Favourite compressor pedal

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Outsider

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Have to ask your opinion on compressors. I've recently started to play in a funky soul band and I thought that maybe a nice compressor would make it easier to make my clean rhythm-licks more even. I have very little experience on compressors, so please share your wisdom. It doesn't have to be able to handle hi-gain situations, I would use it mainly with clean sound, single-coils and humbuckers. Transparency, warm natural sound and that extra something would be appreciated... and unfortunately the price would have to be reasonable, I can't afford Keeleys or the like.
 
I have an original series Maxon CP-9 I use as a clean channel with my tweed deluxe(altough not much dynamics however).

What about a Dan Amstrong Orange Squeezer too?
 
Barber Tone Press. Let's you blend the original signal with the compressed signal.
 
After weeks of wondering what would be worth the money, I eventually got me a vintage Boss CS-2. I just returned from the band rehersals and I can say that I'm very happy with the pedal. I payed 80 ? for it, so it wasn't dirt cheap but a lot cheaper than many alternatives. A bit noisy, but you don't really hear it when the band is playing. Very warm sounding compression. It really helps me to fit in the groove and I could get some nice feedback with it driving my SD-1 Super Overdrive. A lot better than the really cold sounding CS-3. I also tested Marshall's Edward the Compressor, but I couldn't get a enough clean sound out of it. I tested a HBE compressor as well, and it was fantastic but almost double the ???'s.

Thanks for the input, I made my own choice (again, somebody maybe remembers me asking about tubes...). But I really appreciate the help. Thanks!
 
Interesting to see Outsider's comments on the Boss CS-2 - I had a really tatty old one I bought for ?15 off a mate.... I sold it on ebay not so long ago for ?72...!! Only on the day of posting it did I actually plug it in and test it out... and I fell in love with it instantly. Very warm sounding. But the sound of ?57 gross profit made me feel very warm indeed. :p
 
I used to have an MXR Dyna Comp that sounded great, I have a Boss CS-3 with an optical mod on it which I like, but still prefer the MXR. Nice and squishy!!
 
My TC Electronics Vintage Compressor is the best I tried. The Tone Press is supposedly very good but I've not heard one.
 
It has to be the Barber Tonepress for me too, also have a replica Orange Squeezer (self build from generalguitargadgets.com) and the only MXR I like, the Super Comp. I also have an Aphex Punch Factory, on loan to or bass player. I do have to say though, with a couple of decent tube amps around, I prefer not using one any more as I prefer to let the dynamics of the amp to cut through depending on how hard I dig into the strings or snap them.
 
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