Compressors for extra sustain?

  • Thread starter Thread starter reverymike
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reverymike

reverymike

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Sometimes I just want a hair more sustain on my tones, especially when I roll back my volume to clean up. Will a compressor do the trick without changing things too much?

Is there one that works great when it's on all the time (both OD tones and clean tones)?
 
Depends on the compressor, for sure. You probably need something with variable attack time or a blend knob to not get that typical snap on the initial stroke. Also, if you´re running a bit higher gain your tone is automatically super compressed already and adding a compressor will mostly add mush.

I´d recommend a VFE White Horse, I used that one for years and it can do just about whatever you need from it. Very different from the typical Dynacomp or Boss offerings, which I wouldn´t recommend here. The cool expensive choice these days is the Cali 76, which is more like an old studio compressor.

With that said, if you have a compressor on all the time and you roll back your guitar volume you will actually be removing bits of the extra compression, given how the threshold works. Could be tricky to balance the amount of compression that way.
 
The Carl Martin Andy Timmons comp. is really nice for clean and dirt as it has settings for each, is foot switchable and also 1/4 switchable if your running a switcher. You could also try the old Boss CS-2 which is a comp/sustainer. Way back before midi switchers I had my tech at the time build that pedal in a rack encloser and used to switch it on and off via a Midi Octopus. The CS-2 was nice as it really didnt muddy the tone depending on how you set it. This was also Gilmore's pedal of choice for years. The rig I have now calls for more comp. on clean and not so much on dirt so I just this year switched to the Carl Martin and no complaints. That one is also a very transparent comp. More so Than the CS-2, but for flat out sustain it was hard to beat. Over 20 years with the CS-2 in rack and pedal form and its stood the test of time for sure! Hope that helps.
 
The one I'm looking at is the Wampler Ego Compressor and the Suhr Koji. I know Justin Derrico uses the Wampler Ego for both clean and dirty tones, and Andy Wood uses the Suhr, mainly on clean, but sometimes mid-gain tones.

Both have a dry-thru mix, which seems to be important, especially if you're using it with gainier tones.
 
The Wampler Ego is one of my favorites. I also love the Tone Press. The blend knob does exactly what you are looking for.
 
As was mentioned, just make sure you get one with a blend knob. I generally find it more of a struggle to get compressors to work with humbuckers.

Also, try the compressor before and after your dirt pedals if you have them.

I am on the hunt for an empress compressor. Currently have a Diamond Compressor (great, but no blend knob) and Barber Tone Press. Would get an Origin Effects Cali76, but don't have the coin.
 
If you want endless sustain, install a Fernandes Sustainer, got one in my Charvel, sustains till the battery runs out haha
 
ghosty999":1yz5bgl9 said:
If you want endless sustain, install a Fernandes Sustainer, got one in my Charvel, sustains till the battery runs out haha
Click to expand...

that's not really what I'm after. It's more of a feel thing, and added sustain with cleaner tones.
 
Check out a Maxon CP101 if you can. Very transparent, and no tone suck when off.
 
My two favorites are the Xotic SP and the Wampler Ego. Doesn't color your sound if you don't want it to.
 
Question... I have struggled with using my Keeley 4 Knob Compressor, and the fact that it brings the level of noise up so much when used in conjunction with my KOT pedal, I actually avoid using it. I have always tried to keep my compressor first in my signal path to try and eliminate the issue. Compressing the signal before any gain is introduced seems logical to me. I don't overuse gain, and primarily use compression only for spanky clean funky stuff, but sometimes I find that it amplifies the signal noise just from the other pedals that are in the circuit. I'm using a cheap (supposedly isolated) pedal power supply but it doesn't seem to help enough. I just purchased the new Strymon Zuma power supply online, and eagerly await getting it to see if a quality power supply will improve the situation. Do you think changing brands is the answer? The 2 that interest me the most would be the Cali76 or the Carl Martin Andy Timmons.
 
cornish, diamond or origin effects cali 76...I hate compressors when playing amps that have pre-amp compression. I think they work better with boards and clean amps.
 
I was researching this same thing recently and the SoloDallas stuff looks like it's the answer. I'm thinking of trying out the Storm pedal.
 
Joined a new band recently that plays a lot of R&B and dance music, and it looks like I'm going to need a compressor soon myself. The XP, MXR 76, and Suhr are what I'm eyeballing. The MXR looks nice, but the Suhr has a switchable buffer.
 
I can 2nd the Wampler mini Ego Compressor. I just added one a couple weeks ago and it's awesome. It does not change the tone at all to me. It just adds some sustain and really helps when soloing with my neck pickup. I love it. It's always on and all I ever really play is high gain stuff. I notice when I turn it off that notes just don't hold as long, but tonally they are the same. I think that's what it's supposed to do and it does it well.

It's first in my chain after my buffer, before the dirt so it did make me have to start using my noise gate though which makes sense because it's bringing all those little things up.
 
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