good compressor for overdrive/distortion?...

[coops!JB]

...shoot

[bongomania]

Shoot? OK, bang.

You'll need to be a lot more specific. What exactly are you trying to achieve?

[RickenBoogie]

You mean like, using a compressor to make a distorted bass signal? It *can* be done, if the comp has make up gain.

[anonymous122511]

The two best pedals I've used are the EBS (borrowed) and the Diamond which is what I bought. Both are dead easy to use, well made and sound very good. Another good option I've used in the past the the FMR Audio RNC compressor. It's a half-rack (still small enough to get on a pedal board) studio quality unit for under $300 last I checked. The RNC waaaaay is more versatile (and you see them in full-on pro studios all the time) but also more complicated to set up if if yer not fully up to speed on how compressors work.

[Swift713]

Do you want 1) to get overdrive from a compressor or 2) a compressor to use with an overdrive or 3) to overdrive an amp with a compressor?
If 1) I don't know, maybe a tube comp? May not sound so great.
If 2) Why bother? Compression with overdrive is redundant.
If 3) The Jaques Fat Burner has enough gain to overdrive an amp. Probably lots of comps could do this. The Maxon CP9pro+ has a lot of gain as well.

[scubaduba]

Sounds you need the VFE White Stallion prototype I just purchased. It's just like the VFE White Horse except instead of the 3-way toggle switch, there is a variable DRIVE control. Turning this control up has a similar function as switching the White Horse into "overdrive" mode. The difference is that the compressor is always on in the White Stallion, where as in the White Horse the compressor is only on when you are in the compressor mode. So you can increase the drive and sustain and OD with the compressor operational. The compressor and drive circuit are working together. I don't know if/when Peter is going to market these. But maybe with enough interest he will?

[Darylt]

my vote would be for the Electro Harmonix Black Finger

[ga_edwards]

Originally Posted by Swift713

If 2) Why bother? Compression with overdrive is redundant..

Wrong. Try telling Billy Sheehan that Yes it's true overdrive does compress, but it's definitely not a replacement for compression, even with the dirty tone it produces.

Personally I like a little light overdrive in my tone, but it does not compress enough, so I use a separate compressor too.

Also if you are relying on the compressed byproduct of overdrive, you have little, if any control over the compression.


To the OP. If you are having trouble using compression and overdrive at the same time, I would recommend putting the compression before OD. Yes, you lose a little dynamic range of the overdrive, but you getting a much more controllable, tone and volume.