Looking For The Best Compressor For Live Acoustic Electric Guitar Players?
Here’s a look at our favorites, including our top pick the – Xotic Effects SP Compressor Guitar Effects Pedal.
If you have a gift for playing the guitar, you already know how important it is to have the right equipment when you hit the stage. It does not matter whether you play once a month for your friends or every night for a bar full of paying customers, the equipment you play can make the difference between a memorable performance and a so-so one.
One of the most important pieces of equipment for any live acoustic guitar player is the compressor pedal. If you already own a compressor pedal, you know how important it is to every performance. If not, it is time to add this piece of critical equipment to your list. Here are five of the best compressor pedals that every live acoustic guitar player needs to have.
What to Look for in a Compressor for Live Acoustic Electric Guitar Players:
- Price: You have to decide how much you want to spend on a compressor. Good compressors range from about $80 and up, Boss makes an excellent line of affordable compressors if you’re looking for something cheap.
- Knobs: Pay attention to the number of knobs your compressor pedal has, the more knobs you have, the more control you’ll have over the overall tone of your compression.
- Size: If you’re building a pedal board, you’re going to have more than just this compressor pedal in your effects chain. Make sure this pedal is not going to take up too much space on your pedal board.
- Blend: A blend knob will let you keep your uncompressed tone and perfectly mix it with your compressed tone. This is a vital control to have if you’re taking your compression seriously. However, a blend knob will typically make the compression pedal more expensive, so you have to again consider the price you’re willing to pay.
Xotic Effects SP Compressor Guitar Effects Pedal
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The Xotic Effects SP Compressor Guitar Effects Pedal is one of the best in the industry, and it is perfect for everyone from the casual player to the serious performer. With its dry blend knob that provides up to +15dB of boosting power to its small 2″ x 6″ x 3″ size, this pedal compressor packs a lot of power into a tiny footprint.
The Xotic Effects SP Compressor Guitar Effects Pedal is the perfect choice for guitar players of all ages and abilities. Whether you play the blues or rock out to the latest tunes, you can share your passion from the stage with this excellent compressor pedal.
What Users Are Saying:
- Huge variety of compression tone options
- Blend knob gives you the perfect compression tone to normal tone ratio
- Love that there’s only two controls to tinker with
- Green LED is easy to see on stage
Boss CS-3 Compressor/Sustainer Guitar Effects Pedal Bundle
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This entry from Boss CS-3 is more than just a compressor pedal – it is an entire bundle that can go from the box to the stage in no time. Not only do you get a great compressor pedal capable of plenty of cool effects, but you also get an instrument cable, a patch cable, an assortment of picks and even a polishing cloth to keep it all looking like new.
The Boss is designed for compact compression, so you can take it with you wherever you go. From the tiniest dive bar to the largest theater, you can take this powerful performer with you anywhere. And with its onboard level, tone, attack and sustain controls, you get precision performance every time. What more could you want?
What Users Are Saying:
- Amazing value
- The only compression pedal you’ll ever need
- Extremely durable Boss pedal
- Rich sound quality
MXR M102 Dyna Comp® Compressor
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MXR is a popular name in the world of compressor pedals, known for its high quality and exceptional performance on stage and off. Whether you are practicing with your friends or playing for an audience, this powerful performer will deliver the goods.
The MXR M102 Dyna Comp® Compressor features in-line technology to help even out the signal that reaches your amplifier. That means smoother sound and a more consistent performance no matter what kind of music you play. This great compressor pedal is built to the Nashville studio standard, and it features a constant output signal for greater consistency and stellar sound.
What Users Are Saying:
- Easy 2 knob control
- Great if this is your first compression pedal
- Bright LED you can see on stage
- Excellent sound
T-Rex Engineering NEO-COMP Guitar Compression Effects Pedal
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The T-Rex is known for its power and size, and the T-Rex Engineering NEO-COMP Guitar Compression Effects Pedal brings an incredible amount of performance to the stage. In fact, it is hard to believe that much power is emerging from a compression pedal with such a tiny footprint.
The T-Rex Engineering NEO-COMP Guitar Compression Effects Pedal is based on the legendary Blackmar VCA standard, so you can be assured of its quality and powerful performance. This great compression pedal is adjustable to all the standard parameters, making it a great choice for bass and vocals as well as acoustic guitar play in the studio and on the stage.
What Users Are Saying:
- Great value
- Large knob for easy adjustments on stage
- Amazing sound quality
- Gain knob is unique to this pedal
MXR M76 Studio Compressor
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If you are looking for a compressor pedal that can take you from the practice studio to the stage with ease, this is the pedal for you. The MXR M76 Studio Compressor is the perfect choice for players of all ages and abilities. Whether you have been playing for years or just picked up your first guitar, you will appreciate the quality, stability and powerful performance of this excellent compression pedal.
This Phase 90-sized pedal is designed with state-of-the-art CHT Constant Headroom Technology, providing players with the clean and clear performance they need in all kinds of conditions. There is also a bank of 10 gain-reduction LEDs so you can see your status with just a glance. No matter what kind of music you love, this is one powerful compression pedal.
What Users Are Saying:
- Amazing value for all the features
- All the features of a full size studio compressor in a guitar pedal
- Easy to understand the controls
- Gain reduction meter shows you a live reading of compression
Takeaways
If you love to play, you need the right equipment to communicate your musical passion to your audience. The compression pedals listed above are some of the best, combining great value, excellent performance and power every time you take the stage.
I started Music Store Central with one simple goal, to help answer all the questions that I know other musicians have. I wanted to make buying new instruments and gear for your passion completely effortless.