Keeley Compressor?

[blackspy]

I used to use a compressor a fair bit a few years ago, but have since gotten away from. I can't really recall why, I think I was a little disappointed by the tone loss I was getting from the ones I used.

Anyway, after watching a few bootleg VH concerts recently it became apparent that EVH uses a compressor live, at least sometimes. The sounds he was getting got me thinking about wanting one again. I've done some poking around, and the 'Keeley Compressor' keeps popping up as a great one.

I play heavier rock type material usually, some blues if I'm in the mood as well. Does anyone have thoughts about this compressor, experience with it? I won't have a chance to hear it before I buy one, if I do. I know most of you guys are tone junkies, so opinions from most of you carry some weight. Nobody that I know of locally carries them, and I don't know anyone who has one like it.

TIA

 

[fsmith]

Blackspy,
I've never played the Keeley, but have always read good reviews. One that I have played with and was pretty impressed by was the Barber Tone-Press. The big thing about the Barber is that it splits out your dry (uncompressed) signal from the wet (compressed) signal and allows you to combine them at the output.

This allows you to add as little or as much of your uncompressed signal to help lessen the "sterile" sound you can get from some compressors and still get the sustain you're looking for.

fred

 

[blackspy]

Nobody else? Wow... usually people are dying to give opinions here.

 

[tvanveen]

I have one...I use it for clean things where I want a jangly vibe. For harder rockin' out I turn it off.

When I think of compressors for hard rock type stuff, I tend to think of using them to increase sustain rather than getting a jangly vibe. In that context I just use one of my distortion pedals, which adds some compression anyway. Pretty much any high gain distortion pedal does.

The Keeley is very good. It sucks out a bit more bass than I'd like, but it has a nice sound and isn't noisy.

I also have a Maxon CP-101. It has a different sound....it actually sounds a bit more open than the Keeley and for some things it would be better. It also costs about half as much. It's a more subtle effect than the Keeley.

I do like compressors, and I do like to test out pedals...my next compressor will probably be this one -

http://www.janglebox.com/about.asp

tv