Compression Or Not?

[Ka_Ve_86]

Hey all seeking some advice i brought myself a Digitech Bass Squeeze compression pedal and i dont seem to get what i want out of it.

I am playing a Fender P japan Foto Flame throught a markbass MkII and a david eden 4x10xlt, I just want heaps of punch with lots of drive i play in a band with only one guitarist so i want a tone thats going to fill the gap but still give me a nice warm punchy tone so that my bass lines can be heard.

Is a compression pedal going to improve that i have tried tweaking it but i just come up short any ideas?

 

[Pbassred]

I don't know the gear in question, and I don't think that "filling the gap" is a good idea. Music is about leaving spaces.

That said,
A compressor is an auto volume device. If you set it right you wont hear it. It doesn't alter tone. All it really does is keep a lid on the peaks so that you can raise the overall volume.

If you want punch, give it a high threshold so that it is not working all the time, and a long attack. That way, the initial thump gets through before it starts to limit. That works for drums too.

 

[bernard_beard]

When I first started I bought a couple of stomp box compressors thinking they would 'thicken' up my tone.
I was dissapointed with the results...
I've since found a tone I'm happy with, but without using a compressor.
Maybe some kind of tube or tube sim pre-amp/pedal would get towards what you are after?

 

[morf]

I'm very satisfied of the Alesis compressor I bought a few weeks ago. Used with my Cirrus it gives me a very compressed, round but punchy tone thats great for slap and alot of other stuff. Overall I think it gave me much wider tone options.

 

[bongomania]

Over in the "effects" subforum we have endless discussion of compressors. There is a compressor sticky there. It may not answer your specific question right off the bat, but it's a start. In the effects forum, search on words such as "compressor punchy", "compressor fatten", and the like.