The best compressor pedal isn’t just about evening out your dynamics, it’s about unlocking a tone that feels more refined, balanced, and just easier to play.
Best Compressor Pedal | Best Compressor Pedal Product Image | Product Title | *GEARANK | **Sources | Check Prices |
93 | 225+ | ||||
96 | 375+ | ||||
94 | 725+ | ||||
95 | 250+ | ||||
97 | 600+ |
Author’s Pick | Author’s Pick Product Image | Product Title | *GEARANK | **Sources | Check Prices |
91 | 2975+ |
*Gearank = Rating score out of 100.
**Sources = Number of gear owner and user opinions analyzed for these product Gearank Ratings.
Research Process: How Gearank Works
I used to think compression was one of those subtle effects you barely notice, but once I got my hands on a proper pedal, it completely changed the way I approach tone. It became the missing link to consistent clarity, smooth sustain, and that polished feel you usually only hear on records.
If you’re trying to tighten up your sound and bring out the best in your playing, the best guitar compressor pedal can make a bigger difference than you might expect. Whether you want transparent control that enhances dynamics or a more colorful, punchy tone, compression pedals for guitar are an essential part of the signal chain—especially if you’re chasing clean sustain or that “just right” attack on every note.
In this guide, I’ve rounded up the best compressor pedals available today, breaking down the real pros and cons in classic Gearank fashion. I’ll also walk you through the key features to consider—like attack time, sustain, transparency, and how each pedal behaves in different genres and setups.
Compression can seem technical at first, but really, it’s all about feel. A great compressor pedal smooths out harsh peaks, lifts up the softer notes, and gives your playing a pro-level touch that sits perfectly in any mix. From country twang to funk grooves to tapping-heavy rock solos, compression is a secret weapon that belongs on almost any board.
Whether you’re after something subtle and natural or bold and expressive, this guide will help you find the perfect pedal to elevate your tone and match your style
Best Compressor Pedals
JHS humorously describes the Whitey Tighty as “…our take on the classic effect that no one may ever know is on, but when it’s off, you feel like your pants are down.”
The Whitey Tighty is a transparent-sounding simple compressor pedal that goes from “barely there” to “heavily squished” with just a few knobs to fiddle with. This minimal design also helps save up precious pedalboard real estate. A blend knob helps balance out the compressed signal and your dry signal (uncompressed signal), enabling more control over your clean tone.
The main strengths of the Whitey Tightey are its simplicity and size. The pedal sounds quieter than most compressors and feels natural because of the blend knob. I also praise the attack for not being too harsh or “plinky” while retaining some spank on chicken picking and funk.
You get all the nuances of your playing with natural dynamics.
Unfortunately, you will be paying a premium for the respected JHS brand. There are models out there that are cheaper and comparable, but if you want white briefs on your pedalboard, you’ll have to shell out a bit more.
Also, the micro-compact design lends itself more to ground noise. This is due to components being closer together. It’s just a limitation of physics and this shell design. It’s a bit fragile when compared to the more “tank-like” pedals out there. But show some love to the Whitey Tightey Mini, and it shouldn’t be too much of a problem.
The JHS Whitey Tighty is a fun and welcome addition to any pedalboard. It is a good “always on” type of pedal. You’ll almost feel “naked” when this pedal is bypassed; adding to the charm and befitting its underwear-inspired name.
- Classic FET Compressor
- Parameters: Volume, Blend, Comp
- True Bypass Power
- 9-18 Volt DC Adapter (Sold Separately)
The Wampler Mini Ego is a downsized version of the Wampler Ego Compressor pedal, used to great success by country players like Brad Paisley.
It has all of the controls found on its bigger brother. The variable controls for the “Tone” and “Attack” knobs, however, were replaced by two on/off switches. It also features the same build quality and good parameter adjustments as other Wampler pedals.
The Mini Ego has a very transparent, natural compression, similar to its bigger sibling, but with simpler controls. I love its compact size, freeing up precious pedalboard real estate for other effects. Ease of use I also commend, while having extra switches allows for a bit more control that’s not usually available in pedals of its size.
