If you could choose only one compressor pedal

[Al Krow]

Just having discovered the Pigtronoix M2 (courtesy of Gisser), which is going to a be a ridiculously fun addition to anyone's pedal board, I'm kinda starting to explore all things 'Piggy' and wondering whether their Philospher's Tone Micro would a completely daft piece of kit for a bass player to be getting instead of the usual standard staples?

[DiMarco]

Cali76 cb. Without any doubt. It is way ahead of the competition.

 

[Rollin Thunder]

Just got a brand new Pigtronix

and first thoughts where its awfull, totally squashed and strangled all life out of the bass.

put it back in box to send back.

then i read instructions (doh) turns out i was using it all wrong, firstly plugged it into 9v rather than 18v (double doh) it will work at 9v but not properly, then i realised this is the first compressor that actually does what a compressor is meant to do and was not using it for what i want.

now i get it and after a bit of playing around got exactly what i wanted from it. Set the volume to match at unity with amp, had compression set at about 10 o clock, sustain at 8 o clock. And bingo, got a rounder more defined sound a little cleaner volume boost and slightly thicker warmer sound without loss if tone and more note definition its only subtle but noticeable. Had to increase compression to around 11-12 when using more heavy Fuzz. Finally got what i want and finally get it. Think most of the other ones i have had are not trully compressors. This actually does what a compressor is meant to do.

Edited February 11, 2018 by Rollin Thunder

[bassmayhem]

If I were to choose from the ones I have or have had, it would definitely be the RMI (Basswitch) Dual Band Compressor.

I've had a bunch through the years: EBS (3 or 4 of them), Boss (in the 80's), Joe Meek Floor Q, Yamaha stereo rack compressor (in the 80's), Trace Elliot Dual Band, Cali76 TX-L, Seymour Duncan Studio Compressor (thanx to Dood's review...), Diamond Bass Comp, FMR Audio PBC-6A (the favourite, but not fot pedalboards), FMR Audio A.R.C. and the RMI Dual Band Compressor. I surely forget some others...

[uk_lefty]

On 03/10/2017 at 23:33, Jus Lukin said:

think it might have to be the Boss LMB-3. (Yeah, I clocked the pun, just going to ignore it though!)

It's good at super subtle levelling, peak limiting, and a mighty squish without too many weird artifacts. The 'enhance' function isn't much cop, and I actually think that replacing it with the attack control from the CS-3 would make for something very useful indeed.

I'd love to know your compression settings and copy them. Mine seems to suck out all tone and character, but I probably need to spend more time with it. I do enjoy the enhancer for my fretless bass though. I use the recommended setting from the manual and it brings out something from the bass 

[tandark]

20 hours ago, Rollin Thunder said:

Just got a brand new Pigtronix

and first thoughts where its awfull, totally squashed and strangled all life out of the bass.

put it back in box to send back.

then i read instructions (doh) turns out i was using it all wrong, firstly plugged it into 9v rather than 18v (double doh) it will work at 9v but not properly, then i realised this is the first compressor that actually does what a compressor is meant to do and was not using it for what i want.

now i get it and after a bit of playing around got exactly what i wanted from it. Set the volume to match at unity with amp, had compression set at about 10 o clock, sustain at 8 o clock. And bingo, got a rounder more defined sound a little cleaner volume boost and slightly thicker warmer sound without loss if tone and more note definition its only subtle but noticeable. Had to increase compression to around 11-12 when using more heavy Fuzz. Finally got what i want and finally get it. Think most of the other ones i have had are not trully compressors. This actually does what a compressor is meant to do.

Theres a new Pigtronix coming out around 1st March:

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/PhilosBMicro

 

[Al Krow]

7 minutes ago, tandark said:

Theres a new Pigtronix coming out around 1st March:

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/PhilosBMicro

 

Oooh, thanks for sharing that - a bass version of the guitar comp I'd had my eye on. Something I'd definitely like to check out further. 

[Jus Lukin]

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Edited February 25, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[Al Krow]

Well having recently moved on the widely used and liked MXR M87 compressor to a better bass player on this forum than me, I've just pre-ordered the more 'left field' Pigtronix PBCM via Musician's Friend in the US which I'm hoping will do, as well some of the normal 'subtle compression' stuff, additional 'in your face' sustain, which I'm looking forward to pairing with other effects on my board (in particular synth and dirt). I'll be interested in what the dirt on this pedal is like, too. 

The pedal is clearly a compression-sustain with the emphasis on the 'sustain' rather than being a more traditional 'pure' compressor.

After @51m0n warned me off one knob compression pedals as being the work of the devil, I made sure that this had at least two to twiddle...

 

Cheers @tandark for spotting this had come out - you'll see from my earlier post (Nov 15th) that I'd already got my eye on the guitar version of this - so it's great that I've been able to grab the more recent version that is tailored to bass.

Due out early March so it's going to be a bit of a wait, yet...

[tandark]

No worries @Al Krow, I was going to wait and grab one too, but saw a Walrus Audio Deep Six for a good price online and pulled the trigger.

When GAS strikes, there is no waiting...

