TRBboy

Thanks again everyone for all the useful info! After thinking about it some more, and although I don't doubt that the right compressor can make a positive difference to your sound, I'm wondering if it's actually worth the investment when I play in a pub/club rock covers band at the moment? I definitely think it would help to even out the dynamics of finger style/pick/slap and probably help me cut through a little better. Has anyone read a proper review of the MXR M87 yet? I've looked around but can't find one.

[quote name='dmccombe7' post='1325033' date='Aug 2 2011, 11:07 PM']Thanks for posting TRBboy I was interested in this area too but new it would create some "mixed" feelings to say the least. There has to be a common ground area between the two extremes of the compressor debate where most people probably slot in. I use the compressor on my GT6B and can hear the benefits when used although they are very slight. I'm no expert either and basically set it up as suggested in the manual and it seemed to work pretty well for me. I'm looking to move to seperate pedals as not using the GT6B to its full potential during live performances and its a bit of a handfull to carry around for rehearsals too. Basically all i need is a tuner and some basic compression for gigs. Amp (and bass) does everything else i need. Some good advice all round with some really helpful links. Cheers Dave [/quote] Thanks Dave, this has been a very interesting thread! Ovnilabs is such a useful resource; I know it's only one guys opinion, but he's tried so many he must have a good idea of what's good and bad. I really want something that's simple, transparent and quiet, that I don't have to fiddle around with settings. I just want something to help balance out the perceived output from the dynamics of different playing styles. I really like the look of the Rothwell Love Squeeze at the moment, because it ticks all the boxes and is very high quality, but not as dear as some of the others (and it's made in the UK!)

[quote name='Dubs' post='1324756' date='Aug 2 2011, 07:48 PM']Used to get mine with Endsleigh when I was a student - pretty comprehensive insurance up to about £5k worth of stuff for about £40 a year IIRC. Amazingly, mines now covered on our contents insurance - specifically listed and didn't cost much extra - think we're with More Than, have to check.[/quote] That's interesting, I'll check with our insurance broker to see if I can do the same.

Just wondered if anyone had any srecommmendations for Instrument insurance? It would be to cover my gear when out gigging and in transit to/from. Thanks.

[quote name='dannybuoy' post='1323580' date='Aug 1 2011, 09:39 PM']You need to read this site mate, loads of compressor reviews written by Talkbasser Bongomania: [url="http://www.ovnilab.com"]http://www.ovnilab.com[/url][/quote] Many thanks for that mate, what a useful site! He reviews one that I've been looking at - Biyang CO-8. It's dirt cheap but uses quality parts (in fact, it's apparently the same circuit as MXR Dyna Comp and Ross compressors, but apparently less noise!), and would probably do for my experimentation with compression! I know it's not full-featured, but as he says, it just enhances the tone and sustain, and will probably help to even out the dyanmics of different playing styles a little. £42.99!!!

Does anyone know if your standard sort of compressors like MXR Dyna Comp work OK with bass? I know people use them, but are they any good?

Mmmmmmm love the PJ! Never played, seen or heard of them before though so no use sorry!

Thanks for the help guys. The thread above, and all the opinions I've read, suggest that they're both good and it's just down to personal preference. My gut feeling is that th MXR is going to suit my needs best.

Just wondered if anyone has any opinions about these two units? I'm leaning toward the MXR at the moment, just because it looks more logical (to me), and seems to do exactly what I want. I know the Sansamp is very popular, but have any of you had chance to compare the two and could enlighten me further? Thanks.

Anyone know anything about the Akai Analogue Custom Shop Compressor? Looks well built, true bypass, and same sort of controls as EBS Multicomp etc., but much, much cheaper!

I'm assuming that the Boss CS-3 isn't worth looking at? It seems to have all the controls you might need? If I get a compressor, will I be able to set it up and leave it on the same setting for all styles, or am I gonna have to keep tweaking it all the time?

Just ordered some stuff from proaudioshop.co.uk. Very reasonable prices on Van Damme cable and Neutrik connectors, and loads of other stuff. Just to add my two pence worth.... Soldering jacks onto a cable is very easy (even if you're not very good at soldering like me!), and it probably only takes me about 10 - 15 minutes to do one.

[quote name='dannybuoy' post='1320923' date='Jul 29 2011, 10:42 PM']It's only just come out, but there some very positive reviews on Talkbass. It has all the controls and metering of a rack compressor too![/quote] Yeah it does look pretty good, and versatile without being too complicated. Anyone have opinions on the Aphex Puch Factory?

[quote name='51m0n' post='1320598' date='Jul 29 2011, 04:14 PM']No I am saying that you dont know what you are doing so you need a tool that will help you see what it is doing when you are changing parameters. Simple pedals very rarely offer the metering required to help you learn what settigns do what, the result is they will actually confuse you, and make the situation worse not better. This is offered as advice, take it or leave it. The Trace Dual knob compressor suffers the same failings of any single knob compressor, just twice as much, in that it has a large number of fixed parameters (ratio & threshold of the lower or higher component of the sound being all you can play with, and they are connected in the circuit IIRC). That actually limits its use massively. I've been fascinated by compression for years, and even now I cant hear it accurately enough without some metering to help, so if you aren't absolutely superhuman, you wont hear it when its helping, instead you will hear it when its more than just helping, but also changing the timbre of your sound. You may like that change or not, thats not the point, a good compressor, set up properly should be transparent if you need it to be. I am not saying you need a £3000 bass to start playing at all, Silverfoxnik payed about £25 on ebay for his dbx. I am saying you need a bass with 4 strings each that can be tuned independantly, adn pickups that work with electronics that work. It can (and probably should) be a Sue Ryder bass if you are just starting out. What wont do the job properly is a one string bass with no tuner![/quote] Thanks again for the advice, and I can see what you mean, but at this stage I think I just need something simple to get to grips with the basics. I think I will be able to hear well enough whether it's having a positive or negative effect on my sound. I don't think at this stage that I've got the time, patience or need to learn about compression in great detail, but I bow down to your superior knowledge because it's far beyond the realms of my comprehension at the moment! If I want to explore it in more detail in the future i'll be sure to get in touch! My analogy wasn't great; what I was getting at is that a £3000 bass would far exceed the needs of a beginner, and they would possibly not be able to realise its full potential. I wasn't trying to suggest that the equipment you recommend would be prohibitively expensive. Thanks again, and I do very much appreciate your input. Thanks to everyone else for all the suggestions too. I imagine that something like the EBS, Markbass, or Aguilar is going to be most suitable for me at present. Anyone know if that MXR one is any good?

[quote name='51m0n' post='1319914' date='Jul 29 2011, 12:04 AM']Honest answer, you dont know what the heck you are doing, if you dont get a device with proper metering you wont get the most out of it, and you will end spouting nonsense like "compression crushes dynamics". Hell you wont be able to tell if its even doing something until its doing too much! You need a full feature compressor, cheapest sort of thing is an [url="http://www.alesis.com/3630"]Alesis 3630[/url], its not the best compressor in the world by a long way, but its about a million times more useful to you than some pedal that you cant tell what it is doing because it has no metering, and you cant actually tailor to what you are trying to do because it doesnt have the rght controls. Another good starter option if you can find one is a dbx MC6, its a desktop kind of design, proper features, sounds great, I set up Silverfoxnik's one at last years SE Bass Bash for him, and he loves what it does for him in a live situation now. Compression, learn how to use it properly, or just dont go there.....[/quote] No, I don't really know what the heck i'm doing which is why I posted on here asking for advice. So you're saying that unless I'm going to have complicated, pro-standard equipment, I shouldn't bother at all? My Trace head used to have two knobs; compression low, and compression high. I found that these made a subtle difference to my sound and had the desired effect, and as I'm not a complete moron, I was able to judge how much compression to use without killing the dynamics of my playing. I appreciate your advice, but I just find it a bit like saying that unless you buy a £3000 bass there's no point learning to play.

Oh dear, I can see I've opened a whole can of worms here! It would need to be pretty simple to use, or I'll just get bored with it and not use it. Is it possible to get something half decent without spending a fortune?

[quote name='phil.i.stein' post='1319801' date='Jul 28 2011, 09:52 PM']live ? in my experience, no. slap can benefit from some compression, but otherwise you're just crushing dynamics. ..and the guitar will win.[/quote] Thanks, that's kinda what I was afraid of! My Trace rig that I had for years had built-in compression, but I only used to have it on a little. Sounds like I'm not really missing out on anything.

Just wondered what anyone feels are the pros and cons of compressers (in live situations)? I play some fingerstyle, some pick, and a little slap in my band, and obviously there's some variation in percieved volume(?) in what you hear out front due to this. Does anyone think a compresser might help balance out my sound a little? What does everyone recommend as good value for money and not too complicated (don't want to spend much if I can help it!) Thanks.

[quote name='dave_bass5' post='1318235' date='Jul 27 2011, 01:29 PM']......i look forward to seeing it in the For sale section asap ;-)[/quote] Not a chance! Although I did say a few months ago that I'd never part with my Jazz........

I also like slim necks and I've always found that G&L's have thick clumsy necks. My advice would be to look out for a used Sandberg, as they seem to be going for peanuts! Handbuilt in germany, amazing quality, great sound, and just effortless to play! I picked one up in good nick at the weekend for considerably less than your budget!

Fookin expensive though innit?