A flaw with this pedal is that the on/off tone control has fixed settings. Guitar tones have varying levels of attack, thus that could be a dealbreaker for some.
And just like any other compressor with a compact design, there’s a chance that it could acquire ground noise depending on the power outlet. However, most reviews hail its low noise profile.
Besides, it’s unreasonable to expect it to have in-depth controls like expensive compressor pedals. It is an issue that’s avoided with the variable tone control you’ll find on the larger version of the pedal.
Despite the more minimal control scheme versus its bigger sibling, the Mini Ego retains a lot of the well-loved qualities of the original Ego Compressor.
We recommend this pedal to those looking for a great compressor pedal that won’t take up too much space on their pedalboard.
- Compression type not listed (most likely VCA)
- Parameters: Blend, Sustain, Volume Control, Tone (on/off), Attack (on/off)
- True Bypass
- 9v Adapter ONLY (no battery compartment)
The SP Comp by Xotic is a compact and simple compressor on the outside but features hidden customizability under the hood.
On the surface, the only parameters you have access to are: volume, blend, and three different levels of compression (high, low, and medium levels).
However, the pedal does have four internal switches that you can use to modify attack and release, cut high-end frequencies, and cut dB output levels.
The internal dip-switches are not variable controls, so their ability to dial in different tones is limited.
This pedal is a great choice for anyone who wants a compression pedal that won’t interfere with the natural voicing of their instrument.
With great tweakability (albeit at the cost of immediate access), portability, and transparency, the Xotic SP is a good fit in any rig from small to large.
- VCA Compression
- Parameters: Volume, Blend, Compression (Toggle switch)
- Internal Dip-Switch: Attack, Release, Hi-Cut, and dB Cut
- 9-Volt Battery or DC Adapter
The CP-1X pedal takes a modern approach to compression. It comes equipped with a multiband processor that analyzes your guitar signal and applies the effect as needed. This means that the pedal adapts to different frequencies, volumes, and playing nuances. This way, it provides just the right level of compression for each situation.
Powering its high-tech design, Boss equipped this pedal with 18-volt internal electronics. This also allows for higher-than-usual headroom. Another noteworthy feature is its gain reduction indicator which is prominent and very easy to spot.
Pristine, articulate, and smooth, are adjectives I’d use to describe this pedal’s sound. I’m pleased with how it evens out the dynamics of my playing – making me sound more polished.
It works well with different guitar tones. But its transparency is most impressive when used for clean to lightly overdriven tones. It works well with drive pedals. Also particularly noteworthy is its easy-to-use layout, impressing even Music Radar, which gave this pedal a 5 star rating.
In the studio, I use multiband compressors to fine-tune tracks by only compressing specific frequencies. Given this functionality of multiband compressors, I would’ve liked a bit more control over which frequencies I’d like to compress.
Nevertheless, Boss chooses to do all the thinking for you in terms of tone and frequencies, providing you with a very pleasing sound.
It is housed in the ever-reliable Boss enclosure. So it brings studio-quality transparent compression to your pedalboard, consistently and reliably. If modern transparency and reliability are important to you, then definitely check out the Boss CP-1X.
- Multiband Compressor
- Parameters: Level, Attack, Ratio, Comp
- Buffered Bypass
- 9-Volt Battery or AC Adapter up to 18V(Sold Separately)
The Wampler Ego V2 is similar to the Mini Ego, with the main difference being that the “control” and “tone” are variable knobs instead of on/off switches. In this case, you’ll be able to dial in specific attack settings to “gel” your guitar tone.
Wampler’s description of the Ego’s tone control leaves much to be speculated on, but from the description in the manual, it seems to be a presence control. Presence is a parameter that controls upper-midrange frequencies. Its purpose is to make an instrument more “present” in a mix that includes instruments in the same frequency range. For example, if there are two guitarists in your band the presence knob will help you be heard over the other guitar player.
I commend it for adding clarity and sparkle, especially for my Tele-style guitar. It also earns my appreciation for the flexibility of its controls.
