Electro-Harmonix Black Finger Sustainer

Could be easy to use if you like it

It lacks the punch seems to me there was no punch or sustain it's that bad

ok I guess I took it back

If you play country and looking for that sustain and punch then stay away from this product I found that the Boss CS-3 is the best for that buy it turn your sustain all the way up and attack almost off and keep volume under half way and you got that Nashville sound if you try this email me and tell me you found heaven Shawn@musician.org

dead simple.

excellent I use this thing on EVERYTHING! It's a nice gain stage, I try to keep the comp minimal most of the time, depending on what's going through it.

My first one was DOA, a tube was loose and after reseating it, it did nothing. So I had to return it. My 2nd one was excellent! I don't think the newer EH peds are built so well... but they are still cool. Once you get a working one. To be fair to EH I bought my from 8th Street Music and it HAD been opened. so perhaps they damaged it. No idea. Still, pedals should be pretty durable given their intended use.

pretty good, I found from another broken EH pedal that EH will at least fix CURRENT (NOT VINTAGE) pedals for a flat $15 fee. I'm about to send off my Qtron+ to see how long it takes.

There are five knobs. The main adjustment is the compressor knob. This is the most useful knob and is simple to understand. Turning it up increases the compression. There is a pre-gain, which can be used to "overdrive the circuit", as the manual says. The post-gain, which is the output volume. Squash/normal select. Don't know what it does, but squash sounds a little louder. And Lamp/LED select. To me the last two knobs don't do alot to alter the characteristic.

The compression is beautiful, non-intrusive ("passive" as the manual says) compression. You don't even know it's there (but it does work). The tubes do brighten up the sound, but there is one fatal flaw in my copy. There is horrible scratchy noise from the unit. I am using a strat copy with just this pedal (for this test) into a mixer with headphones. You can unplug the guitar and/or turn the pre-gain right down and the scratchy noise is still there. It is internal from the unit. The scratchyness is propotional to the output volume knob. This brand-new pedal from the States arrived with one tube smashed, (which I replaced with another genuine Sovtek 12AX7EH tube). So, it was knocked about a bit - maybe it was this knock, or maybe it's the 50 Hz here in Australia, or maybe the fact that my "12V AC" output transformer (what it takes) actually outputs 14V AC for some reason, but whatever it is I can't use it on stage. Aside from this I WOULD HAVE GIVEN IT a 10.
I wanted this pedal partly for it's "overdrive" feature. But the overdrive is mild and doesn't quite get to distortion properly, so DON'T get this pedal if you want tube distortion. Also, the overdrive doesn't really work in combination with the compression. ONLY get it if you want compression.

Don't know about the long-term reliability

I contacted info@ehx.com with a question about a week ago but they just got back to me now.

I can't afford to get the scratchyness fixed right now (if it is fixable), and I am reluctant to send it back to the States only to have it get smashed in transit again. The guys down at customs are probably having a big laugh right now. This was an experiment in getting an expensive, boutique pedal from the United States gone wrong, and I seem to be stuck with the consequence. I am devestated.

Easily the best compressor pedal I've ever used. Controls are pretty straight forward for a compressor. Input gain, output gain, compress (threshold?), Lamp/LED, and norm/sqsh (ratio?), and gain reduction LED. Gain stages are driven by 2 12AX7EH tubes running at around 300V. The power supply is only 12V but there's an additional pcboard mounted transformer inside. The wall wart uses a non-standard plug I suppose so you don't accidentally use the wrong power supply. That's fine with me, but I wish they'd mounted the jack between the in/out jacks rather than on the side of the pedal. It causes a loss of pedal board space when you can't put pedals right up next to each other. I may have to do a hack job and relocate it myself. The footswitch btw is a 3PDT, possibly a Fulltone, so it's true-bypas with an LED which surprised me coming from EH.

