Guyatone ST-2

In on time flat, I was able to engage the "Direct" switch and adjust the "Level" and "Sustain" knobs to taste.

This unit provides fairly transparent compression in "Direct" mode and can get more "squishy" with other settings. I actually tried a Maxon CP-101 before investing in one of these and found it comparable, though a bit more coloring. It only seems to accentuate preexisting noise and generates none of its own unless cranked or dimed.

I was hesitant to invest in an ST-2 after the one I tried in a local music store was dead ... apparently, a battery change had gone awry and some butterfingered employee had snapped the circuit board away from the casing ... or a clubfooted store patron stomped it to death. Either way, the circuit board defintiely seems as though it is in a vulnerable position, somewhere underneath the switch and deathly close to the battery. These should definitely be handled with care when gigging. Also, AC power comes highly recommeded to avoid wear of the rubber ring that holds it together.

Have not needed to contact them yet.

In spite of its inherent design flaws, the ST-2 is a great intermediate level compressor, IMHO.

i mean there are only two knobs on this sweetie so there are no patches
the manual really is horrible unless you really have a hard time figuring out that the batteries are probably somewhere on the bottom and the gtr plugs into the INPUT

ok my set up now is (changes thatks to this beaut)
Guitars
02 Fender SRV Strat
1980's Burny ?59 copy (too awesome 4 words)
'92 Fender Tele (59 neck & lil 59 bridge)
'87 Fender P Bass
1970 Epiphone Acoustic
1984 Yamaha Classical
Pedal Board
Split Input
A> digitech rp80 ( for X Noises)
B>Guyatone ST2 >535BB (hot potz) cry baby> TS-10 (JRC 4558 mod)>Real Tube (12AU7tube)>Marshall Super Vibe Chorus>Boss delay pedal>Noise suppressor>
Morley ABY>Marshall TSL 601 ( Modded by the amazing wizard Jeff Seal to match a JCM800 gain structure)

As far as I am concerned this thing will just stay on its little and real estate was at a premium on my pedal board
when i got this I tried it after the wah but it just worked best at the front of the chain I always leave the direct switch on and set around 12:00 sometimes a lil more volume

don't know is still new but i only play in my bedroom and do studio work at the moment

i never heard of these guys

I play everything from blues to rock to wah wah pedals in rap songs
see my gear list above
this thing is awesome ok well it isnt a studio quality compressor but it is perfect for a pedal baord! I love the fact that it didnt change my sound quality

Very easy product to use. I mean there's two knobs and a switch, this isnt rocket science. Manual isn't too comprehensive, but still good enough.

VERY NICE! I've been through a few compressors within the last year (Boss CS-3, Maxon, Marshall) and this one definetly beats them all out. I'm using a Fender USA Fat Strat into the ST-2-->Proco RAT-->Boss DM-2--> Boss DD-3 into a Fender 2x12 Hot Rod Deville. The ST-2 is very musical and natural sounding, especially thanks to the direct switch, which is a great feature. It blends in your compressed tone with your natural tone and the results are very nice. I almost leave it on all the time with that setting and the sustain at about 12 o' clock. You can get some subtle sounds from it all the way to some super squishy compression. Not that noisy either, the Boss was extremely noisy, and the Maxon was good, but the ST-2 is a bit more musical sounding to my ears.

I've had it for a few months so far, and no problems. It is a small pedal but it feels very sturdy. It isn't as indesctrible as a Boss pedal, I've gigged with it about a dozen times so far and I feel I can totally depend on it in the long-run without a backup.

Never talked to Guyatone,, so I can't really comment here.

I'm very happy with this compressor, especially for the money I paid for it. I have yet to try out any of the boutique compressors out there like the Keeley or the analogman ones, and I'm sure those ones might give the ST-2 a run for its money, but then again those are s$200+!!! but for the money the Guyatone is one of the best compressor out there today.

Extremely easy to use. One knob for level, the other is sustain. Direct switch lets you mix in your original signal. The manual is awful as people have said, so it takes some tweaking to figure out how it works if you've never used a compressor before.

Extremely clean and virtually noiseless (there is a bit of hum). I leave the "direct" switch on...I think the tone is too compressed with it off, but it would work in the studio.