Brian Wampler’s designs have easily been the most studied by modern pedal builders. The Ego V2 ticks a lot of the right boxes with its approach in flexibility and adding a lot of clarity and sparkle to your tone.
The Wampler Ego 2 can also run with 9V batteries or with a power supply. Fresh out of the box, you’re provided with a 9V battery as well.
- Compression type not listed (likely VCA)
- Parameters: Sustain, Tone, Attack, Volume, Blend
- True Bypass
- 9-Volt Battery or DC Adapter
Author’s Pick
The CS-3 is the third iteration of the highly popular Compression Sustainer pedals from Boss. Released in 1986 as a minor update to the CS-2, the CS-3 adds a tone knob and uses a different VCA chip.
As I was setting up the CS-3 to do some tests, I plugged it into my regular 1Spot style power supply. To my dismay, the pedal seemed to malfunction, the LED power indicator was dim, and the sound was unpleasingly fizzy. I was worried the pedal was broken!
In a last-ditch effort and after a lot of fiddling, I decided to try to power it with my TU-3… it worked like a charm! This harkens back to my review of the TU-3 and how I didn’t see its usefulness as a power supply… well this is one unexpected reason to power my pedals through it.
I don’t know the electrical engineering reason why it works with the TU-3 instead of just being powered straight from the daisy chain power adaptor; if anyone knows, please let me know in the comment section below.
I’m a bit torn on the Boss CS-3.
On one hand, it is a good, affordable compressor pedal that does the job in a simple manner. It provides compression and sustain making things sound just a tad bolder. I would describe it as adding MSG to my tone. I can see myself using this as a boost in lieu of an overdrive pedal. This is a fantastic pedal for those who want to color their sound.
On the other hand, it makes me struggle with noise that, without this pedal, would be soft enough not to worry about. With my simple philosophy of not making things harder than they should be, the Boss CS-3 is best used by advanced tone shapers with good technique who play genres reliant on compression, such as funk. Regardless of this, I have now incorporated the CS-3 into my main live setup.
I give this pedal an 82 out of 100. You can hear some rhythm, lead, and bass lines I recorded with it in my extended Boss CS-3 review.
- Controls: Level, Tone, Attack, Sustain
- Connectors: 1/4″ Input, 1/4″ Output, AC Adaptor
- Current Draw: 10 mA (DC 9V)
- Battery: 9V
- Dimensions (WHD): 2.9″ x 2.4″ x 5.1″
- Weight: 1 lb.
Things To Consider When Buying A Compression Pedal for Guitar
Let’s break down the essential stuff you’ll want to know before picking up a compressor pedal. Whether you’re chasing sustain, tighter dynamics, or just a smoother, more polished tone, understanding how these pedals work will help you make the right call for your setup.
Parameter Controls (What Does What)
Before you even start comparing models, get familiar with the common controls on compressor pedals. And don’t assume that more knobs equals a better pedal. Some of the best guitar pedals I’ve used keep it simple with just two dials, like the classic MXR DynaComp. Some pedals hide extra options in internal dip switches, which can be useful, but it’s not always necessary depending on what you’re after.
Volume / Level
This knob sets the output volume after compression. You can use it to balance your signal or even give it a boost if needed. On some pedals, it doubles as a way to push your amp into natural breakup. If your pedal has a blend control, that’s where things get interesting—it lets you dial in parallel compression by mixing your dry signal with the compressed one. Super useful for keeping your tone punchy without killing dynamics.
Sustain / Sensitivity
This control affects how much compression is applied. Lower settings preserve more of your natural playing dynamics, while higher settings squash the signal and stretch your sustain. If you’re into country, classic rock, or slide guitar, that extended sustain can really bring your playing to life. Just keep in mind that sustain and output volume often influence each other, so balance them carefully.
Attack and Release
Attack controls how fast the compression kicks in. Release determines how quickly the signal returns to normal. Short attack times catch your transients quickly but can dull the tone, while slower attack settings keep the brightness and let some dynamics through. Short release times can mess with your low-end and cause distortion, while longer release settings create that “pumping” effect—sometimes desirable, sometimes not.
