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Keeley Bassist Compressor/Limiter!!!!!

#104
Matt Morgan said:
The Custom LFO model is a custom paint job.
The internal components are identical to the previous editions.
I confirmed this directly with Keeley.
I absolutely love my Keeley Bassist.
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Strikes me they could have made a 3-position switch high pass filtering the sidechain at 20Hz - 100Hz - 200Hz and sell ONE pedal with the same paint job to bass players a guitarists alike.
 
#106
Matt Morgan said:
27718348[/URL], member: 18888"]The Custom LFO model is a custom paint job.
The internal components are identical to the previous editions.
I confirmed this directly with Keeley.
I absolutely love my Keeley Bassist.
Click to expand...

That doesn’t agree with the product description on their website. Who did you talk to at Keeley that said the two models were identical? Either this person is wrong or their website is.

This is from the website:

The Bassist Compressor Limiting Amplifier Custom Shop LFO Edition is built around the exotic and extremely high fidelity THAT Corp. 4320. Think of it as very affordable studio-grade compressor in stomp box format! It uses high performance Voltage Controlled Amplifiers, on board true-RMS detector, and ultra high performance op-amps to bring you the very best quality. VCA compressors give you precise control. Therefore they are directly suited to bass guitars. The Keeley Bassist Compressor is both musical and very transparent. Where our older compressors were based on the CA3080 or the LM13700 and are perfect for single coil guitars, the new Keeley Bassist Compressor has no problems with active pre-amps and most of the hottest instrument line level signals!
​
So now I’m super curious. The 4320 is a VCA chip. VCAs have better linearity and are less subject to distortion than an OTA chip like the LM13700. OTAs output a variable current. VCAs output a variable voltage. And while you could build a VCA using an OTA chip, I still don’t see how the internal circuitry could be identical even if both models provided similar functionality.
 
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#108
40Hz said:
They’ve changed the design. The newer model is VCA based and uses a different chip that can handle higher input levels better than the original OTA chip. Something they say handles humbucking pickups and hotter active bass signal levels better than the original.
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The (older) description you've read is the difference between the previous compressor (OTA) and the Bassist/GC-2 (VCA).
 
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#109
600 Ohms said:
27719195[/URL], member: 210613"]The (older) description you've read is the difference between the previous compressor (OTA) and the Bassist/GC-2 (VCA).
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Yes. Isn’t that what we’re discussing?

I was responding to the post by Matt Morgan which seems to have since been deleted. But I quoted it so you can still read it in my earlier post about two up from this one.

If the Bassist/GC-2 is using either the CA3080 or LM13700 then it’s using an OTA chip. And while you can build a VCA using an OTA chip, the THAT4080 is a purpose built VCA chip. So my point was that the older and custom shop Bassist circuitry couldn’t be identical and therefore just a fancy new paint job as Matt’s post stated.
 
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#110
My information is direct from Mr. Sean Spears at Keeley. Attached is the text from the email:

Howdy,


Great question, those are one and the same with the circuits. The Custom just has a different paint job so to say, but internally they are one and the same.


Thanks,


Sean Spears
Service Manager
14 NW 132nd Street
Oklahoma City, OK 73114
(405) 341-2025 Office
(405) 286-1513 Direct
 
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#112
40Hz said:
Yes. Isn’t that what we’re discussing?

I was responding to the post by Matt Morgan which seems to have since been deleted. But I quoted it so you can still read it in my earlier post about two up from this one.

If the Bassist/GC-2 is using either the CA3080 or LM13700 then it’s using an OTA chip. And while you can build a VCA using an OTA chip, the THAT4080 is a purpose built VCA chip. So my point was that the older and custom shop Bassist circuitry couldn’t be identical and therefore just a fancy new paint job as Matt’s post stated.
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No totally, I thought that confusion might have stemmed from the verbiage on the web site making it sound like the original bassist was OTA, and the LFO version being a redesign, which is what I thought you were saying.

But the bassist/GC-2 was already a THAT’S chip (modeled after the VCA in the dbx comps), so I thought I read your original post as reading the old description of the Keeley 2-knob and 4-knob compressors (OTA) and thinking that applied to the Bassist. Apologies if I misconstrued what you wrote.
 
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#113
600 Ohms said:
No totally, I thought that confusion might have stemmed from the verbiage on the web site making it sound like the original bassist was OTA, and the LFO version being a redesign, which is what I thought you were saying.

But the bassist/GC-2 was already a THAT’S chip (modeled after the VCA in the dbx comps), so I thought I read your original post as reading the old description of the Keeley 2-knob and 4-knob compressors (OTA) and thinking that applied to the Bassist. Apologies if I misconstrued what you wrote.
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Not a problem. I was getting a bit confused myself. :)
 
#114
Matt Morgan said:
27719272[/URL], member: 18888"]The original Bassist product information is posted here on Keeley's website and is identical to the Custom LFO model.
Bassist Compressor - Keeley Electronics Guitar Effects Pedals

Also, my original post wasn't deleted. I can still see it in this thread.
Click to expand...

Funny. I got an error when i tried to up arrow to it. Weird.

I also think I might see where my possible confusion on the issue comes from. I put a call into Keeley. I’ll get back once I talk to someone there.
 
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#115
What I care most about with bass compressors is smooth compression. I once owned an MXR bass compressor and that thing sometimes used to 'freak out' and keep on compressing in an unnatural way. I was very happy with my Keeley bass limiter, that I later purchased. The only reason I sold it was because I upgraded to a high-end bass with balanced pickups -- No more need for compression. HOWEVER, I bought a $200 'throw away' bass for little open-jam gigs. Now, a compressor would be helpful again. So, my only question is whether there is a better compressor to look at in the $200 range. Otherwise, I'm gonna buy a Keeley (again).
 
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#116
@Matt Morgan - Just heard back from Keeley and you are right. And I was absolutely wrong.

Seems my confusion came from reading how their older pedals were based on the CA3080 and LM13700 chips. And I somehow got the mistaken impression it meant the older Bassist pedals used one or the other of those two chips. However, it turns out Keeley has been using a THAT chip for the Bassist all along.

So my mistake - and my sincere apologies.
 
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#117
40Hz said:
@Matt Morgan - Just heard back from Keeley
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One of the reasons I've enjoyed TalkBass for nearly 25 years is that 99.5% of the users here, like @40Hz, are genuinely good people.

There are so many people out there on the "inter webs" who would have just walked away from an online discussion and not posted any follow up.

Thank you 40Hz for your contributions to TB over the years and for being one of the good people here.
 
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