a bonus.[/color][/size][/font]

Edited December 13, 2016 by Greg.Bassman

[GreeneKing]

I'd suggest the Seymour Duncan 'Doubleback' and not just because I'm about to have one for sale

A great resource is here:

http://www.ovnilab.com

Peter

Edited December 13, 2016 by GreeneKing

[bazzbass]

MXR M87 Bass Compressor

it's ten LEDs let you see at a glance what is going on, great for noobs to comp, like I was.

The included manual has some suggested settings which was all I needed to get started.

[url="https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwimh4a7vvDQAhWIk5QKHQI4BKEQjRwIBw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.musiciansfriend.com%2Famplifiers-effects%2Fmxr-m87-bass-compressor-bass-effects-pedal&psig=AFQjCNEsbaXr8-xHlKMzPF0ab5O5Wp8CUQ&ust=1481695083064389"][/url]

[0175westwood29]

Origin effects Cali76 bc, all the goodness of the large units, and easy to understand and sounds great!!

[radiophonic]

I'm currently torn between the MXR and the TC spectracomp. The latter being the simplest control panel evah. The guy who runs the ovnilab site doesn't like TC though (so doesn't really review the pedals) and I've been told that the way the switch is mounted to the circuit board makes them non-repairable (this was in relation to the Flashback Delay that I have). My needs are a bit different from the OP though.

[Bigwan]

The TC is a bit of an oddball though - dead simple on the face of it, but dig into the background and it's stupidly flexible.

I quite liked the Carl Martin Classic Optical comp I had a while back. The Budda Chakra is apparently the same pedal. I should say I usually hate compression - this and the 3leaf PWNZOR are the only ones I've used that I've liked, but I've gone back to not using any at the minute.

Edited December 13, 2016 by Bigwan

[GreeneKing]

I think that if you go for the simpler compressors they take a lot of the decisions out of your hands. I've got a Keeley Bassist that allows you to set threshold and ratio but the attack and release is down to the design function. The Doubleback gives you control of attack and sustain but threshold is a derived function.

These sort of compressors are great if they are done well.

The more expensive and featured units have all the adjustments at your fingertips but you need to know how to use them. The Keeley Bassist (and the Doubleback) work well in this respect but not all do. I've used the full rack all singing and dancing compressors and now find that the Bassist does the job really well.

Peter

Edited December 13, 2016 by GreeneKing

[Thunderbird]

Buddha chakra

[pete.young]

I have the MXR and it's very good, very transparent. So is the Demeter Compulator, very subtle. The compressor sims in the Zoom B1ON/MS60B etc are very good too if you don't want to spend a lot of money. If price is no object the Keeley Pro looks like a proper studio compressor in a pedal box.

[Happy Jack]

As with most everything else in life, it's horses for courses. I've seen compressors being used as effects pedals, as a general sound enhancer, and as a compensation for poor technique (that would be me then).

They're versatile, but a compressor can only really do one of those things at a time.

Ultimately it's down to your ears. If you can't hear the impact then that compressor or that setting is (literally) doing nothing for you. Others may make comments, and clearly they're hearing a difference, but can you?

Pete just mentioned the Demeter Compulator. Some years ago that pedal was absolutely flavour of the month here on Basschat - lots of love for it, lots of praise. I spent two hours in Charlie Chandlers trying everything I could to hear that pedal's subtle, transparent effect.

You know what's coming, don't you? It was so subtle and so transparent that I couldn't hear a damned thing. I left the shop with an MXR Dynacomp.

These days I use The Warden pedal by Earthquaker Devices.

Would I recommend it? To me, yes I would. To you, dunno - we've never met.

[LewisK1975]

I've been using the TC spectracomp for some time now. Only use it on the standard 'out of the box' setting and I'm finding it really very good indeed. Anything up to midday gives you mild compression with some fattening of the sound and going past midday gets you more into the 'limiting' side of things.

