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DOD Milk Box doesn't suck (sound)

Hi!
I've used the Milk Box for a good 5-6 years now. There have been many a time where I've ventured off to explore new compressors...and keep coming back to it.
The Milk Box is the greatest compressor - very clean, smoothe and it has never distorted/overdriven with any signal I put throught it.
I use the compressor with a '95 Musicman Sterling and '98 Ibanez BTB (MIJ) through (effetcs optional depending on the gig) Boss OC-2, Boss ODB-3, Dunlop 105Q Bass Wah, Electro Harmonix Q-Tron +, '80's Ibanez Power-Series Stereo Chorus...Into an '86 Gallien Krueger 800rb, Ashdown ABM 410t (English).
My settings (on tour/recording) are left on all the time and are:
Level at 2:00 - 2:30, Compression at 10:00 - 10:30, Hi Exp at the notch around 2:00 and attack the same.
This sound gives me a great, smooth sound with full, rich sound and is perfect for jumping between slapping, fingers, pick, tapping, harmonics, etc... any style, any time - with no need to worry about dynamics/eq.
I feel happy to advertise how great and simple this pedl is, as it has made my playing improve dramatically when I began using it, and it has greatly aided me in live/recorded sound since without fail.
If another pops up on ebay, I will definitely get is as a spare. I have, however purchased an '80's DOD FX-85 Compressor, and it is great also! There is a little more attack than I would preffer, but as a spare for when the Milk Box perishes or when I need to leave the pedalboard at home - it definitely proves itself beyond useful.
All in all, I'd definitely reccommend these DOD compressors to anyone - there is a great range of compression in them, from incredibly subtle, to full-bore enhancing of your sound. These pedals completely bring the sound of your bass to the forefront and I would never be without it in my arsenal. Thanks! JOHN


I just got mine, Do you have the cow painted one? I happen to have some of your effects also, do you use it at the end or the beginning of your chain?
 
I just picked up a cream milk box for $50 at Class Axe Guitars and am impressed with the thing. I don't have to worry about my bassballs spiking my preamp pedal or amp input. It's not the best at peak limiting but for what I need it's tops.

I figure that if I need anything more than this I'll need to practice on my technique. Not to say that about compressors and bass players, but I'm not a big slapper. I just have a digital amp that clips harshly and I like to hit it as hot as possible. Also, my Eden WTDI has a harsh distortion when it clips and I want to hit that as hot as possible cause it sounds so damn good...also, ITS compressor's effect is wholly dependant on the input signal. I like to be able to use every tool I have so even if I don't choose to use that compressor for sweetening or have to use it to tame the peaks for the preamp to not clip, I want it to be able to work if I find a use for it.

I'm also amazed at the difference in my tone when I'm using my Envelope Phaser in either mode. It's all tightened up enough for the phasing to shape the texture and not the volume so much. I think this thing will always be on.

Thanks to Bongomania for his advice/ovni site - since there are so many compressors on the market I was really only considering a couple of bass centered pedals and boutique gear that isn't on the cards for awhile.

I'm so glad that my pedalboard lets me make better on my gain staging/signal flow now.

The only thing I would like on this pedal is a threshold control.

It's still a winner.
 
I just got this yesterday (Wednesday before Thanksgiving); bought it used from Guitar Center, 34.99 but shipping and tax made it about 44 and some change.

This thing sounds "expensive" even though it's not, and sounds REALLY good. It's almost as if it superpowers your basses, while basically keeping their character intact-the tonal change is quite minimal, and I imagine would be totally unnoticeable live. I was afraid of the HI EXP making the pedal noisy, but it's very, very low noise (it may add too much bite if put on max for some players, although it works great for some applications that way-in fact, I like this pedal VERY much because of the HI EXP options, as it gives the player lots of tonal options, which is good for different strings and/or basses.) I can't believe how good it is for the price, and how natural and transparent you can make it too sound (this is what I usually try to do.)

Since I use compressors to lessen the dyanmics levels (not to squash the signal, or as an effect), it just works flawlessly for me, with very little noticeable noise. I have used an MXR Super Comp in the past (still have it), and admittedly, you can make it sound decent, although it adds its own character to your bass's sound (of course, the Milkbox can be setup so that it add its own character as well, but I like the Milkbox's nuances much better.) The loss of lows is not that bad on the Super Comp, but there WILL be a noticeable loss, even though it won't really cripple your lows. That said, the Milkbox is so awesome sounding, that I cannot imagine myself going back to the Super Comp, however nice and not really bad that pedal is (the Super Comp is much more noisy, not too bad, mind you, and does sound "cheaper" if that makes sense-funny, since the Milkbox is bound to have cheap components as well.) It does what it's supposed to do, and what I wanted it to do, making it easier to even out my dynamics without altering my bass tone, but rather enhancing it even further, and making the process of playing music even more fun-which should be the goal, right?

Given my current economical situation, I may have found my compressor for years to come. This cheap little pedal is no toy cow. I would very much recommend to any of you at least to try it, because its usual low price on the used market belies the tone quality this little pedal can possibly offer to you. As far as I am concerned, I am not looking for any other compressor anymore.

Thanks to Bongomania for more or less pointing me into this pedal's direction since last year-I have been curious for a while, and finally saw it used online for CHEAP. I would dare to say it's even better (for my needs) than what I thought it would be, even after reading Bongomania's review-it just sounds so good without masking your bass tone. BEAUTIFUL, FULL, EVEN tone. Thanks again, Bongomania, and kudos to you for the time and passion you devote to your compressor website. :)
 
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The MilkBox rarely comes up for sale around the Montreal area. Stumbled on one purely by accident while looking for something else and was able to pick it up for 40 $ this morning (pearl white finish). The unit I picked up is practically new.

I too read about it on Bongo's site about a year and a half ago, was really impressed by what I read but finally went for a LMB-3 because I couldn't find an MB.

Only played a short time with it so far, but it seems to live up to the hype I've been reading. As mentionned in a previous, it's not transparent, but I like what it adds... fatness, warmth, whatever one wants to call it. Count me in as a fan.

Was doing a bit of research on settings for bass this morning and found this about the MB. It also highly praises Bongo's compressor site.

Link Removed
 
How come you got rid of them?

I traded one for a Locobox Mysto Dysto and the second one had a problem which I can't recall because I returned it the next day. if I remember correctly I thought they were cool. I use a Boss CS-3 and CS-2 which I'm really happy with.
I have a DOD FX-80 which is a tad too squishy for my needs, I like just touch of compression that's barely noticeable and the Boss comps are good at subtlety. the Ibanez BP-10 is cool too, the jacks went bad on mine, I'm going to have to rehouse it.
 
Depending on what you mean by "too much noise", odds are that either it was broken, or the noise came from somewhere else in your chain, just amplified by the make-up gain in the compressor. To find out whether it's broken, unfortunately you have to compare it to one that is known to be working right. The second situation would be about the same with any compressor.
 
Mine is perfectly silent, too. I never put the compressor knob after 11(always like 10:45), volume is the same as bypassed, attack knob and hi knob are at 1pm both, and the pedal is at the beginning of my chain(after my boss oc-2 and tuner). Love it to death.. :smug: