Glen Pearce's effects order

[indianrock]

The effects diagram is at the bottom of this pdf. My question is about putting the overdrive before the compressor. I'm in no position to question Glenn's pedal board, but I thought compressor usually went first.

http://www.bengowell.com/pdf/bonus_electricguitar.pdf

1. cry baby wah
2. Boss Dual Overdrive SD-2
3. Boss CS-3 Compression Sustainer
4. Boss FV-300H volume pedal ( with tuner out)
5. Boss DD-5 Digital Delay
6. Arion Chorus
7. Boss TR-2 Tremelo

Note : Overdrive and compressor pedal always go before the volume pedal for best tone.

[MusicChad]

It would be more common from what I understand to put the compressor first. That being said, I often run my compressor after my overdrive... If you compress first, it can change the character of your overdrive a LOT and influence the "feel" of the overdrive significantly. Generally, people seem to like the end result as it seems to be more "forgiving", "intense", or "hot". On the other hand, the overdrive I use really responds the way I want just as it is, but I want to even up the output just a bit and make it sound "tighter" WITHOUT changing the way the overdrive responds to my playing... Hence, I compress the distorted signal rather than compressing before the distortion... In fact, when using my GT-8, it wouldn't be uncommon for me to put a compressor both before AND after an overdrive... It just depends on what you are looking for in your tone.

[TheViking]

it all depends if I am using it as a compressor or a sustainer, so usually I have one early in the chain and one after my OD

[SAguitar]

There's a Bear who can have his cake, and eat it too. :yeah:

[indianrock]

Anybody decide to remove compressor from your board altogether? If so why and what were the downsides?

[MusicChad]

Playing live, I often use two compressors, one to "even things out" and one to "enhance the attack or increasing the feeling of pressure when desired"

Recording, I tend to NOT use compressors much as you have a LOT more flexibility doing it later - although I'll still tend to use the compressor that increases attack as it really changes the nature of my OD pedal...

I'd have a hard time NOT having a compressor on my pedal board at this point, as I am so used to how it sounds... I would consider it a very subtle, but key part to my overall tone...

[SAguitar]

I used to play without one for many years, and even now that I do have one available, I turn it off about half of the time. It does limit the amount of dynamics you can play with, which sometimes is good, and sometimes it ain't!

[scooteraz]

I had one in my chain, then removed it. I had it after the firs dirt pedal (a blackstone) and the wah. I never used the wah and the compressor together, and it fit better on the board there (really short leads...).

Then I got rid of it, and didn't really notice it gone.

Then I got a Princeton Recording Amp, and it is a built in effect. Still don't use it a lot. Guess I might if I were better at chick'n pick'n.

[indianrock]

So the compressor is a plus only for certain styles? Right now I have the older CS-2 boss compressor first on the pedal board, followed by an RC Booster, then Boss OD3. I want to try living without the compressor to make room for another dirt pedal after the RC booster.

[SAguitar]

Uhhh... well, yeah! It works good if you tend to overplay, which I tend to do on some songs. I just smash the strings and they rattle like crazy.

If you have a more gracious, light touch, then you don't really need a compressor, and if you have one it might not even do much, depending on how you have it adjusted.

[WideAwake]

I bought the MXR one, used it for about two weeks, and returned it. I much preferred my sound without a compressor. Or at least, that particular one.

[Micter]

I have an optical compressor that I really like. It's a DIY kit from Build Your Own Clone. I never turn it off. It is very transparent and just works well for my playing style. I have another that I like to use as a cleanboost. It is a clone of Dan Armstrong's Orange Squeezer. It is sort of squishy but I like it for soloing. Then there is my modded CS3 that has so much sustain it is crazy.

Some compressors work really great for clean picking, some work great for adding sustain, and yet others work well for clean boosts, but again my favorites are the optical compressors. They tend to have a more studio type of compression rather than the noisey stompbox type.

[SAguitar]

What kind of compressor does Mr. Keeley use in his stompers?

[Micter]

What kind of compressor does Mr. Keeley use in his stompers?

I think the Keeley is a Ross variant as is the dyna-comp and many others.

[indianrock]

I finally took my old Boss CS-2 off my pedal board as an experiement. Some were suggesting that the RC Booster, which is now first in line on the board, would be better as the first pedal and that I might find I don't need a compressor. We'll see.

So now it's RC Booster>Boss OD3 overdrive>Boss MT-2 Metal Zone>Boss DD-7 Delay>ABY switch with tuner out etc etc I know I need to replace the Metal Zone with something better.