Most of the time, moderate settings are the sweet spot. Play around with different combinations to find what feels right. Some pedals, like the Carl Martin Compressor Limiter, offer full control over every parameter, while others, like the TC Electronic Hypergravity, keep things compact but flexible with extra tone-shaping options.
Types of Compression
There are a few different compression circuits out there. The differences are often subtle, but they affect how the pedal reacts and feels more than how it sounds.
- Optical: Uses light and a photocell to control compression. These tend to sound natural and smooth—great if you want an organic feel.
- VCA (Voltage Controlled Amplifier): Known for precision and tight control over your sound. Not the most “musical” to some ears, but great for dialing in consistency.
- OTA (Operational Transconductance Amplifier): The most common type in guitar pedals. Used in popular pedals like the Xotic SP and Keeley Compressor Plus, this tech is at the core of many top choices.
- Valve: Basically a traditional circuit with a vacuum tube in the signal path. Adds warmth, but don’t expect night-and-day differences.
- FET: A solid-state way of mimicking tube compression. These feel warm and responsive, though they tend to cost a bit more and take up more space on your board.
- Multi-Band: This one actually changes your tone by compressing only specific frequency ranges. It’s great for detailed tone shaping or mixing clean and dirty tones with surgical control.
Using a Compressor Pedal with Other Effects
Pedal placement matters. Even if you’ve got the best guitar compressor pedal on your board, putting it in the wrong spot in your signal chain can make it sound underwhelming. The big debate around guitar pedal order usually comes down to this: do you want your compressor shaping your raw guitar tone, or should it act as a volume tamer for your whole signal?
Most players (myself included) start with the compressor near the beginning of the chain. It helps even out your clean tone and feeds a consistent signal into whatever comes next. Putting it at the end can work too, especially if you want to smooth out volume jumps from other effects. Just be aware that you might amplify any noise your other pedals are creating. If that’s an issue, a noise gate can help.
Compression pairs beautifully with EQ. Many players use compression with EQ to get that classic funk snap or crystal-clear clean tone. It also works well with distortion—throw it before your overdrive to beef up lead lines and make solos soar.
At the end of the day, trust your ears. Try different combos, tweak settings, and go with what sounds and feels best for your rig.
Pedalboard Space
Once you start building a board, every inch counts. Having a pedalboard makes live setups smoother and cable management easier, but space is always limited. That’s why mini compressors are so popular.
A smaller pedal might not give you all the tweaking options, but you’re not necessarily losing tone. In fact, many of the best compact compressors only use two controls anyway—just like the MXR DynaComp. If you’re trying to save space without sacrificing quality, there are plenty of solid options out there that won’t eat up half your board.
Does a Compressor Pedal Make You Sound Better?
A compressor isn’t magic, but it can make you sound more polished. It tames sudden peaks, lifts up softer notes, and gives your tone more presence. That makes your playing feel tighter and more controlled, especially when you’re switching styles or covering a wide dynamic range. It also adds sustain and can give your tone more punch. If you’re playing funk, pop, country, or lead-heavy rock, a good compressor becomes something you won’t want to play without.
True Bypass vs. Buffered Output
This one’s easy to overthink. True bypass pedals don’t touch your signal when they’re off, while buffered output pedals boost your signal to compensate for long cable runs or multiple pedals.
If your total cable length gets up around 20 feet or more, you might start losing some of your high-end sparkle. A buffer helps fix that. On the flip side, some players feel that buffered pedals can color their tone, but that really depends on the circuit. Pedals that aren’t true bypass are sometimes called hardwire bypass because your signal still runs through the circuitry even when they’re off.
Bottom line: both types can work well. If you’re using mostly true bypass pedals, it might be smart to add a boost or buffer to help preserve clarity.
Best Compressor Pedal Selection Methodology
The first edition was published in 2017. The current edition was published in July 2025.
We started by looking at the many compressor pedals available from USA-based retailers, and this resulted in producing a short list of 30 pedals – all available with current ratings in the Music Gear Database. Then we collated and analyzed relevant reviews and ratings for each pedal, including the most recent feedback.
