Compressor for Steel

Justin Shaw · From: Ontario, Canada

I have been playing around with compressors for years, and until recently I really disliked them, always preferring as pure a signal path as possible. Basically it was always some version of the MXR Dynacomp where the compression was heavy handed or tone sucking in some way.

However recently I've been using Neural DSP plugins, and most (all?) of them have compressors. I have been finding some great clean tones with reverberant clean feedback using them. However it's only some of the compressors that do this and others I still dislike, even in the digital format. So I'm not sure what physical guitar pedal compressors I would like. In fact I've never found a physical one that I liked yet. Most of the high end ones are both expensive and unavailable for me to try.

So my questions are simple: has anyone found compressors that they enjoy for the super clean sounds of pedal steel? Which ones? Where do you put it in your signal chain?

To be clear I want it for sustain and a clear, full sound on ringing chords, rather than for chicken picking type runs.

Dave Hopping · From: Aurora, Colorado

Hi Justin-
Agree on the Dyna-Comp. The bee's knees for Tele if it's right before a VP,but a non-starter for steel. The Keeley Compressor and Compressor Plus do a little better for steel but only with the sustain and blend pots backed off below 12 o'clock.

The best unit I ever ran across is the Alesis 3630. Subtle but it really helped smooth things out. With my Session 500 and Nashville 112 I'd go from steel to comp to front-of-amp and use the pre-amp(aka "Volume Pedal") patch with time-based F/X in the other loop. With Fender-style amps I'd run steel> time-base F/X > 3630> VP > front-of-amp.

As an aside, I really like Peavey's 2 loop setup and I'd be happy to see other amp builders adopt it. Winking

Justin Shaw · From: Ontario, Canada

Thanks Dave that's exactly the kind of thing I was hoping to hear about! I'll ad the Alesis to the list. Incidentally here is the list of other compressors I've been considering, although I have yet to see them in person:

I guess I'm kind of using a compressor as a buffer or line driver in a way, first in the chain, so I could add the Sarno Black Box which I already know I love.

Dave Campbell · From: Nova Scotia, Canada

i have an empress compressor. of the many that i've tried recently (wampler, keeley, ross) it is the best sounding one, probably because it is the most transparent. i think when you're dealing with compression on a pedal steel and going for a transparent tone it gets hard to tell what's going on. the empress has gain and input metering, which is handy for dialing it in. i'm using it post volume pedal, and it's really only compressing for the loudest things i'm doing.

one of the best compressors i tried was the old marshal edward the compressor (amazing name). it wasn't transparent, but of all the fancy ones i've tried, it had the most musical compression for pedal steel.

Justin Shaw · From: Ontario, Canada

Thanks Dave I appreciate the feedback, as the Empress is probably the first one I'd buy. Not crazy expensive and made in Canada which is nice.

I agree about it being hard to know exactly why you like a compressor. A compression pedal could have EQ, or increase sustain, or kill the spikes, or do a bunch of other things that we may or may not like, and it's all subtle, and also there's a big feel component as well. All of this makes it much less straightforward than buying a delay pedal for example, at least for me.

I'll Edward the Compressor to the list, which really is a great name. They're actually fairly inexpensive which is nice.

Dave Campbell · From: Nova Scotia, Canada

empress normally has a scratch and dent section on their website. they sell pedals with cosmetic flaws at something like a 20-25% discount. i got mine on reverb for super cheap (imagine that).

Justin Shaw · From: Ontario, Canada

Yes Empress has at least 3 or 4 pedals, and like you say they have scratch and dent. I tried their reverb and loved it. It's just old and I wonder if they're coming out with a new one soon.

They've also been very helpful when I had questions about their 2 different compressors. The sidechain idea is a good one.

Tal Herbsman · From: Wisconsin, USA

I love compressors. I just like a little bit of squish when I play. Probably the safest all-around choice is the Cali76 in any of its various configurations. I have the compact deluxe. It is transparent. My buddy has one of the Cali76 big boxes with transformer buffered out. I like that one even better but I don't think they're made any more.

One other maker to consider is effectrode. They have a few, but I have the LA-1A limiting amplifier which is supposedly based on an old UA/teletronix studio circuit. It is the quietest compressor and probably pedal I own. It does however color the sound noticeably. sometimes it sounds good sometimes it sounds bad depending on guitar.

Having said all that, the finest compressor I know of is an old Princeton non-reverb with a 10 inch speaker. It is perfect squishy and always sounds amazing.

good luck. compressors are fun.

Justin Shaw · From: Ontario, Canada

Thanks Tal I appreciate it, Cali 76 is one I've really wanted to try. I have never heard of effectrode but that LA-1A looks great.

And I agree I think when I like compressor pedals its when they're giving that pushed amp feel.

Larry Behm · From: Mt Angel, Or 97362

I use the Opti-Comp in my Zoom MS50g, does not squish the sound, makes it bigger and more robust. I do not play without it, even at home.
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Daniel Morris · From: Westlake, Ohio, USA

I tried the Origin Effects SlideRig compressor (no longer made). It definitely had a tactile effect, but ultimately I sold it.
Someone here asked about compressors years ago, and the response to 'do you use a compressor' was 'yes, it's called a volume pedal'. I do recognize the difference, but I feel a compressor does a bit of an injustice to what a pedal steel + a volume pedal do. Just my take.....
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1979 MSA U12 Pedal Steel
1982 Kline U12 Pedal steel
2019 Sierra U12 Pedal Steel
2011 Bear Creek MK Weissenborn
Milkman 40W Mini amps w/Telonics 15" speaker.
Dr. Z Surgical Steel w/TT 15" speaker.
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Justin Shaw · From: Ontario, Canada

I guess it depends on what part of the compressor effect you're emulating with the volume pedal. Certainly you can increase sustain by turning up your volume pedal as you let chords ring, for example. I'd still like to try a good compressor before the volume pedal to see if I can get the best of everything: the compressor for the expressive pushed amp feel, and the volume pedal for dynamic control and everything else it does.

Chris Templeton · From: The Green Mountain State

Thoughts on a limiter vs. a compressor?
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Justin Shaw · From: Ontario, Canada

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