Best compressor for Tele?

Per Berner · Post by **Per Berner** » 13 Jun 2017 5:29 am

I have been a Telecaster player since the 80s, always with a Boss compressor (currently wearing out my third one) between the guitar and my Fender tube amp. I am so addicted to a moderate amount of compression that I would feel totally lost without it. (No compression is OK with a humbucker guitar, but not with a vintage spec Tele.)

I've been thinking of upgrading, provided there is a significantly better sounding compressor available. What do you guys recommend for a really good, twangy country sound (think Donahue, Mason, Paisley, Gill etc), under let's say $300? Not to be used with pedal steel, just the Tele.

Ed Boyd · Post by **Ed Boyd** » 13 Jun 2017 6:14 am

I really like the Wampler Ego. To me the secret is the clean Blend control. It makes it easy to dial back in the initial highs and pick attack you can lose with a compressor. There are other good compressors with blend control like the Suhr Koji or the Barber Tone press. I just happened to buy the Wampler Ego because there is a local Wampler dealer that I do business with.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGPDVjsYfFw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uhNyE4fudM

Mathew Peluso · Post by **Mathew Peluso** » 13 Jun 2017 6:24 am

I'm a big fan of the Walrus Deep Six. It has a blend control as well, modeled after the UA 1176. I've heard great things about the Wampler Ego too but haven't had a chance to try it out.

Olli Haavisto · Post by **Olli Haavisto** » 13 Jun 2017 1:41 pm

Hejsan Per,
Do yourself a favor and check out the Mad Professor Forest Green compressor.
One the most versatile and transparent compressor pedals out there.
From Finland, of course....
I have two of them.

Ken Metcalf · Post by **Ken Metcalf** » 13 Jun 2017 2:25 pm

Tone press

Bill L. Wilson · Post by **Bill L. Wilson** » 13 Jun 2017 7:50 pm

Keeley Compressor Pro. It has to have a 9v. power source, as there isn't a battery compartment.

Per Berner · Post by **Per Berner** » 13 Jun 2017 10:17 pm

Thanks for the tips, guys. Will check them out!

Greg Cutshaw · Post by **Greg Cutshaw** » 14 Jun 2017 4:25 am

I've got the Keeley 4 knob compressor and I can't say that there's any thing special about it. My cheapo rack mount compressor works circles around it in terms of range of adjustment and the number of sounds it can produce. Sometimes I want to get a quack sound out of the lead guitar and with the Keeley for example, you can get that, but only with a narrow range of settings and a hot input. The rack mount produces this sound with ease at a broad range of input levels.

Jerry Overstreet · Post by **Jerry Overstreet** » 14 Jun 2017 4:33 am

Nobody using the old MXR Dyna-Comp from the '70's, '80's? I always liked them. Simple, easy to use.
I'm using all rack multi-fx stuff now, so I sold all my stomps, including that one.

Dave Hopping · Post by **Dave Hopping** » 14 Jun 2017 7:22 pm

I've been using DynaComps for six-string(usually a Strat or Tele,sometimes a Gretsch 6120) since the Seventies,but always with a volume pedal between the comp and the amp.

Bob Watson · Post by **Bob Watson** » 14 Jun 2017 8:56 pm

A good friend of mine plays an Esquire through a Barber Tone Press and a little Mesa Boogie combo amp and it sounds great!

Jerry Korkki · Post by **Jerry Korkki** » 15 Jun 2017 8:50 am

I still have my early 70's DynaComp but recently modified it going by instructions from the web. Super easy and it sounds a lot better. I also run it between vp and amp. For some reason it does't work too well with my steel since I got a Hilton. The Hilton seems to have a tad of it's own compression so I just leave out the DynaComp in that rig.