The data we gathered came from over 18,500 sources (a 36% increase over the previous edition), all of which were then processed by the Gearank Algorithm. This resulted in rating scores out of 100 which reflect market sentiment for each pedal. Finally, we selected the highest-rated ones to recommend in this guide. For more information about our methods, see How Gearank Works.
About the Author and Contributors
Here are the key people and sources involved in this guide’s production – click on linked names for information about their music industry backgrounds.
Lead Author & Researcher
Contributors
Allen Articulo: Supplemental Writing, Product Research.
Alexander Briones: Supplemental writing and editing.
Mason Hoberg: Supplemental writing.
Jason Horton: Editing and Illustrating.
Media / Image Credit
Main/Top Image: Image Credit – Gearank.com using photographs of the Wampler Ego V2, Origin Effects Cali76 Stacked Edition, and Boss CP-1X Compressor.
The videos above have been embedded in accordance with YouTube’s Terms of Service.
The individual product images were sourced from websites, promotional materials, or supporting documentation provided by their respective manufacturers.
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Comments:
24 responses
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Publication of our August 2022 Edition resulted in the following pedals coming off the recommended list due to being out-ranked by the models above:
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Our February 2021 edition saw the following compressors removed from the recommended list above, but you can still see our analysis of them:
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People seriously overlook the Pulp N Peel. It’s not just a great compressor with an awesome blend knob, it just clean up the signal in an extremely musical way. I’ve been nothing but happy with mine.
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As a result of our May 2020 update, the following pedals came of the recommended list above, but you can still take a look at our analysis of them:
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Great review! Thx! I’m already craving the Mooer Yellow Comp!
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Thanks for all you do – this is awesome!
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As a result of the August 2018 update of this guide the following compressor pedals came off our recommended list above, but you can still read what we have to say about them:
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In all my years of gear monging, one of the best pieces of gear I’ve come across, still have (after years of checking what else is out there), and love to pieces is the Diamond Compressor. I am amazed it’s not on your list, unless it’s because you already have a blatant copy of it on your list – the Mooer Yellow Comp. ???
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Everyone has their personal preferences and seeing as how you stated yours so strongly I decided to publish our rating for the CPR1 (Link to Amazon) which is the one I think you’re referring to – see the Gearank rating here.
As it happens, the rating was higher than I estimated during our short-listing process, however it was just under the score we needed to recommend it in this guide – but it didn’t miss by much and is highly regarded by many guitarists.
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I understand your explanation about leaving off the Cali 76 but if your gonna have a best compressor list it’s bogus with out it. The whole point to having a list like this is to help people find the best not the most available. If people need advice on generic crap , they can go to GC for that. I guess this is the Walmart of websites. I’m sure u have some reason to funnel business to these giant retailers and pedal makers, which also makes it bogus . The Cali is the best out there , don’t pay attention to this list.
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The Origin Effects Cali76 was added to our short-list after this guide was published because it became available from more sources (you can also now buy it at thomannmusic.com) and we have relaxed our availability criteria slightly.
It is a strong contender and could well be included in a future update.
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We’ve just published a major update where we included the Cali76 on our short-list, however it just missed the cut due to its ratings not being high enough to recommend – those ratings came from over 70 sources.
It didn’t miss by much and if we had extended the recommended list to 12 pedals it would have been included.
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MXR Bass/Studio Compressor meets your Big Box Store criteria, and is one of the better compressors on the market.
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This guide is only for regular Guitar compressors, not for Bass Guitar – that’s why the MXR M87 Bass Compressor was not included.
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You don’t need a battery compartment to run the Mooer Yellow Comp with a battery. You just need a 9-volt battery snap connector. It may drive you crazy if you’re anal but it works. And replacing the battery takes only a few seconds.
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What about the new Keeley Compressor Plus? I’m interested in trying a new comp, that or the Xotic SP probably (I have a newish script MXR Dyna Comp I’m using now, which is OK but I’d like a blend control)
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The Keeley Compressor Plus was too new for us to include in our detailed analysis at the time we published this guide, however the early reports are very positive.