I'm playing a somewhat low-end setup, Ibanez Artcore (semihollow) into a Behringer 30W analog modeling amp (Vintager they call it). I couldn't justify spending a lot on a compressor, though I truly needed one to control the feedback when using the more high-gain settings. For the money, this one really does the trick.

I think these Guyatone Micros have surprisingly good construction. They're in the Dano price range, but are much sturdier, with a steel housing and noiseless switch. The little rubber ring that holds the bottom on, and the battery in place could give out over time, but I don't think I'll have to change the battery that often.

Awesome compressor for the money. Its the only effect I use right now, and its tiny enough to fit in the guitar case.

Okay, I just picked this box up for $25 bucks, and I am blown away! My rig changes daily, but for now, Teles all with B-benders, boss vwah, guyatone st2, boss od3, fulltone octavefuzz, ross pahser, akai phaser, carl martin delayluh, carl martin chorus, boomerang, fender 75 combo.
I just sold a maxon cp101 because this thing blew it away. The maxon added a bit of top end to my sound that was unbearable for me, I prefer a darker rounder tone. The st2, although it doesn't look like much, is a little monster. It has the warmest compression arround, and the direct switch makes a world of difference. Blending your uncompressed signal to the compressed one really smooths out the sound and lets all the guitar's presence shine through.

Looks okay, except for the rubber bottom sleeve.

I just want to say that just because this pedal looks and costs less than the competition, it's still a gem! I've owned the carl martin comp, boss cs1,2, and 3, dynacomp, maxon cp101, and more that I can't recall. The carl martin still remains my favorite for studio use, but this one's staying on my live board. All my pedals have been chosen for a purpose, and I think I know good tone when I hear it, and I love this little box.

The ST-2 is very easy to use, with "Level" and "Sustain" knobs and a "Direct" switch that mixes in an unaffected signal at equal volume to the affected signal.

There's no manual that comes with Guyatone Micro pedals, just a fold-up sheet with minimal instructions for all pedals.

Current Setup; Musicman Silhouette HSS or Silhouette Special SSS > ST-2 > Teese RMC-1 Wah > Proco Rat Douchetone > Voodoo Sparkle Drive > Voodoo Analog Chorus > Guyatone FL-3 Flanger > Ernie's Balls Volume Pedal.

I got this pedal to replace my trusty vintage DynaComp, with I had modded with a 3PDT and LED. I loved the squishy tone of that pedal, but it was just too damn noisy. The ST-2 is very quiet, except, of course, when it's jacking up the volume of noise, in which case it's just doing its job.

The compression tones are transparent. This pedal is meant to function as a straight-ahead compressor and not a clone of something like a vintage DynaComp, which heavily colors your sound on some settings. With the "Sustain" knob cranked on the ST-2, there's a satisfying bit of "squish." The "Direct" switch is a bonus, letting pick attack shine through. Many boutique compressors have "blend" knobs on them that do the same thing, and I don't mind that I can't control the amount of blend.

Great for country picking or hard rock solos with endless sustain.

As I turn the "Sustain" knob clockwise, I notice that it doesn't increase smoothly; there's a bit of a jump around 3:00. No big deal.

Don't we all hate that gasket? My ST-2 and FL-3 are velcro'd to my board and plugged into a Pedal Power, so it's not an issue.

I'm currently in a hard rock band, and I'm going for a classic rock sound with my setup. The ST-2 is a great match. I keep it on almost all the time and will switch the "Direct" switch on when I need my attack to come through strong.

I've been playing for 21 years and have used hundreds of effects.

I love the ST-2's solid range of tones and the "Direct" switch. I like that the jacks are on top. I don't like the rubber gasket and wish that the pedal had a little more "squish" to it.

I compared the ST-2 to a vintage DynaComp, a Dunlop DynaComp, SuperComp, and Boss Compressor. The ST-2 won because it's quieter, more consistent, and gives me the option to blend my clean tone.

Die-hard compressor users know the value of the effect and how to use it. The ST-2 is well-designed and musical. It's a keeper.

PS: I don't give out 10s unless a pedal is the second coming.

Despite having played electric guitars for more than 20 years, I'm new to compressor pedals. This is my first one and I really don't have any frame of reference with which to compare it. It has three controls. I leave the sustain control at about 1:00 or 2:00 and the direct switch set to "on."