Jeff Porter · Post by **Jeff Porter** » 15 Jun 2017 9:21 am

I've owned:
DynaComp (stock & modified)
Boss (stock & modified)
Keeley
Barber Tone Press (both the old big box & the newer small box versions)
I love the Tone Press. It can do it all and it's as quiet as anything I've tried. The blend knob is super useful and it can also be used for a little gain bump if you need it. The small box version is always on my board because it does so many things well.
The Boss with the Monty Allums mods was a surprisingly good unit and if you can find one used & do your own mod itâ€™s a pretty great bang for the buck.

Fred Rogan · Post by **Fred Rogan** » 15 Jun 2017 9:25 am

I love compression as well and have had at least half a dozen pedals (never been able to try rack mount and that is a different animal).
My favorite is the Diamond Compressor. Least coloration of tone with good sustain and no loss of attack. I don't think they make them anymore but you can get one on reverb.com.

Craig A Davidson · Post by **Craig A Davidson** » 15 Jun 2017 11:28 am

I use a Whirlwind with mine.

David Gertschen · Post by **David Gertschen** » 16 Jun 2017 9:03 am

For the last ten years or so I have only used an AnalogMan compressor. Way better than the Boss or Dynacomp I used to own. Mike builds great pedals and is a pleasure to deal with. I have never tried a Wampler, but heard good things about those too.

http://www.analogman.com/rossmod.htm

James Flaherty · Post by **James Flaherty** » 16 Jun 2017 1:31 pm

Pardon my ignorance but, what is a compressor supposed to do?

Brett Lanier · Post by **Brett Lanier** » 16 Jun 2017 3:23 pm

James, a compressor can be used to accomplish different things to a source depending on how you use it. It can make quiet things louder and louder things quieter. Also you can dial it in where it only kicks in to squash peaks in volume. They can also be good for fattening up anything that sounds thin and making them more present in the mix. I learned a lot about how to use compression by messing around with the digital compressor plug-ins that come with Logic Pro and Garageband.

I use an Ego compressor for tele and have actually been leaving it on a lot recently for steel too, at least for bar gigs.

Bill Dobkins · Post by **Bill Dobkins** » 16 Jun 2017 3:39 pm

I've used an old Blue DOD. Best I've ever found for a tele.

William Rasch · Post by **William Rasch** » 17 Jun 2017 4:26 am

Xotic SP. Great compressor at a good price and small on the pedalboard too.

Ken Morgan · Post by **Ken Morgan** » 20 Jun 2017 5:28 pm

Don't rule out the Ross style, found in the gray boxes from the late 70s and the 1st editions of Visual Sound Route 66 pedals. A different flavor than Boss, Wampler, etc, and to my ear, so very much smoother and less intrusive.

Originals can be insanely expensive though

Les Cargill · Post by **Les Cargill** » 21 Jun 2017 4:30 pm

I have and still like an old DOD FX-80 with the orange case. I bought it used 20 years ago

Dave Hepworth · Post by **Dave Hepworth** » 22 Jun 2017 1:46 am

The best and most musical sounding compressors are optical ones ,which are available in pedal format.The first compressors were optical .By virtue of the way they work they have a relatively slow attack time and so don't squash your initial attack down so much.
I wouldn't be without mine .I use an Aphex Punch Factory with 2 knobs ...Drive and Volume ,It really has a lot a gain as well if you want to push your front end hard.

Michael Hartz · Post by **Michael Hartz** » 22 Jun 2017 8:28 pm

Ditto on the Wampler Ego compressor. That is now Brent Mason's favorite compressor on his board. Paisley also has one in his rack. I love mine, it is so transparent and it has a blend knob so you can blend in your natural sound with the compressed tone. Brian Wampler makes some of the best effects out there and and is such a down to earth guy.
My 2nd choice would be the Keeley 4 knob compressor.

Mike Perlowin · Post by **Mike Perlowin** » 24 Jun 2017 5:35 pm

I have a Dynba Comp, and one of those old Ross compressors Ken mentioned. I can't hear any difference between them.

The Steel Guitar Forum

Best compressor for Tele?

Best compressor for Tele?

Walrus Deep Six

A Great Compressor for my guitar rig.