Cali 76 FET comp vs Cali 76 BASS comp ???

[Motosonic]

Accidentally ordered Cali 76 FET Compressor but I meant to order the Bass Compressor...

Should I return and correct? Or just roll with it?

Read of some bass players that prefer the FET...

Upgrading from MXR Bass Compressor...

Let me know if you have experience with both units for bass- and have a recommendation?

TYTY

 

[Jazzjames]

I wouldn’t want to be without the HPF so I’d return it if I were you.

 

[31HZ]

+1 on the HPF being necessary, particularly if you play below E1.

 

[HolmeBass]

I wouldn’t want to be without the HPF so I’d return it if I were you.

This would be my concern as well.

 

[MDBass]

Accidentally ordered Cali 76 FET Compressor but I meant to order the Bass Compressor...

Should I return and correct? Or just roll with it?

Read of some bass players that prefer the FET...

Upgrading from MXR Bass Compressor...

Let me know if you have experience with both units for bass- and have a recommendation?

TYTY

An 1176 rack compressor doesn’t have an HPF sidechain and sounds fantastic on bass: the original Cali didn’t have one either and did as well.

The bassist who sparked the popularity of the Cali pedal among bassists regularly tuned down to F#.

Personally, I wouldn’t lose independent attack/release controls to gain a sidechain HPF.

 

[Just Wrong]

The bassist who sparked the popularity of Cali pedal among bassists regularly tuned down to F#.

Who's that?

 

[MDBass]

Who's that?

Nolly Getgood.

Dingwall, Darkglass and Origin Effects all owe a decent amount of their current market share to his GoPro live cam and Premier Guitar rig rundown videos from a decade or so ago

 

[SharpCat]

So the tuning was BEAD over the F#? That…actually makes some sense.

Back to topic, could OP use a separate HPF instead? That way you get ALL the control.

 

[meisi]

So what frequency do you typically avoid sending to the comp?

In another way of looking at it; how useful is the bass with HPF on other instruments not needing below E1?

 

[MDBass]

So the tuning was BEAD over the F#? That…actually makes some sense.

Back to topic, could OP use a separate HPF instead? That way you get ALL the control.

He’d actually have to if he wants an HPF in his signal chain.

The HPF on the Cali doesn’t filter the signal itself: it’s a sidechain filter that controls how the compressor reacts to the low end by changing what the compressor is listening to.

 

[Motosonic]

So what frequency do you typically avoid sending to the comp?

In another way of looking at it; how useful is the bass with HPF on other instruments not needing below E1?

Thanks! I play a 4 string with a hip shot - mostly stays in E sometimes down to D

 

[Mister_argentum]

For a 4 string bass I would prefer to have individual control over attack and release, the blend knob can still help you getting some natural lows in. In the end I think it is a matter of personal preference.

 

[wolffire99]

Lots of people prefer HPF sidechain off on the CB. When using flats I like the punchlines of the low frequencies hitting the comp. Maybe just try it out.

 

[Motosonic]

FWIW Decided to return the FET and correct to the Bass Comp... the amount of on-line information, demos and videos for the unit specific to live bass, tipped me.

 

[Motosonic]

Ill put a pin in this, sort of... not specifically to the nuance between the 2 models BUT the Bass Compressor in general now that I made the correction/decision is the single biggest upgrade to my tone Ive experienced in long while. It harkens back to a tone I often muse about that I was able achieve on a weekly gig years ago at (the now defunct) Nightingales in the EV... Its this "world is your oyster tone" ... The best way I can describe it is- I can keep my tone exactly the way I want it BUT it pushes through the mix. Really, really happy with this box!

 

[Chris Chong]

I too ordered the FET comp, instead of the bass comp. Thinking separate attack release control is more crucial. Sadly, Sold it after a week.

As I have experience that big bottom from an HPF SC empress bass comp, i could not get use to the reduced low end on the FET comp.

Months later I got the pedal76 which does not have both dry blend and HPF. It shares the same behaviour of the FET comp, a reduced Low end, at high compression setting. But i learnt that this could be easily overcome by boosting the Low end after the comp, and keep to about -5dB under normal playing.

 

[Motosonic]

I too ordered the FET comp, instead of the bass comp. Thinking separate attack release control is more crucial. Sadly, Sold it after a week.

As I have experience that big bottom from an HPF SC empress bass comp, i could not get use to the reduced low end on the FET comp.

Months later I got the pedal76 which does not have both dry blend and HPF. It shares the same behaviour of the FET comp, a reduced Low end, at high compression setting. But i learnt that this could be easily overcome by boosting the Low end after the comp, and keep to about -5dB under normal playing.

boosting the low end on the pedal or on a separate eq?

 

[Chris Chong]

boosting the low end on the pedal or on a separate eq?

after the comp

 

[NickyBass]

Is the HPF more useful at higher compression ratios? I typically stay between 4:1 - 8:1 and I like the separate attack and release knobs on the Pedal76. Would the FET comp work for me and not 'distort' the lows at lower ratios?

 

[JenderBazzFass]

For me, the new bass Cali is so worth it. I've never really connected to a compressor before but this one I like.

The down side of course is the expense and they don't come up used very often from what I can see. (maybe that's a good sign?)