Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

any of you guys use a compressor with your rigs?

I'm using an old MXR Dyna Comp for the time being....'til I find something a little better. When used with my c64 and flats, I can dial in a pretty convincing post '65 Macca tone, especially when a pick is in use. What are you looking at, Sean?

The Demeter Compulator is by far the best stomp box compressor I have found. It's a tad pricey but does it's job without killing your tone. It can be very transparent but I prefer a little "squish" mixed in with my overdrive and chorus.

I have a Bellari LA120 tube compressor in my rig. I love it. VERY subtle, yet effective. Here's one now!
http://cgi.ebay.com/Bellari-Tube-Compressor-Limiter-LA120_W0QQitemZ140136000393QQihZ004QQcategoryZ23793QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Brian, is this the Optocompulator you're talking about? I've been trying to get as much info on this pedal as possible w/o any luck.

Love that name........sounds like a weapon from a really bad '50s Sci-fi "B" flick! "Puny humans! We are your superiors! Bow down before your overlords or we shall release the wrath of the Optocompulator upon your pitiful species!"

I use a Keeley. It's a repro of the old Ross with top grade components.
Tonally transparent, true bypass (as pretty much all good effects are now), uses a standard Boss-type 9V power source.
Not cheap, but not too expensive.

It's just called "Compulator" but it's optical (whatever that means) so maybe Optocompulator was the original name.

Here's an Ebay link to the one like mine.....

http://cgi.ebay.com/DEMETER-PEDAL-Compulator-COMP-1-NEW-IN-BOX_W0QQitemZ120141059507QQihZ002QQcategoryZ41414QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem

They must have an optical switch, rather than a mechanical one. Far more reliable.

That's the one!

I stand corrected, those Keeley units are excellent as well. I forgot about it when I said the Demeter was better by far. I went with the Demeter because I found a better deal on it. I'd say they are comparable in quality performance. IMO, virtually identical......but I'm tone deaf.

The Demeter uses a standard Boss 9v adapter as well (I use a Dunlop DC Brick to power my 7 pedals). All you have to do is reverse the polarity (cut, strip, flip, solder, tape and you're all set). Just FYI.

I have settled on the EH Black Finger. It is also an optical tube driven compressor, and is very transparent. Nice squish, as well as a bit of a boost if you want it.

Stompboxes = bad for me. fewer chords the better. my guitarist is recommending a DXR 160 series. They are rackmounted which is perfect for me.

I used an FMR Audio RNC1773 for the longest time until I dumped my Peavey amp for something with more beef. Haven't had a need for the compressor with all the headroom now. But when used, it is a very clean and transparent unit.

No correction intended, Brian!

You posted that the Demeter was the best you had found, the Keeley is the best I've found, though I've only tried 3, so that's a pretty limited spectrum!
I think I paid $219, maybe less. It was over a year ago.
Excellent, fast service.
Robert Keeley has a pretty illustrious clientele, so I went by that as a recommendation.
And the blue LED looks pretty cool shining up through a thick blast of fog!


I use mine mainly as a limiter, to keep the low notes, particularly those from the 5 string, from pounding the hell out of my amp. If I don't use the comp. the power amp limiter is working almost all the time on lower notes (I play pretty aggressively).

The Diamond compressor (made right here in N.S.) is reputedly a very nice piece, but was not available yet when I was looking for mine, so I haven't tried it.