Compressor pedals? Like or dislike? What do you use?

[Aluz82]

I'm running through an orange TH30 combo and Orange Jim Root 2X12 closed cab.

I bought a pigtronix philosophers tone about a year ago. Figured it would be a nice boost for solos and help give it a better sound. I honestly can't figure out how to make it work for me. Thinking about selling it. Anyone have any advice on compressor pedals? What they should be used for? What do u use? What do u use it for?

[sebastian]

Compressors are often missused in my opinion.
A lot of guys think they need a little more distortion out of their rig so they puss the signal hotter by using a compressor.
This is not what compressors are for.
They are meant to level out a signal and take the peaks off.
What they really do to a guitar is remove all dynamic control, in my opinion.
I like them for vocals because I not a great singer.
It help keep everything I sing at an even volume when I comes out of the PA.
With a guitar I want dynamic control over my playing.
If I play soft I want to hear and feel soft.
If I play hard I want my tone to respond that way.
If you need more gain, get a overdrive or distortion pedal to add more to your tone.

[theapprentice]

I have a DOD Milkbox Compressor for my cleans. I primarily use it to reduce my guitar's dynamic range and even out the volume of my humbuckers relative to my middle single coil. While many favor a wide dynamic range for musical expression, I have no such privilege as I play with another guitarist and two keyboardists. I find that having the compressor on helps my guitar's cleans be heard better when all my other bandmates are playing their solo parts.

Some may use the effect pre-dirt to help with sustain, and as far as I can tell people who use compression this way doesn't really need any sort of dynamic range, at least whenever they engage the effect for such purposes.

For solo boosts and the like, sebastian's suggestions are much more sound. In addition, you may try to use the philosopher's tone in the effects loop of your amp (which it seems to have): use as little compression as possible in the pedal, and crank the levels to something above your amp's volume with the pedal disengaged. This way you can use the pedal as a makeshift clean boost in addition to being a compressor.

[Tungisul]

That's the best compressor I have ever had, that's why it's still over my pedalboard.

I use it most for cleans but I use it (somethimes) with a very light distortion and when I need an extra sustain... For me, I you don't loose dynamic control with it, it' helps a lot with my playing...

For me, it's killer! I recomend it to everybody

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qa50qw9j5bc

[GUITARMAGEDDON]

Originally Posted by sebastian

Compressors are often missused in my opinion.
A lot of guys think they need a little more distortion out of their rig so they puss the signal hotter by using a compressor.
This is not what compressors are for.
They are meant to level out a signal and take the peaks off.
What they really do to a guitar is remove all dynamic control, in my opinion.
I like them for vocals because I not a great singer.
It help keep everything I sing at an even volume when I comes out of the PA.
With a guitar I want dynamic control over my playing.
If I play soft I want to hear and feel soft.
If I play hard I want my tone to respond that way.
If you need more gain, get a overdrive or distortion pedal to add more to your tone.

great piont. tried and failed with comps for these reasons. I don't want a compressed tone with my current rig

[ColinMmmmm]

I like them. I've got an mxr dyna comp that I use for clean stuff. I don't set it to extreme settings. I wouldn't use it for distorted stuff though - I like dynamics with heavy stuff

[ShredderChick]

I only use compressors with my Telecaster to get my country twang with a tube screamer or Alpha Drive for country rock..

[Aluz82]

I got my compressor in my GAD pedal phase. I'm still learning what works for me and what doesn't. I guess a compressor pedal just isn't for me. At least not at this moment and not this one. I play more heavy and classic rock, some prog rock too and I assumed this would help give a bit more clarity to my solos I guess.

[julzius]

I like to use a compressor for purely clean signal, especially if i'm playing some kind of shred jazz solo , I find it helps bring out the quiet legato notes and it smooths out your picking attack (and we all want smooth for jazz, don't we?).

[satch_jr]

I have no use of compressor as I love feeling the dynamics of my playing

[HTSMetal]

MXR Dyna Comp -- super cheap and awesome. Dyna Comp + RG1570 in the 2 & 4 position = twang heaven.

[jb4674]

Originally Posted by sebastian

Compressors are often missused in my opinion.
A lot of guys think they need a little more distortion out of their rig so they puss the signal hotter by using a compressor.
This is not what compressors are for.
They are meant to level out a signal and take the peaks off.
What they really do to a guitar is remove all dynamic control, in my opinion.
I like them for vocals because I not a great singer.
It help keep everything I sing at an even volume when I comes out of the PA.
With a guitar I want dynamic control over my playing.
If I play soft I want to hear and feel soft.
If I play hard I want my tone to respond that way.
If you need more gain, get a overdrive or distortion pedal to add more to your tone.

This x1000000

Compressors are generally useful to give your sound more ooomph when you're playing clean. Check out a good demo from Eric Johnson:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERFFXvPV9XE

Jimmy

[therightjem]

MXR Dyna Comp. Can't beat it for the price. And like others, I use it for clean parts.

[Archlute]

I use a Malekko compressor for my cleans. Gives the channel some nice bloom, as well as adds a bit of sustain and balance.

I was using it with my OD to add some focus and sustain, but I just retubed my amp and it apparently just needed better tubes to achieve the tone I was after! I no longer use it on my OD channel.

[apadua]

Another MXR Dyna Comp user here... Cheap easy to use but kind of noisy when you push it.

I have been looking into the Joe Meek FloorQ that thing is a bit pricey but looks like the business when it comes to pedal compressors...