Follow-up to Compressor Survey

[jimk]

Over on the Byrds corner of the RRF, I started a survey on compressors. I thought I'd post a follow-up question over here on the Guitars section. I put this over here, because it really doesn't have much to do with the Byrds.

For those of you who a) use compressors, and b) at least some of the time use the Rick-O-Sound jack, do you use two compressors, or just one? Which pickup signal do you run through your compressor if you use but one unit?

JimK

[sharkboy]

I'll bite.

I use compressors a bit differently from other forumites (we really need to attach an elemental symbol with an atomic weight).

I don't really use compressors to get "that sound" so much as "this sound"- the sound that I'm trying to get right now. To me, most Ricks can get close to "that sound" without a lot of hoo hah. Likewise, the way I use amps affords me some compression to start with. I do us Rick O Sound, and I compress the bridge pickup sound more often than I do the neck pickup. I mostly use a compression box to aid in the form of distortion and sustain of the bridge pickup, while running the neck pickup clean and bright.

Usually I also cheat and add compression later in the chain during the recording process- and probably too much. Again, this is for a sonic effect and/or to make up for some inadequacy in my playing "technique" (the sharkboy guitar technique- so amazing, you'll want to cut off your fingers and stick them in your ears! Now at all lame musical merchant stores, just in time for the holidays!

Live, I get some natural compression in my amps and try to avoid using pedals, aside from the occasional use of a delay and a reverb if I really need them (but again, I try not to use them at all.)

[jdogric12]

I was using ROS for a while there, and ran the treble pickup through the JB. Now I use mono out and include a Boss Rotary Speaker emulator pedal in the chain, which splits the signal to stereo. JB is still at the beginning of the line. (Jangle Box, Acoustic Simulator, Distortion, Small stone phaser, Rotary, Boss Limiter)

[Clint]

Sorry, I never check the Byrds Forum, so I missed your poll. I used a Boss CS-3 for years, with a Danelectro Surf & Turf for a back up. When the CS-3 died, I switched to the Dano, thinking that sooner or later, I'd pick up a Dynacomp. Well, it's been 5 years and the Surf & Turf is still going strong.

By the way, I have never used the Rick-O-Sound option.

[CrestingWave]

Recently acquired "JangleBox" here. Run into a Vox AC-15CC. It sounds great with my 330/12 and 620/12!

[JakeK]

I recently bought a Danelectro Surf and Turf compressor...has yet to arrive, but when it does, I'll let you guys know how I like it

[paologregorio]

I occasionally use the Ibanez Soundtank compressor in my pedal board for a clean boost of sorts, but that's about it. Usually I don't bother with it. I prefer to use my Danelectro "Daddy-O" distortion and Ibanez Tube Screamer.

[modrock]

Hi Paulo,

Is the Ibanez Tube Screamer you use the little green one, I think it's called a TS-9 or TSX-9 ? I don't use it with my Rickenbackers, only with my Les Paul into my old '63 re-issue Vibroverb amp ( for those tracks requiring a bit of grunge w/o reverb ). In fact I bought it in the mid 1980s before I acquired my 360/12v64... How does it sound with your other stomp boxes with your Rickenbacker 12 ? And which amp do use it with mostly, the AC-30 or a Fender?

Thanks, and have a Happy New Year !

Gary ( modrock )

360/12v64 and 355JL

[jps]

WARNING - THREAD DRIFT IN PROGRESS!!!

I just bought this great sounding distortion pedal. Sounds very nice with my Princeton Reverb Amp and the 360V64 and the Gretsch DA.

[RonLovesRic12strings]

I recently ran my RIC 360/V64 12-string thru two compressors in succession, first thru a MXR DynaComp, then thru a JangleBox to my Vox AC 15. The resulting sound was magnificent. The tone was very close to the early Byrds' stuff. The resulting tone was also very close to the sound of my 370/12 RM's on-board compressor.

[paologregorio]

Hi Paulo,

Is the Ibanez Tube Screamer you use the little green one, I think it's called a TS-9 or TSX-9 ? I don't use it with my Rickenbackers, only with my Les Paul into my old '63 re-issue Vibroverb amp ( for those tracks requiring a bit of grunge w/o reverb ). In fact I bought it in the mid 1980s before I acquired my 360/12v64... How does it sound with your other stomp boxes with your Rickenbacker 12 ? And which amp do use it with mostly, the AC-30 or a Fender?

Thanks, and have a Happy New Year !

Gary ( modrock )

360/12v64 and 355JL

Oopsie, further thread drift, though I mention compressor pedal use as well:

Mine's actually an 80s-era TS10, which claims to be the same signal components in a cheaper casing. I also have a TS9DX that's been modified with the fancy chips/808 mod to it, or whatever that's called, but I don't use that one much-too many settings. I like to keep it simple, and the TS10 covers all the ground I need. I usually use it to boost and further overdrive my signal for leads. The Daddy-O is my main distortion. The TS10 sounds great with my Rick 381/12, and sounds great with whatever boxes I use it with.

I usually use it with one of my AC30s, usually the `73 that's been rewired to 60s TB specs, but it sounds great with a Fender Twin as well.

When I use my compressor pedal, it's usually for a clean boost, or if I just want to boost my overdriven signal without adding any more distortion to the guitar sound. Anyway, you can listen for yourself if you like. Here's our latest sings. I used 3 Ricks on it; two of my WB/6s and my 381/12. The WBs were played dry with the Daddy-O distortion into the AC30. For the 12 string tracks, especially the solo, I used ROS straight into the board via a stereo preamp, I think; it was stereo something, and the engineer used all sorts of compression and overdrive in the onboard Sonar software to get the sound we were after. So I have to admit using a compressor on the recording of at least one of our songs, but it's the Sonar program's compressor. The clean guitar in the background is our other guitarist playing his Gibson SG straight into a 50 watt Mesa Nomad 2x12:
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[JakeK]

New Year's Eve, my Dano Surf and Turf arrived. Dear god, this thing is great! Compression is something that helps boost the sound, and it sure helps nail the sound of the 60s. My 1997 is strung with D'Addario flats, but once I put the new Thomastik-Infelds on the 1997, I'm sure with the compression, the guitar will shimmer!

[Mr.Mow]

I bought a cheapo Behringer (I don't like pedals, so no point in me spending big bux on things that end up in the bottom drawer after 2 weeks).. Uh, whats it supposed to do? It just makes the guitar quieter.. I don't get it?!

[jimk]

I dunno...take up space in the bottom of a drawer, I guess.

JimK

[JakeK]

I'm really considering getting an MXR Dyna Comp in addition to my Dano compressor. Perhaps hooking two compressors will get me even more jangle and sustain? Has anyone ever tried hooking up two compressors together to see what happens? Is it nothing but annoying feedback?