Which 'guitar' compressor works best with bass?

[Grumry]

My one knob $20 Chinese Donner comp work pretty well for guitar or bass. Just adjust the threshold depending on how hot the input signal is.

 

[bearhart74]

Durham Sexdrive

 

[PullThePlug]

Definitely not a CS-2... don't know why those are getting mentioned. They're simple noise makers.

MXR is ideal and great for the price, but Empress and Diamond are what you're looking for if you can afford it.

 

[Adamixoye]

Definitely not a CS-2... don't know why those are getting mentioned. They're simple noise makers.

MXR is ideal and great for the price, but Empress and Diamond are what you're looking for if you can afford it.

This, though I would add that the Empress and Diamond are very different beasts. Empress = more control, transparency. Diamond = "tone magic," or so I've heard. (Of the two, I've only owned the Empress. I've also owned the MXR.)

 

[bassmonkeee]

I'd go with one of the TC Electronic options. Use different toneprints for guitar and bass. Easy enough. No compromise.

 

[PullThePlug]

This, though I would add that the Empress and Diamond are very different beasts. Empress = more control, transparency. Diamond = "tone magic," or so I've heard. (Of the two, I've only owned the Empress. I've also owned the MXR.)

Yep, the Empress is like a juiced up version of the MXR. I think Empress would be the better choice due to transparency, as that it would be covering both guitar and bass duties.
The Diamond has the 250/900 hz switch, which may be tuned just a little too low for guitar duties. But mileage will always vary =D

 

[dawhatthevid]

i once tried the maxon cp-101, did not work out well.
very low noise, but it was not able to deal with low frequency peaks...it clipped.

 

[fly agaric]

My FEA Opti-Fet sounds great with my bass.

Also makes my Telecaster sound great.

I don't have a lot of experience with other compressors, though. I just really like the one I have.

 

[abracadunphy]

Definitely not a CS-2... don't know why those are getting mentioned. They're simple noise makers.

mmm... not mine, I used with the 12v power supply, no noise. I tried it alone with a standard 9v power supply, and it makes some noise, when I daisy chain with other 9v pedals too.

 

[Bo0tsy]

I'm loving the Squeezer on the Mu Fx Boostron 3. I believe thats a version of the Dan Armstrong Orange Squeezer and the Boostron is marketed as a guitar pedal but sounds fab on bass.

 

[Fuzzbass]

I briefly owned the Diamond, but returned it because it got too squishy with my hotter active basses. It's possible mine had a wonky opto circuit, but I've read at least one other report similar to mine. It sounded sweet with my passive basses, though.

I don't own a guitar, but the versatile Empress works great with all my basses, and I'm confident it would work nicely with guitar as well.

 

[Medicine Man]

I like markbass compressore with strat. Never tried the ever popular empress, though.

 

[warrplayer]

If you want very transparent compression the Rothwell Lovesqueeze works great on guitar and bass. No squish or syrup though.

 

[monsterthompson]

Diamo... aw, you've heard it all before...

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Louie!

 

[Nephilymbass]

Boss CS-2... you'll see them around on big time players boards like Juan Alderete and Janek Gwizdala for good reason.

 

[SteveCS]

If you want very transparent compression the Rothwell Lovesqueeze works great on guitar and bass. No squish or syrup though.

The Lovesqueeze is a great pedal, very subtle and open.

 

[Yango]

The Demeter Compulator Comp-1 is stellar on both bass and guitar.

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[Crystalman85]

I've always heard that the boss cs-3 and the empress compressors work well on bass.

 

[warrplayer]

Get a Humphries Audio modded CS-3 if you like the boss sound. HE has a bass specific mod that really cleans up the pedal. The boss is pretty much a one trick pony, but what a trick. I used it on the bass on this track.

 

[Feral Feline]

Yep, the Empress is like a juiced up version of the MXR. I think Empress would be the better choice due to transparency, as that it would be covering both guitar and bass duties.
The Diamond has the 250/900 hz switch, which may be tuned just a little too low for guitar duties. But mileage will always vary =D

Lotsa bassists were using the Diamond guitar comp, which begat the Diamond bass comp — so if the OP wants a "tone enhancing" comp for both guitar and bass, the original Diamond Guitar comp may suffice. However...

I agree the Empress for guitar and bass would be the better choice.