Compressor for endless sustain

JohnPativens · #1 03-01-2009, 03:26 PM

Hello everybody,

What bass-friendly compressor would you go for long sustain?
I'm looking for something that won't affect the original tone, just
take it, squeeze it and give it infinite sustain (good for screaming artificial harmonics

)
If it's good for ''standard'' compression also, that'd be even better!

**jbybj** · #2 03-02-2009, 11:10 AM

You want an ebow my friend. They are awesome on bass.

bassman1185 · #3 03-02-2009, 12:05 PM

For making false harmonics really scream, you don't want compression, you want distortion. With my band, I'll hit harmonics that squeal louder than my guitaris with my HBE Hematoma running into my Bass VT.

bongomania · #4 03-02-2009, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnPativens

I'm looking for something that won't affect the original tone, just
take it, squeeze it and give it infinite sustain (good for screaming artificial harmonics

)

Impossible. Any device that can compress your signal that much will affect the tone a great deal. Certain high-gain distortions and fuzzes can provide infinite sustain, but obviously the tone is changed quite a bit. the Pigtronix ADSR can supposedly provide nearly infinite sustain, but the tone will be squashed flat. An Ebow is able to give infinite sustain without changing the tone, but I'm not sure it would work in the context of "screaming artificial harmonics", at least not without hundreds of hours of practice.

miskha · #5 03-02-2009, 01:03 PM

I haven't tried it personally but I've heard great things about the Mad Professor Forest Green Compressor. It's also got a sustain switch on it. Bjorn (the designer) said that this pedal should work well with bass when I pm'd him on his forum.

JohnPativens · #6 03-02-2009, 03:12 PM

jbybj, The ebow is great on long notes.. it takes a while to get feedback and has slow attack, just like bowed instruments. Not what I'm looking for, though.

bassman1185, Yes, I think distortion + compression is the good way to go for what I mean. (Billy Sheehan docet!)
Can you do that with only the VTBass engaged at high gain settings?

Bongomania, I read your compressor reviews, very helpful, thank you! So let's say it might affect the tone. Would the Aphex PF, the EBS multicomp, the Mxr Dynacomp (and modded versions) do the trick, if set to extreme comp/ratio?

bassman1185 · #7 03-02-2009, 03:29 PM

I haven't really tried using my VT as a standalone distortion. I set it up for "tube amp pushed really hard" kind of sound, so I do get some grit from it, but mostly I use the Hematoma for the higher gain sounds. I do run compression before my board, though, so that helps too. For the squealy pinch harmonics, I think it's important for your compressor to be set for a slightly slower attack, so you get that initial front edge attack of the note.

I have practice tonight, so I can give the VT a try with higher gain settings. In my opinion, though, I think it's much better suited as a preamp/tone shaper than for a full-on, high-gain distortion box.

knarleybass · #8 03-02-2009, 03:31 PM

if you can find an old electro harmonix soul preacher, you will get endless sustain, not great for the harmonic squeals though,

bassman1185 · #9 03-02-2009, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by knarleybass

if you can find an old electro harmonix soul preacher, you will get endless sustain, not great for the harmonic squeals though,

EHX reissued the Soul Preacher as one of their Nano pedals. It runs about a hundred bucks here in the states, and it runs off of normal 9v power.

JohnPativens · #10 03-02-2009, 04:20 PM

bassman1185, Ok, I'll wait for you to try that, thank you!

bongomania · #11 03-02-2009, 08:28 PM

The original Soul Preacher had a reputation as a box of hiss, and the new one was a box of hiss too IME.

Let's clear up exactly what you're looking for. Are you willing to sacrifice natural tone, or are you willing to sacrifice "infinite" sustain? A little of both?

knarleybass · #12 03-02-2009, 08:31 PM

i didn't know they were making it again

bassman1185 · #13 03-03-2009, 06:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnPativens

bassman1185, Ok, I'll wait for you to try that, thank you!

Ok, I tried it, and the VT CAN do the screaming pinch harmonics, but that kind of distortion isn't as nice sounding from the VT as it is with, say, a Big Muff or my Hema.

cantstopwinning · #14 03-03-2009, 06:41 AM

What you want is a bass with endless sustain.

JohnPativens · #15 03-03-2009, 07:37 AM

Quote:

Are you willing to sacrifice natural tone, or are you willing to sacrifice "infinite" sustain? A little of both?

bongomania, Yes, a little of both! I'd like a comp that is good for ''normal'' compression (just like an EBS or a DBX 166xl, to name a few), also capable of extreme compression even if it's going to sacrifice a little of the original tone.

Quote:

Ok, I tried it, and the VT CAN do the screaming pinch harmonics, but that kind of distortion isn't as nice sounding from the VT as it is with, say, a Big Muff or my Hema.

bassman1185, I see.. what settings did you use to make it scream? Character and Driver knobs cranked up, I suppose..

Quote:

What you want is a bass with endless sustain.

A little hard to find, isn't it?

megadan · #16 03-03-2009, 07:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnPativens

A little hard to find, isn't it?

I recall someone on TB building an interesting bass (8 string octaves with quarter tone frets?) that also had a Sustainiac. Maybe that's what you want?

bassman1185 · #17 03-03-2009, 07:53 AM

I was able to get some scream out of the VT with the character and gain knobs both around 1:00, but anything beyond that just sounded bad to me.

rasthedoctor · #18 03-03-2009, 09:24 AM

Longest sustain I've heard (though from a guitar) was from Trey Anastasio, who did it by putting two cranked Keeley modded ts-9's in front of a Ross compressor... I guess in theory that could work on bass too...?

bongomania · #19 03-03-2009, 09:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnPativens

Yes, a little of both! I'd like a comp that is good for ''normal'' compression (just like an EBS or a DBX 166xl, to name a few), also capable of extreme compression even if it's going to sacrifice a little of the original tone

Almost any good rackmount comp with a very high ratio setting will do what you want. In pedal form I think you should try the T Rex Comp Nova. I found that by running a relatively hot signal into it I could get some pretty intense sustain, yet the tone is quite nice and not dirty. And then when you turn down the level of the signal going into it, it becomes a normal/mild compressor with very clean sound.

JohnPativens · #20 03-03-2009, 05:56 PM

bongomania,

How would you compare the T-rex to the Aphex and the EBS?