I have several guitars, but my main gig setup is a Fender Strat straight through a modern Fender Custom Vibrolux Reverb (usually with no pedals). Descriptive words? Here goes: "This pedal can produce that really "clicky" percussive sound, and it really does add a good amount of sustain without getting all "heavy-breathy." If you know what I mean. : )) That is what I wanted to add to my sound, and this pedal can do it.

I like the quiet switch and the size and the sturdy metal casing. I don't dig that crappy rubber ring that holds down the bottom plate. It seems really cheap. I prefer my pedals to be screwed together. The good news is that I'm using an adaptor so I don't change batteries.

This pedal is a lot more useful than I thought it would be. I should have bought some kind of compressor years ago. In my opinion, this $69 bucks was well spent (unlike several $200 boutique pedals that are gathering dust in my house, and which I never use at gigs).

It doesn't get any easier

So far Iv'e tried a Boss CS3,an MXR super comp,a Milkbox,a Carl Martin,a Marshal and a Digitech Main Squeeze. The Guyatone gets nod over all these. When "A-B" ed it consistantly rings a note longer and fuller with more transparency. It also has fewer bad habits when lit up toward max. Sounds great with all my ever changing combinations of Hammer, Fender strat,Gibson,Aslin Dane axes and Carvin sx200,Fender Chorus15,Peavey Classic 30,Crate GX 1200 and Fender Deluxe

Runs hard on very little battery power

These guys are ready to talk, answer questions ,cover problems etc.etc.

I had my first working band in1968 We loosely followed most of the timely trends. These days mostly pop rock, Blues, Retro,& project experimental.

voulume and sustain, and a direct switch. a no brainer. this pedal is so transparent (compared to other comps) that a tone knob is not needed.

i'm using this tiny wonder w/ a hamer 25th anniversary semihollow thru a guyatone od-2 into a reverend hellhound 60w tube combo. i have been using a compressor for a solo boost since jr high, so i've owned ibanez, rocktek, and the standard ol' blue boss for years. this guyatone KILLS these others, and i think the secret is the direct switch. all other comps squash your tone and make your attack sound unnatural. with the direct switch on, the guyatone mixes your natural sound w/ the compressed tone, causing a more natural tone. used w/ a clean tone or dirty, the sound is way more natural, just louder and fuller, w/ more sustain. this is what i've been needing for years!

the rubber gasket on the bottom might wear out if you use batteries, but i use a powered pedalboard.

dunno , hopefully i won't need to find out.

i play jazz, fusion, and classic rock, and have been playing for 25+ years. this is the best compressor i've encountered. i will probably always own one of these babys.

Pretty easy. Three knobs - level, sustain, and direct switch. Very easy to get a great sound.

My set-up is the following: Kramer with Fender Fat 50's pickups into Vox wah (with true bypass), ST-2, TS-9, Visual Sound Jekyll Hyde, Boss Acoustic, Line 6 Modulation Modeler, Visual Sound H2O into the Fender Hot Rod DeVille 212. This is without a doubt the best compressor I have ever used. I had a Marshall Ed the Compressor which made a clicking sound all the time when you picked, and seemed to color the sound even when off. The Guyatone ST-2 on the other hand is very transparent, and gives tons and tons of sustain even at low volumes. One of the problems I have had with other compressors is that they never sustained enough. No problem with this pedal. When used with my other pedals, it accentuates the sound. I set the sustain at 1 o'clock, leave the direct switch on, and set the level to your preference. It is very responsive to picking dynamics. If you want that tight, percussive sound, pick hard, otherwise, it is smooth as can be.

It seems solid enough although the knobs are small, but I am careful with my pedals so it should last.

Not applicable yet.

I play all kinds of music - classic and modern rock, country, blues, etc. and gig every weekend in a band (The Hittmen). It is perfectly suited for all types of music. I am very happy with this pedal. It was the missing link that I have been looking for. I was never happy with compressors in the past, but now, I see the need for it, and use it all the time. If lost or stolen, I would definitely buy another. I had toyed with the idea of getting the Maxon or Ross compressors based on the reviews; however, the price of the Guyatone and the reviews from others on Harmony Central made me choose the Guyatone, and I'm very happy I did.