Opinions on Fishman Pro-Platinum Compressor

I think you answered #1 already. Is it any good? Good enough for you, it seems, which is ultimately the most important answer.

I cannot help you with the other two questions.

 

I use the fishman mainly for db and sparingly for slab. I think the compressor is pretty usefull, but I never use it in extreme settings. I think the one dial increases the ratio and the treshhold is controlled bij the gain. What you might consider is that the fishman gives of a warm and wooly vibe, probably meant to compensate for harh piezo's. For electric I find it a but too wooly. I'd prefer a compressor with more controll over the compression and less impact on other aspects of tone.

 

Sounds like you may indeed spend the money elsewhere then. most other comps would be more transparent, though some can add a touch of tube warmth, as I suspect the MarkBass may.

 

If you like the fishman vibe and have no real need for extra controls you might as well stick with it. For what its worth, I've also used it on occasion as a di for a piezo equipped violin or guitar. The wooliness worked pretty well with those.

 

Don't know why I haven't gotten one of those for review yet. Seems way overdue... hmm, off to Ebay...

 

If you wish to avoid the cost of buying one, you can borrow mine. I am still experimenting with settings before I replace my ADI21 with it.

 

Anybody know if the "depth" control (HPF) is a constant level of cut (12db) with a variable frequency or is it a fixed frequency with variable level of cut?

 

variable frequency

 

I like the compressor on the Fishman, but I use a Rob Allen fretless. Never tried it on a fretted. I keep it around 10:00 or so and it's jus the right amount. I do wish they'd redesign the product housing and footprint; it has a very 1990s vibe to it.

 

I bought mine as a "I'll need this at some point" pre for my upright, but I mainly got it for my wife's cello. I was messing around on it today specifically for the comp on electric and it was really usable. I really dig the release. No pumping when cranked. Nice and musical. It felt full and punchy. In a hard to tame room it really controlled things nicely. I usually use a keeley, but this might start sneaking in the chain.

 

9 years later and after much use of various compressors, (boss, markbass, Carl Martin, jo meek) the Fishman compressor on the Platinum mk1 is the best for me and I’m talking electric bass. They go cheap now they’ve got the mk2.
For about £60 the mk1 gives you get a hpf, graphic eq, di, and the best bass compressor For live work I’ve ever used.
It might be the attack and release which is set but is just right for me.
Plus it does add some analog warmth which some refer to a woollyness, but it’s a plus in this digital age.
Jeez, some spend fortunes on valve gear to get that sound and the platinum mk1 does it all for cheap. get one! I recommend it highly.

 

Excuse the typos

 

This is “1990s vibe”?

 

“ The compressor control adjusts the threshold of the automatic leveling circuit that follows the preamp section. The compression ratio, attack time, and release time are fixed.

The active LED monitors the strength of the compressor circuit:
• The LED lights green when the signal reaches compression threshold.
• The LED lights yellow when the signal over threshold is being reduced as much as 6dB.

Ratio: 2.5:1
Attack: 10 ms
Release: 100 ms “

 

This is the mk2 , I was talking about the previous model

 

Oh, I see.

 

Here ya go:



I've got one of these I picked up for $65 shipped. I love it. Sounds great on upright or electric. Runs on 9v, 48v phantom power or batteries. The DI is dead quiet. And I find the one knob comp to be very useful. I set my Input Gain to where the red light is juuuuuust baaaaaaarely flashing when I play stupid hard. Then set comp to about 10:00. Though I have no idea if the Input Gain effects (affects?) the comp? But it works for me. The EQ is very powerful. Small adjustments go a long way.

I'm a big fan of bang-for-your-buck, and the Fishman most definitely falls into that category.

 

It really is an awkward shape.