As I said, the nicest sounding compressor pedal I've ever used. Does it sound like an 1176 or LA2A? I seriously doubt it, but it is very smooth and warm compression. No harsh treble boost or extrme squashing that kills your dynamcs like a Boss compressor for example. The lamp mode gives a slightly different attack response from the LED mode which is faster. My favorite setting is lamp and sqsh with a high compression setting. It gives a great vintage sounding compression for guitar or bass. I'm looking forward to using it on vocals and other miced sources.

The metal box is bent aluminum and seems somewhat sturdy but somewhat flimsy as well. The tube shield also seems quite sturdy. Inside the pcboard look s very neat and well made. I wouldn't worry about it any more than any other pedal.

I can't imagine a better sounding compressor pedal. The only things I culd ask for are the afore mentioned different placement of the power jack, as well as continuous controls for attack and ratio. I'd certainly recommend this pedal to anyone who's looking for a great compressor pedal that doesn't kill you dynamics or totally alter your tone. At almost $200 is is a bit high for a pedal but woth it if you use compression frequently.

Took a little while to figure out the lamp/led and squish/normal thangs, but not that tough.

The best. Makes everything sound fat and round and succulent. This is the greatest thing ever.

I bought it used, and the idiot shipped loose in the box, so UPS bounced it around all the way across the country, the tube shield came off, a tube broke, the circuit board got loose, but a new tube and 2 minutes with the ol' phillips head it was fine. No problems with reasoneable care.

Power supply broke, you can only get a replacement from New Sensor, no probs there.

This is the best music related item I've bought in years. I play guitar, I have to go direct a lot, and it just makes the guitar sound real. Fat and round, controls level well without that wretched DynaComp midrangey squish.I actually waited a couple of weeks b4 writing this so I wouldn't be stuck in infatuation mode, but this is true love. Greatest thing ever.

There are alot of diffrent variations. Took a couple days to find "my tone" from the pedal but once I did, woo-wee!
Manual isn't that awesome, I actually had to call the Electro-Harmonix and get this, aftet explaining my situation, EHX put me through to the engineer that built the pedal!!!!!!!!!!! Thats freekin awesome!!!!!
But the pedal did take a little toying with to get the right tone.

Being its a dual tube (12ax7)x2 you automatically get very warm tone. Warm and gooey fat tube tone baby. Now I've used tube preamps before and it was warm but the sound was very colored. The BlackFinger lets the tubes do all the talking without the circutry. The circutry and electronics in this are EXTREMELY TRANSPARENT!! Again very warm, and the tubes do it all, no cheep electronics/circutry to color the tone.

**For bassist. I've used this and the EBS multi-comp. The Black Finger beats the multi-comp. Deffinetly!

Looks like its going to last a long time. As long as you don't beat the crap out of it.

Like I said before ^^^. I've called EHX, and they put me on the phone with the engineer that built the damn thing!!! Can't get better Customer Support. Also, when I got off the phone with him I left with more confidence and more of an understanding with my new compressor.

Now i've wrote plenty of reviews in my day on all diffrent prodcuts. Here on Harmony-Central.com and on BGRA.net I would say that some of my reviews weren't so great. I would write the review that same day I bought the item, praised the heck out of it, and wound up returning it or selling it a week later. This I didn't do. I waited a while. Observed it, worked with it, examed it and totally "reviewed" the compressor. Overall rating, the absolute best compressor on the market for its price. Even better then compressors that cost $500 and up. THE ABSOLUTE BEST!!!
**FOR BASS!!, this will tighten up your low end. Clean up that "woofey" sounding low notes, and ultimatly warm the heck out of your tone and give you a very musical tube sound.

It's as simple as all the vintage studio tube comps were. Control for Input, Compression, LED or Lamp, fast or slow Attack.

