# Best compressor for 8 string



## markw1313 (May 31, 2013)

Hi guys,

I need some advice on compressors.
I'm using an RG8 with Bare Knuckle Emerald 8's.
I'm looking for a compressor for a clean sparkly sound.

Any ideas?
Thanks


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## Rook (May 31, 2013)

What for? Cleans?


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## Kroaton (May 31, 2013)

It depends on taste really, most will say the Keeley Compressor is what you'll want, but the thing you should shoot for is versatility.

A compressor with controls for threshold, ratio, attack, release and in a perfect world makeup and knee is the bees knees of versatility.

I recently migrated to a rack only setup, but if you keep the parameters I've mentioned above in mind, you will find what you are looking for.


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## sevenstringj (May 31, 2013)

Maxon CP101. Sometimes less is more. 

You're in LA. There've gotta be music stores where you can A-B several.


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## crg123 (May 31, 2013)

I love my Keeley 4 knob but I realize the price is a little steep. My only advice is to not get a cs3 they're terrible and noisy IMO


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## markw1313 (Jun 1, 2013)

I've tried Boss & Keeley. They're both bad. I've never been a fan of the Keeley.
I'm thinking about an optical comp, but information is proving hard to find.


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## sevenstringj (Jun 1, 2013)

markw1313 said:


> I've tried Boss & Keeley. They're both bad. I've never been a fan of the Keeley.
> I'm thinking about an optical comp, but information is proving hard to find.



>>>Optical compressors for guitar<<<

The Maxon I mentioned is optical, btw. Pigtronix Philosopher's Tone is another excellent optical one.


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## vansinn (Jun 1, 2013)

I'd say use as little as possible, and try to get what is known as a sidetrack compressor/sustainer.

Those lets the signal through unmodified, and does the compression on a Y-split separate channel, which is then mixed with the direct.

It allows hearing/feeling the natural sound and attack, and as such, you playing style, while smoothly applying sustain from the sidetrack compressor as the string gradually by nature decays out.


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## xwmucradiox (Jun 1, 2013)

The Diamond Compressor is IMO the best on the market. Most of the others like the Keeley are based on a Ross and have a ton of squish that wont work well for the huge dynamic range of an 8 string. You want something that isn't so heavy handed.


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## WaffleTheEpic (Jun 1, 2013)

I'm gonna totally get shit for this, but I use the MXR Dyna-comp. *shrug* Sounds good to me.


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## vansinn (Jun 2, 2013)

WaffleTheEpic said:


> I'm gonna totally get shit for this, but I use the MXR Dyna-comp. *shrug* Sounds good to me.



No shit-loaded ICMB with you lat&long  the Dyna is an all-time classic and very nice comp, though at times it can be a little 'compressed' sounding, depending on settings.
When set for limited action, it can be really nice and fluid.
Haven't had one since way back, but the emulation of it in my Lexicon MPX G2 works just fine


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## Shredcow (Jun 2, 2013)

I use a Cmatmods Deluxe Signa Comp, which is probably a Ross derivative....

Well... okay, basically, I had since I was on 6 strings and I never bothered change it out because it works. 

Anyway, the really cool thing is the Tone knob. It cuts bass as you turn it up so it's easy to tighten up the low end of an 8 string.

But that said... Ross compressors aren't know for "clean, sparkly" tones. Go optical for that.


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## AlexThorpe (Jun 2, 2013)

I'll cast another vote for a Diamond Compressor. Out of everything I sold for an axe-fx 2, it's one of the very few things I really miss. Just made everything sound great.


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## oniduder (Jun 2, 2013)

empress compressor looks cool i have no experience with any compressors but looks are all that matter to me, jk, idk .... compressors

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-EMPRESS...267?pt=Guitar_Accessories&hash=item1e798fb9f3


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## WaffleTheEpic (Jun 2, 2013)

Is this any good?

It has a woman on it!

Red Witch Grace Compressor Guitar Effects Pedal | Musician&#39;s Friend


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## markw1313 (Jun 4, 2013)

Thanks everyone.
I'm off to the local music shop tomorrow to try out the pigtronics and a freind of a friend has a diamond that I'm going to have a play with at the weekend.
Cheers.


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## CanniballistiX (Jun 5, 2013)

I picked up an Xotic SP Compressor. It's got a great blend dial that lets you choose how much of your original signal is there as well as the compressed signal. Besides that, there is a high, mid, and low switch that changes the tone in a subtle way. Most definitely worth checking out. I picked mine up for $132, you may be able to do better, especially if you find it used.

Here's a link to their site and there are four vids to check out:

Xotic Effects SP Compressor


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## Rook (Jun 5, 2013)

Still don't know what you're aiming to achieve with it, it'll make the suggestions less random.

Also the Keeley is optical IIRC.


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## markw1313 (Mar 18, 2016)

And the winner is ...........

TC Electronic Spectra Comp

I know it's meant for bass, but it works well with the 8 string, which I'm using 2 handed and clean like a Chapman Stick.
The single knob set in the range of 12 o'clock and 2 seems to be the optimum.

Of the others I tried, the Pigtronix and the Diamond were the runners up.
The Keeley and the Boss were horrible. I'd expected the Boss to be bad - I've tried one with a 6 string in the past, but I was surprised that a big name "boutique" manufacturer like Keeley would make something that is virtually unusable. A friend's £12 Behringer comp sounded better FFS!


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## vick1000 (Mar 19, 2016)

Holy thread necro Batman!!!!!!!!

It took you 3 years to find a comp?


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## Ordacleaphobia (Mar 19, 2016)

I choose to believe our friend Mark went out on a compression quest, dutifully trying each and every compressor on the market through numerous combinations of gear and processing. Complete with metric and scores for each to determine a mathematical winner. Doing whatever it took to locate the tone.


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## markw1313 (Mar 20, 2016)

Not that far from the truth. To be honest, on several occasions I did give up for a few months. Having a selection of amps available - Marshall, Sessionette, Roost and(briefly) Hiwatt - didn't make the search any easier. Compressors were borrowed, begged and bought(cheap) from ebay/craigslist/gumtree etc. I thought I cracked it several times(pedal & rack models) only to find after regular use that all was not well. 
Finally settled on the Spectra Comp into the Sessionette - which is solid state - G-Major in the loop, Marshall 8008 power amp.


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## noise in my mind (Apr 4, 2016)

markw1313 said:


> Not that far from the truth. To be honest, on several occasions I did give up for a few months. Having a selection of amps available - Marshall, Sessionette, Roost and(briefly) Hiwatt - didn't make the search any easier. Compressors were borrowed, begged and bought(cheap) from ebay/craigslist/gumtree etc. I thought I cracked it several times(pedal & rack models) only to find after regular use that all was not well.
> Finally settled on the Spectra Comp into the Sessionette - which is solid state - G-Major in the loop, Marshall 8008 power amp.



Thank you for your research and contributions to the GAS study field.


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## Bluestreak (Apr 5, 2016)

noise in my mind said:


> Thank you for your research and contributions to the GAS study field.


I never found a compressor that equaled a solid rack mounted one. I have bought (and subsequently sold) at least a dozen pedal compressors. I have always used an old dbx 166 that I've had for... I can't _tell_ you how long. Like, probably 20 years. I'm new to 8-strings (I have a Prestige 852) but the 166 does a great job with it. I daisy chain the two channels and it's unbeatable. They're on evilBay for $50~$100 all day long.


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## Veldar (Apr 17, 2016)

Compressor Reviews


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