Compressors - what do I need specifically?

[christw]

I'm looking into compressors, but I've got a wide and varied style and I'm not sure what my best bet is. I've done searches and there's a lot to be found and none of it really honed me in besides 10-15 recommended comps.

For my purposes, I was looking for a comp to help even out my signal for sometimes very rough fingerstyle, occasional fingerstyle pinch harmonics, slap, pop, etc. I don't want to remove all dynamic, just to control the levels between styles. I do not want my tone to suffer.

It'd be nice to keep it <$100 because this is more for me and my jamming at the minute, no real gigging for it. I'll give myself a little wiggle room, but $200 is my upper limit.

Suggestions or questions to help me hone my search? Thanks guys!

[bongomania]

Actually what you've said hasn't really narrowed the field down much. I'll help if you can be more specific.

And it's "home" in, not "hone" in.

[HotelX]

Actually he is right bongomania.

[TXLawDawg]

Although I never ended up getting one, I did my research and determined that an Aguilar TLC would be the one I would purchase. It can do some peak limiting and is very transparent.

[Craig_S]

Originally Posted by HotelX

Actually he is right bongomania.

You're both right.

http://grammar.about.com/od/alighter...ehonegloss.htm

[bongomania]

"Hone in" is an ignorant corruption. It only started to become acceptable after a certain language-butchering president used it, and commentators on his side defended his usage.

"It may be that eventually hone in on will become so common that dictionaries will begin to enter it as a standard phrase; and usage commentators will then routinely rail against it as an ignorant corruption of the language. That is a development we can all look forward to, but it's time is not yet. In the meantime, we recommend that you use home in on instead."
(Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of English Usage, 1994)

[christw]

Well I'm sorry I'm butchering our language but my issue in the first place was the wide band of options with very little specifics for use on my end. I read some of Bongo's compressor reviews and suggestions, but there were still 10 or more that seemed to be good enough for what I wanted. I just don't know if I should pick one from the hat and pull the trigger or try to figure out more.

[bongomania]

Sorry for the derail, I didn't mean it to be a big deal or overtake your question.

Really, once you get down to those 10 or so that are recommended and within your budget, it really is all about personal preference. And that, unfortunately, requires you to take a gamble and a leap of faith on the first purchase.

The good news is that once you have tried one of the recommended ones, if it doesn't suit you for whatever reason, then you can come around and say "is there any comp that doesn't have this problem I'm having with the XYZ that I've been using?" Then it becomes much easier to narrow the field.

A fairly safe gamble would be a used Demeter or a not-very-old EBS. They show up at fair prices in the classifieds all the time, and if they don't suit you, you can easily re-sell them without losing anything but the cost of postage.

[christw]

Well, I suppose I'll take the plunge sometime soon! For what it's worth, I was joking about the language thing. Tone is hard to convey online sometimes

[Robertron]

Originally Posted by bongomania

And it's "home" in, not "hone" in.

Yay I've learned something today!

Although I don't ever use the term myself.

[cybersnyder]

Bongo recommended an EBS to me about two years ago. I tried a bunch of different compressors and ended up getting an EBS and I love it. I should take advice better. Thought I was saving some money by buying a cheaper pedal, several times. End result was that I paid a lot more. EBS. Get it used on TB and you can flip it for what you paid if it doesn't rock your world.

[Swift713]

I tried a used Demeter from the classifieds first. When I determined that it wasn't for me I sold it for what I paid. Then I ordered a couple of the most likely suspects at the time from MF and returned the one I liked less. Since then several really good looking units have come on the market to complicate things. One day I'd like to try some more but for now I'm still very happy with the Maxon CP-9.

[johnboy65]

For what it's worth I really like my EH Blackfinger and I got it for $100

[Jpeachbass]

I bought a Electro harmonix Soul preacher and love it. Not really a bass specific comp but i have used it extensively in all styles. I play on cruise ships and play what ever they tell me. So pretty much anything you can think of other than slipknot and or something. (thank god) The only thing vie had with it is the footswitch pops in the signal when you push it. but not bad enough to bother me. You cant hear it when your playing just when its quiet. I never really turn it off so i docent matter any way.

[carlos840]

I never believed i needed a compressor until i bought the Aguilar TLC!
I bought it only on bongos review, without trying it and i love it.
its not left on all the time but i use it for a few specific songs and its great.
I did try the EBS before and didnt like it, felt like it took something off my tone.

[Diddii]

my budget wasnt much few years ago so i moved from one to another compressor (digitech - boss - rackmounted DBS... ) i wasnt satisfied until i got my EBS :/ thats just my opinion.

You should concider it altough it is a bit out of your prize range its worth the money.