What are the most popular brands for Compressor Pedals on Sweetwater.com?

MXR Compressor Pedals Keeley Compressor Pedals Boss Compressor Pedals Origin Effects Compressor Pedals Wampler Compressor Pedals

What are the most popular Compressor Pedals on Sweetwater.com?

Keeley Compressor Plus Compressor Pedal ★★★★½ 4.5 out of 5 stars | 156 reviews $149.00 Origin Effects Cali76 Bass Compressor Pedal - 64 black panel ★★★★★ 5 out of 5 stars | 8 reviews $419.00 Empress Effects Bass Compressor Pedal - Blue ★★★★★ 5 out of 5 stars | 71 reviews $274.00 Origin Effects Cali76 FET Compressor Pedal ★★★★★ 5 out of 5 stars | 3 reviews $419.00 Baggs Session DI Acoustic Guitar Preamp / DI ★★★★★ 5 out of 5 stars | 47 reviews $279.00

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Compressor Pedals - Sweetwater

What does a compressor pedal do?

A compressor pedal acts like an automatic volume knob for your playing dynamics, “turning down” louder passages and “turning up” softer ones. At subtler settings, compressors can:

Even out your dynamics
Tame volume spikes
Boost your leads and solos
Push your amps for extra distortion
Let you play with a lighter touch

Learn more in our guide to what a compressor pedal does.

Why do guitarists use compressor pedals?

Many guitarists use compressor pedals to shape their envelope, or pick response. Nashville pickers like Vince Gill push their comps to get extra pop, snap, twang, and sparkle. Rhythm players like Cory Wong lean on quick attack times to keep percussive playing tight and even. Then there are lead players like John Mayer and Tim Henson, who use compression to get smooth sustain without relying on overdrive alone.

How does a guitar compressor pedal work?

A compressor pedal detects your guitar or bass signal and controls how loud it’s allowed to get beyond a threshold. Once the signal passes the compressor’s threshold, compression kicks in to reduce or limit the output. Most compressors also offer make-up gain to compensate for the lowered output.

How do you set a compressor pedal?

Most guitar compressor pedals shape your sound using just four controls: volume, compression, tone, and blend.

Volume controls the loudness of your pedal output.
Compression (sometimes labeled sustain or sensitivity) controls how much the pedal squeezes your signal.
Tone shapes the overall EQ of your sound.
Blend lets you mix your compressed signal with your dry signal to preserve your natural pick attack.

For setting tips, see our guide on how to use a compressor pedal.

Where does a compressor pedal go in the signal chain?

A compressor pedal typically goes early in the signal chain, before dirt and modulation, so it evens out your dynamics before other pedals color your tone. This placement works well for clean country and funk styles, although many lead-focused players prefer running a compressor after their dirt pedals for smoother sustain. For more, see our pedal order guide.