[Al Krow]

35 minutes ago, tandark said:

No worries @Al Krow, I was going to wait and grab one too, but saw a Walrus Audio Deep Six for a good price online and pulled the trigger.

When GAS strikes, there is no waiting...

Yup that looks like a really good choice. The Pigtronix unusually seems to have gone for a 'grit' instead of the more usual 'attack' which the Walrus and most other comps have. I'll be interested to see if that is actually a 'True Grit' a la Mr Eastwood or more in the nature of a bit of gravel...

[dave_bass5]

49 minutes ago, tandark said:

When GAS strikes, there is no waiting...

I scoured central London for a Cali76 on 23rd Dec. I HAD to have it there and then, even though i had no gigs or any real urgency to get it. GAS is not a nice thing.

 

[Al Krow]

I find one of the best ways of keeping my foot off the pedal GAS is to run out of space on my pedal board!  

[51m0n]

I use a rack compressor for some always on super transparent compression and limiting of any stupidness on my part.

That being said if I wanted to add a compressor pedal then it would be purely to get a very obviously compressed tone (think sledgehammer or whatever) I would want it to be squishy and obvious.

Personally I like optical compressors for this, and whilst the PC-2a is no doubt fabulous, I have had a bit of a thing for Joe Meek rack compressors of old. since we are talking pedals though I would add a Joe Meek Floor-Q to my board, I've used the Joe Meek OneQ in the studio as a bass preamp just because the compressor is so much fun, and this is the same compressor circuit. Its not subtle, probably carries a little noise but its got a super funky squish to it that I love for those moments when you just need the compressor to pump and grind on your tone

 

[tandark]

1 hour ago, Al Krow said:

Yup that looks like a really good choice. The Pigtronix unusually seems to have gone for a 'grit' instead of the more usual 'attack' which the Walrus and most other comps have. I'll be interested to see if that is actually a 'True Grit' a la Mr Eastwood or more in the nature of a bit of gravel...

Ovnilab.com does reference the grit switch found on the previous (larger) version of the pigtronix bass comp and he wasn't a fan of the character of it compared to the one found on the 'guitar specific' (although still usable on bass) version. This put me off a bit, but considering how they made improvements previously based on his input I wouldn't be surprised if this has been tweaked as well.

Fortunately I have drive options (EQD palisades and Green Russian Muff) so feature wasn't as important and justifying my impatience!

[Jus Lukin]

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Edited February 25, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[Al Krow]

1 hour ago, Jus Lukin said:

It was Mr Wayne, wasn't it?! (closest I could find to a cowboy smiley!)

Sorry to say it, but that is one-knob compression! The blend will mix in your unaffected signal, and the grit, while adding it's own compression, is a separate addition. You would have have much more control with the MXR! This doesn't mean the pedal won't work for you, but it really depends how the way it behaves fits you. I'm not entirely against one-knob comps, as I enjoy the Rothwell Love Squeeze, and even a Dyna Comp clone in extreme circumstances, but they only get used when I know I want that exact set of parameters, and won't want to tweak at all. So not too often...

This one has THREE knobs, clean, volume and sustain impacting and the compression. 

Ok I agree this is strictly a 'one knob'  for the compression / sustain. But that's fine. I'm still at the 'I have no idea whether a compression pedal is making any material difference whatsoever' stage in terms of anyone, including me(!) actually noticing it being there

So for me this is really a bass sustain pedal with £20 worth of John Wayne thrown in. You're not going to get much John Wayne for £20... 😄 

Edited February 14, 2018 by Al Krow

[Jus Lukin]

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Edited February 25, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[Al Krow]

Sounds like more than £20 to me? 

[Jus Lukin]

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Edited February 25, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[dave_bass5]

On 14/02/2018 at 10:12, Al Krow said:

I find one of the best ways of keeping my foot off the pedal GAS is to run out of space on my pedal board!  

Using Velcro its easy to get round that :-(

[TrevorG]

I love my EBS Multicomp but have looked jealously at the Cali76. With everything I get from the multicomp I can't justify the 76. The the build quality is WAY ahead of the EBS but the tube sim supplies similar warmth to the 76's HPF(though not as flexibly) and the attack and release are brilliantly preset.

[burno70]

I've recently downgraded from an Empress Compressor to a TC Spectra Comp and I'm loving it! It can't half squeeze!. Not as transparent as the Empress but still a solid compressor.

[Al Krow]

6 minutes ago, burno70 said:

I've recently updowngraded from an Empress Compressor to a TC Spectra Comp and I'm loving it! It can't half squeeze and does so at less than half the price and takes up less than half the pedal board space! Not as transparent as the Empress but still a solid compressor.

Just a few technical corrections that I suspect @Osiris would have wanted to see...

[funky8884]

9 hours ago, burno70 said:

I've recently downgraded from an Empress Compressor to a TC Spectra Comp and I'm loving it! It can't half squeeze!. Not as transparent as the Empress but still a solid compressor.

I do want to try a Empress Comp one day as they look the business and no doubt sound great,   I am currently messing about with a Seymour Duncan Double Back which I like as it has a blend which works well.