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Thank you to everyone who has provided feedback so far on this guide, both here and through other channels.
As a result we re-examined the research methods we used (we were trying a new process) and found we had missed the Keeley 4 Knob Compressor Pedal which should have been included at time of publication.
We’ve corrected the oversight and added it to our list of recommended compressor pedals today.
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Where is the Bogner Lyndhurst compression pedal in this shootout ? It is sold at most major music chains and is one of the best sounding compressor pedals made.
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It looks like it could be a good pedal, however it only started hitting the stores about 8 weeks prior to us doing the research for this guide and as a result there were insufficient review sources for us to rate it.
In case you didn’t know, our ratings aren’t based on our own opinions, they’re based on a statistical analysis of the opinions of musicians who have used the gear and provided feedback at online retailers, online publications, review sites, forums, YouTube and more – we explain this in a bit more detail in How Gearank Works.
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Look, you covered the low end units somewhat okay, but there are way better units in the low end than you reviewed and the idea you left out Origin Effects cali76 comp limiter is shameful…its the best compressor on the market out there and absolutely blows away any of those 11 you chimed on about…granted, you covered the low end models for bedroom players and Wampler and Empress make fine units with a larger price tag, but nothing built out there compares to the Origin Effects Cali76 for the serious player, the professional working musician, well its the Cali76 comp/limiter amp made by Origin Effects in the UK..its the best comp/limiter on the market for the professional or semi pro guitarist or bassist. It’s sinfull they got no mention from you…as a pro player, I am shocked you would omit Origin Effects Cali76 comp/limiteramp models from this article.
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Thanks for giving me the opportunity to mention Origin Effects because although they are a well regarded brand, they do not meet our selection criteria mentioned in the Methodology section above. Specifically, the Call76 and its variants are not available from major online American music shops – you can’t buy them at Guitar Center, Sweetwater, zZounds or Musicians Friend.
They are available from a few 2nd level retailers and on platforms that support third party sellers such as Reverb and Amazon (affiliate link).
We deliberately use narrow selection criteria like these in order to ensure our recommendations will be readily accessible – you can walk into any major music store in the USA and generally expect to see the brands we talk about. If we didn’t do this we’d end up recommending many boutique products that would be hard for most people to find.
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Paid 99 bones on the mxr was so noisy I had to remove it from my board.Got a second hand Boss CS3 from the flea market… Great pedal. Dont sleep on the budget pedal. Damm near every pedal prince used was a budget pedal.
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The Boss CS-3 was one of the pedals that made it onto our short list, in fact had we made 12 recommendations instead of 11 then it probably would have made the cut, but as with all our guides we have to take a decision and set the line somewhere.
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More Guitar Pedals
About the Author and Contributors
Here are the key people and sources involved in this guide's production - click on linked names for information about their music industry backgrounds.
Lead Author & Researcher
Alden Acosta
I'm a drummer and former lead guitarist of the band Callalily, a platinum selling multi-awarded band from the Philippines. I also studied music for 6 years majoring in percussion and jazz studies with a minor in classical piano.
I have over a decade experience in using compression on my guitars in the studio. Although my journey and appreciation for guitar compressor pedals started a bit later, my hands-on approach to pedals and effects has made me see the light on the best compressor pedals. As of writing this edition, I currently own and have on my pedal board the Boss CS-3.
Contributors
Allen Articulo: Supplemental Writing, Product Research.
Alexander Briones: Supplemental writing and editing.
Mason Hoberg: Supplemental writing.
Jason Horton: Editing and Illustrating.
Media
Main/Top Image: Image Credit - Gearank.com using photographs of the Wampler Ego V2, Origin Effects Cali76 Stacked Edition and Boss CP-1X Compressor.
The videos above have been embedded in accordance with YouTube's Terms of Service.
The individual product images were sourced from websites, promotional materials or supporting documentation provided by their respective manufacturers.


















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