I was searching for a tube pedal compressor for 15 years! I can tell you, the BF blows everything! It really sound like all those famous studio comps like teletronix, or urei etc. I use it for Electric Bass, but it's fine for every Instrument. I tried it for vox in my studio and it's simply the best compressor on the market, especially if you look at the price tag, it's 290.-$ List, most Tube Comps that work are about $ 2000.- up!
Forget all that Maxon, Behringer blabla so called Tube Equipment. It is shit! In this compressor the tubes are powered with 300 Volts. In those wannabe tube things the work with 50-100 Volts, which is far to less to get a real tubesound out of it. It's better to use solidstate stuff than something called tube.
Thank you EH!
Lieke I said, I'm Bassplayer and Producer, so I recorded with all those TLs and LA2As etc. The Black Finger is a REAL TUBE Compressor, even with higher ratios, the sound is'nt squashed or dull. Its a ringing, warm and brilliant Tone!

Come on! It's Electro Harmonix. A cheap Aluminium Box. But I tell you what: I like it the way it is! It has Style. Mike Mathews is a Freak and designed the hippest Effects for Bass and Guitar - and so looks his Gear!
Inside it is solid. Everything mounted on a printed Board.

Never dealt with them.

I play Bass for 20 Years as a Pro and I owned a lot of compressors beside those I played through in all those Studio-Sessions. I play a 78 Fender Jazz with active Preamp and SWR Amps. In the Studio I only use my Bass and the Black Finger. That's it. And that sounds!!!
I used it on my Records for Guitar as well and it is just perfect. The first thing was, that I told the guitar players to switch off their Behringers, etc.
Again, it is a wonderful Compressor. And to get THE Bass Sound, you need a good compressor, especially if you're into different playing techniques.
Buy this!!!

I have an original 1970's model -- not the reissue, which is a completely different beast altogether. The original has no tubes and only three basic controls. Fairly easy to use if you understand compressors. Three variable controls: Volume, Sustain, and Tone and a (useless) on-off switch on the back. Fairly easy -- set the volume either to be even with the switched off signal, or turn up for a boost. Twirl the sustain knob to desired compression ratio, and set the tone. Pretty easy.

This is a super-squashy, outrageous, almost cartoon-like compressor/sustainer. I was able to get a really nice Hendrix "Little Wing" sound with a bit of tweaking -- sustain around 3-4 o'clock, tone backed off a bit from center.

Not useful for everything you play, but has a lot of character for specialized uses. It is a nice sound for a clean Hendrix-y mood, or to add over-the-top-sustain to a fuzzed out solo. Also good for funky chord chomping.

Being a 70's vintage pedal, I wouldn't beat on it too hard, but it seems reasonably fit. I'd be nervous without a backup if I really relied in it, but as I sated above, it is more for special uses than a "turn on and leave on all night" pedal.

I bought it cheap on eBay because the footswitch didn't work properly, it was easily repaired by me.

I have no idea if EH would service a pedal of this vintage.

I play classic rock, blues, and rockabilly. I use it sparingly, but it does add character when used.

If it were stolen, I'd only replace if I could get another great deal like the one I got originally.

I also have a 70's Soul Preacher. The Soul Preacher is a more subtle compressor, but the Black Finger is more "fun" sounding.

If you are looking for something interesting and fun, this is a good choice -- if you want something clean and precise to use in the studio then this is not for you.

This is the new twin 12AX7 tube based version. Therefore, any comparisons to the older versions are moot. It is a veritable tweakers delight. Not only are there two tubes, there's two different attenuators, two different attack settings, and two adjustments for gain. A rundown of the knobs:
COMPRESS: I think we know what this does...
LAMP/LED Switch: Selects which light source is your attenuator. LED is fast & flat for more "standard" compression. LAMP has a slower attack & less compression of highs.
SQSH/NORM Switch: SQSH is a longer attack time, directly affecting the LAMP setting. NORM is a "standard" attack time (shorter)
PRE-GAIN: Adjust signal to attenuator.
POST-GAIN: Volume
Besides the ON/OFF LED it also has an LED to indicate the amount of compression. With all this adjustability, you'd think that there'd be a few "bad" settings. I couldn't find any that were totally unusable, in fact you can dial up all kinds of excellent tones!

