Sly and the Family Compression

[TrevorOfDoom]

or Compression and the Family Stone
or Sly and the Compression Stone...
Seriously, after venturing into "studio-grade" "hi-fi" "transparent" "multiband" comps, I'm find out a couple things.
1. My amp has a killer built in compressor. (Quilter BB800)
2. My "studio-grade" "transparent" compressor never really gets used, because I don't need it. Or I rarely need it. Mostly only while tapping. (ask me how often I get to tap on a gig, as a working bassist)
3. I miss my Demeter Compulator.
But I can't go back, as I've not got the funds, or real estate on the board, and my wife will kill me if I buy a pedal I've already owned. ("You wasted money on that again?! I thought you didn't like that, that's why you sold it! I told you you shouldn't have sold it!!")

So if you were gonna recommend a 1590a sized compressor for that Sly and the Family Stone compression (think "If You Want Me To Stay"), what would it be?

 

[Bassist30]

If you liked the demeter go back. Its a good comp and used it for years. Know some players who still do.

 

[TrevorOfDoom]

If you liked the demeter go back. Its a good comp and used it for years. Know some players who still do.

I'm trying to avoid that, though.
Too expensive, don't have the pedal board real estate, and I don't have an adapter for Demeter's weird power supply.

 

[Bassist30]

If price and size is an issue maybe JOYO. They are cheap and I have a delay one. Don't use it but its still a good pedal. I don't use delay. THE COMP IS CALLED THE PIPEBOMP.

 

[Jim C]

If the amp works, why need another?
If you don't use the clean comp. sell it and get the Demeter back.
Great tune; sounds like a slow attack and release time; maybe a Urei LA unit
Judging by the output volume and dynamics, I think we are hearing buss compression on the shole mix as well.
Of course, the player had the most to do with the dynamics and tone

 

[TrevorOfDoom]

If the amp works, why need another?
If you don't use the clean comp. sell it and get the Demeter back.
Great tune; sounds like a slow attack and release time; maybe a Urei LA unit
Judging by the output volume and dynamics, I think we are hearing buss compression on the shole mix as well.
Of course, the player had the most to do with the dynamics and tone

The amp has a great open, transparent compression. very tube-like.
I'd like something on top of that to get the Sly compression tone.

 

[Jim C]

OK
I hear transparent, and tube-like, a bit different in tonality
There is a really good thread going on about compressors right now.

 

[kesslari]

When you're going for a specific sound, and you have a small budget, your options are generally limited.
There's a finite number of 1590a compressors out there. The TC Spectracomp is really flexible (and pretty cheap) if you're willing to use the Toneprint stuff.

 

[TrevorOfDoom]

When you're going for a specific sound, and you have a small budget, your options are generally limited.
There's a finite number of 1590a compressors out there. The TC Spectracomp is really flexible (and pretty cheap) if you're willing to use the Toneprint stuff.

Funny enough, I sold the Demeter to get a Spectracomp.
It's a good little pedal, but I cannot get it to react like an optical comp, no matter how I jigger the Toneprint.
Might still keep it for a more modern comp sound, though.

 

[mobdirt]

 

[Bassist30]

No matter what pedal you get you are not going to get a La2a or a 1176 compression. It just isn't happening. And if size and money is a issue need I say more. Compressors used in a studio would be the Sly and the Compression Stone. Other than that you are not playing in a sound based constructed studio room, but a noisy room filled with people type pedal compressor.

 

[mpdd]

I really like my diamond compressor jr in front of my Mesa d180
Slight hint of drive plus more warmth and evenness

 

[superheavyfunk]

I actually play that song, I Want To Take You Higher, and Thank You Falletinme Be Mice Elf Agin in different bands.

I use a Joe Meek FloorQ as my main compressor. I'm not saying that I sound like Larry Graham, or Sly (he played the bass on that track), but I do sound pretty darn good, of I do say so mice elf.

 

[Ba55Man1ac]

I'm trying to avoid that, though.
Too expensive, don't have the pedal board real estate, and I don't have an adapter for Demeter's weird power supply.

If you're handy with a soldering iron, the power socket can be changed to a Boss-type. I did one the other day for a friend. He picked it up cheap second-hand.

 

[RattleSnack]

If optical compression is what you like, Carl Martin Classic Opto comp could work for you. For me, it is always on.
Here is bongos review, though I have to dissagree with "dull highs", maybe I use more subtle settings.

 

[Karlson541]

Sounds like YouTube compression to me.

Try this:

Non the less great song, not really usually anywhere close to my style and first time I hear it, but somehow it just really speaks to me.
Heard it 5 times already by now and about to play it for the 6th time in a row.

 

[mobdirt]

hasnt ampeg just released a small-ish optical compressor?

 

[howlin]

I’ve been using a Boss LM2-B for years and it only cost me 25 bucks. Read Bongo’s review of it (ovnilab.com). I thought his comment regarding the LMB being more of a compressor and CS-3 being more of a limiter interesting. All I can say is, it works for what I need it for.

FWIW - If price were no object I’d probably get a Cali Comp. Every demo makes them sound perfect to my ears.

 

[bkbirge]

Pricey and wrong size but can get that exact tone... retrospec squeeze box

 

[markjazzbassist]

it's futile. sly was recording through a Flickinger console which was all discrete and had input and output transformers and discrete eq then likely through an UREI LA-2A or similar (altec 438 maybe) which is tubes and input/output transformers.

you're trying to recreated the sound of multiple tubes and transformers through a little pedal that has neither for 100 bucks? it's not possible.