Of course it's all pretty subjective, as every compressor will react differently depending on the player. But certainly, the toneprint editor for the TC means you can pretty much alter ANY parameter, so technically, you should be able to get something out of it that suits you..

Edited December 13, 2016 by LewisK1975

[Kiwi]

I could suggest the one I have on order but its got lots of knobs on it.

[Tee]

The Rothwell 'Love Squeeze' is simple (two knobs) and absolutely silent.

[Greg.Bassman]

Hi all. These are some great suggestions, thank you! I will have a shop around, and see what I settle on. Cheers.

Edited December 14, 2016 by Greg.Bassman

[lee650]

I'm very happy with my Diamond bcp1. Very easy to use ad it's only two knobs for compression and volume,plus a handy little tilt eq for subtle adjustments more of a tone enhancer,but tames slaps and pops nicely . I'm also very fond of the EBS multicomp,dead easy and sounds great.

Edited December 14, 2016 by lee650

[lee650]

[quote name='lee650' timestamp='1481741051' post='3194786']
I'm very happy with my Diamond bcp1. Very easy to use ad it's only two knobs for compression and volume,plus a handy little tilt eq for subtle adjustments more of a tone enhancer,but tames slaps and pops nicely . I'm also very fond of the EBS multicomp,dead easy and sounds great.
[/quote]

I liked the 3leaf pwnzor and Effectrode pc2a too, the former is hard to find and the latter is quite expensive though 😆

Edited December 14, 2016 by lee650

[Dood]

TC Spectracomp by a good distance. It can be 'one of those' invisible pedals that does the job with transparency - sometimes not even noticing how much it's doing a good job. Pick another preset and it's a squishy full-band Ross type compressor, another preset and it leaves the lows alone and brickwalls high frequencies. I mean, in terms of flexibly and copying what pretty much every other compressor's USP is on the market.. for the money, it's crazy.

I also have the Hypergravity which can do the same but has more control knobs on top.

[molan]

I have three at the moment:

Aguilar TLC
Diamond Bass Comp
Demeter Compulator

I'd say the Diamond is the most 'musical' of the three. The Demeter is the easiest to set up and also sounds quite organic.

However it's the TLC that goes out gigging. I can set it to just round things out whilst still being transparent. I find it especially good for getting my D & G strings closer to matching volume of the E & A. Especially up around frets 2-5.

I'm sure it's just my crappy technique but I often find that area of the neck sounding a bit thin and the TLC just seems to work live to give them a bit more punch

I find this repeatedly with Aguilar pedals (in fact with most of their gear) - they just work really well in a live gigging situation.

[dannybuoy]

[quote name='lee650' timestamp='1481741072' post='3194787']
I liked the 3leaf pwnzor and Effectrode pc2a too, the former is hard to find and the latter is quite expensive though
[/quote]

I also really rate the Effectrode and think Lee is a fool for trading it for my Diamond!

[fretmeister]

My favourites are the Empress Compressor and the Darkglass Super Symmetry.

[bassmayhem]

Diamond Bass Comp
FMR Audio A.R.C.
RMI Dual Band Compressor (Basswitch...)

[Spoombung]

I use this one, it very versatile I think it's Polish -made. It's reviewed [url="http://www.ovnilab.com/reviews/tuxsilver.shtml"]here[/url]:




But I mostly use the inbuilt spectracomp in the TC amp because then I don't have to carry around an extra pedal.

I'd recommend the [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]TC spectracomp pedal - you can't go wrong and you can set it up how you want it with the preset[/font][/color]

Edited December 18, 2016 by Spoombung

[krispn]

The effectrode is great and adds a nice warmth. The Origin is great too. Budget will be a factor but the suggestions here are all good starting points. Ovnilabs is a great resource. Search google and prepare to be overwhelmed with good info

[drake]

I use a Solidgold FX Horizon. Old school optical comp - very Macca Revolver era!