I mainly bought the Finger for my fiddle rig, but I also checked it out with my guitars as well. Being true bypass, it plays well with other effects when off. When on, well this has got to be one of the best compressors on the market today!

One of the main claims of this pedal is that is preserves your original tone. So does it? Quite well, actually. Using it with my Strat & Peavey C30, it was VERY transparent when on, especially using the LED position. Slightly more highs with the LAMP. Much more noticeable effect with the switches on LAMP and SQSH. Also start to introduce a little noise on the SQSH position at high compression ratios, low pre-gain, high post-gain. Anyway, with more reasonable settings I found it almost too transparent. See, I kinda like the extra "sparkle" my Mr. Squishy compressor adds to my guitar tone. Of course probably the main difference here is the presence of the two preamp tubes to soften the edges of the compressed signal.

Using it with my solid state Peavey Ecoustic 112 is a different matter. Here the tubes tend to warm up the signal, taking away some of that solid state sterility. But now the effect is a bit less transparent in what I think is a good way. I get more oomph in my signal, especially with the violin. Currently I'm using the LAMP and SQSH settings with the compression at 12:00, pre-gain 2:00, and post-gain 10:00. I get a very warm and smooth violin sound with a little more life to it. With an acoustic guitar, I get a nice smooth rhythm guitar strumming, but with the standard percussive thing on single notes you get from a compressor.

I also performed what might be called a "trash test" by plugging in my Les Paul, cranking & then wailing. Many compressors get overdriven by such abuse in a bad way. And yes, I did overdrive it, but not by much and with a definite tube sound, which you'd expect.

Found a loose nut & screw rattling around inside when I first got it (?). Didn't seem to go to anything. When I first turned it on, I had to toggle it on/off a few times to get the circuit to engage and the pop of the switch to stop. Did that a few more times when I powered it up, but it's worked perfectly ever since. Maybe just needed to "loosen up the circuitry?"

No dealings with them yet.

So the Black Finger seems to have accomplished what I was hoping it would with my violin to acoustic amp rig: warm up the sound, smooth out the dynamics, and liven up my violin & acoustic guitar tone. Listening to it more on the Ecoustic 112, that liveliness may be some mids entering the picture, probably from the EH tubes (found that the case with my C30). What would happen if I changed out the tubes...

This is a very easy pedal to use. It has a Compress knob to change the amount of compression, Pre and Post gain knobs and two switches to change the light source between LED and LAMP.

So in order to change the compression you have to fool with the compressor knob and the switches. It is really fast to get a cool sound out of it. The two light sources seem to have different attack and release characteristics so by switching between them you can get a different type of compression sound.

There's also a switch to change between two modes called NORM and SQSH. When you change the mode the volume of the pedal changes drastically. It was not a problem though because you can just turn up the post gain knob, which is like a make up gain knob. There's a lot of gain in this pedal. I gave it a 9 only because of the volume change when switching modes.

This thing sounds amazing. I used it on vocals during a mixdown. First I had set up the vocals to go through an RNC and then I decided to try the Blackfinger instead of the RNC and it blew it away. The compression was really smooth and natural sounding(I was using the LED NORM mode). It doesn't really sound like there's a compressor on there but the levels came out smooth.

On guitar, it also sounds great. The Blackfinger can be made to sound really extreme especially in SQSH mode, with the compress knob turned up all the way. The attack of my picking was brought out dramatically. I really like the sound of the LAMP setting on the guitar.

Also you can get some really nice sounding distortion if the gain knobs are turned up all the way.

So far so good. I would use it without a backup.

Never had to deal with EH.

I mostly record pop music and compressors are essential tools. The BF really is a great sounding compressor and I was so impressed on how it sounded with vocals and guitar that I'm going to start using it on everything to see what happens. I'm thinking about getting another one to have stereo compression.