Compression

jps · Post by **jps** » Wed Oct 25, 2006 5:14 pm

I use an Aphex Punch Factory, but usually only for recording. It has an absolutely transparent sound and is quite easy to set up and use.

johnallg · Post by **johnallg** » Wed Oct 25, 2006 7:16 pm

Interesting about the Aphex Punch Factory being absolutely transparent. I remember the Aphex Aural Exciter and how it, to me, terribly colored/altered the sound. But I trust your ears/discretion.

clankchris · Post by **clankchris** » Wed Oct 25, 2006 8:03 pm

I kinda use compression..tubes.

Either through my Mesa Bass 400, or if I'm using my GK 800RB, I put my EH English Muff'n(12AY7's X 2) in front of it.

Gives the Ric more warmth, and a nice, distinctive breakup when the strings are attacked.

I actually use the GK more because of that EH pedal

sabbath_of_bass · Post by **sabbath_of_bass** » Wed Oct 25, 2006 8:17 pm

I like Bob's comment

I never thought about touching compression with a ric. Actually I rarely touch it anyways. If i do its just my amps built in compression.

Chris, How do you like the Mesa and the GK?
I got a friend mentioned Mesa. Iv never play'd on one, or heard one i dont believe. Same deal with the GK.

clankchris · Post by **clankchris** » Wed Oct 25, 2006 9:35 pm

The Mesa blows the GK completely out of the water, sound quality-wise.

No contest.

The GK is loud also, though, and the EH Muff'n pedal's tubes give it some much-needed sparkle and "Character"(read: crunch).

My AIM is faithnomore321, and if you care, I have clips(actually an unfinished song from over a year ago) of my Ric played through the Mesa, and into a 2X10 Eden cab...I also have a song with the GK played pretty clean for comparison.

After I listened to that recording(with the Mesa), I was completely blown away..Paul D'Amour was one of the reasons for me trying that amp out in the store.

jps · Post by **jps** » Thu Oct 26, 2006 3:33 am

"Interesting about the Aphex Punch Factory being absolutely transparent. I remember the Aphex Aural Exciter and how it, to me, terribly colored/altered the sound."

That is because the AE is supposed to color the sound.

bobcat · Post by **bobcat** » Thu Oct 26, 2006 8:30 am

Every compressor I've found has done the exact same thing to my tone: slaughtered it mercilessly. Given, I haven't been using super-high-quality compressors . . . mostly just digital compression pedals. Maybe I should try something a bit higher-end? Then again, I have no problems with my sound right now. I prefer to just stick with my FullTone overdrive pedal and keep it at that.

kcole4001 · Post by **kcole4001** » Thu Oct 26, 2006 11:33 am

I only got a comp to use as a limiter: take a little heat off the amp. The 5 string low notes & a lot of the 4 string lows were peaking my power amp, s o I figured I'd rather spend a couple hundred on a good comp rather than kill my new amp.

The Keeley is perfectly transparent, by the way.

sabbath_of_bass · Post by **sabbath_of_bass** » Thu Oct 26, 2006 11:42 am

Kool Chris, Ill keep an eye out for you to get on. Id like to hear the clips.

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Fri Oct 27, 2006 8:42 pm

To me they are only good for studio work especially if your attack is uneven, but I think they can take the life out of your playing, take all the dynamics out. If I really wack my bass I want it to jump out at you, I don't want a compressor to tame it, especially live.

doctorwho · Post by **doctorwho** » Fri Oct 27, 2006 10:43 pm

I tried compressing one of my basses and this is what I got:

jdogric12 · Post by **jdogric12** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 4:05 am

Short scale!!!

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 7:44 am

Stout little thing.

kcole4001 · Post by **kcole4001** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 7:51 am

I never needed a comp before, but after boosting the preamp & finding a new world of tone, the power section of my amp keeps peaking like crazy.

I play pretty hard a lot of the time, & a good, clean comp takes the heat off the amp limiter.
The limiter light used to be on almost all of the time, & that can't be good for the amp.

I tried the old Boss Compressor/Limiter & it literally sucked (tone). A truly horrible playing experience, it might have been fine with a lot of tweaking, but I wasn't interested in wasting that much time.

green_us90 · Post by **green_us90** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 7:56 am

I like my MXR dynacomp.