Jacques Stompboxes Fat Burner Professional Compressor

Just a quick review (15min of playing, B.Moore guitar-Blues Jr amp):
this is a very pronounced compressor, very smashy and therefore not hifi-like. It always stays a bit on the dirty side, which is a plus in overdrive playing, but not in clean sounds. At least for me.
It has a very serious volume boost too, which makes it once again ideal to push an already overdriven amp past its limits (you dirty guys like it, uh?).
I've owned boss cs3 (big ****), edward the compressor (almost nice, better suited to bass guitar), dod milkbox (creamier sounding of the lot).
For what I want (that chick chick rythm sound, clean) the dod is the better. Also, the boss bass limiter enhancer lmb3 is not the badest choice.

Good bypass, no noise I did notice at low levels, and if you like it the sound is of pretty good quality. Matter of taste!

I own jacques' tube blower, and it is way reliable so far.
Incredibly low battery consumption

Where I live you can't get best support. A solid 20!

Killer unit for driven tones, too typed for clean sounds.
My dream compressor is the compnova from the danes of T-rex, absolutely perfect, no side effects for clean.
Hope this helps, thanks for reading

Most of this unit is straight forward, apart from the muscle control, which seems to be a tone shift that fattens up your sound giving a bit more beef to your tone.
The manual is short and sweet easy to understand.

I use a Jap Strat, a Weta Mustang 2 and a Fender Super 60 amp (valve of course!), All the pickups are single coils, gotta love that twang!!
And lots of different effects, But mainly a Boss trem and a Crowther Audio Hotcake.

I really wanted a compressor to help fatten up and boost my sound for lead work. I didn't want a boost pedal, I hate the sound of my amp with the front end pushed, yuck! I like that creamy sound when your output tubes saturate (i used to have a twin reverb, 1977 model, silver face, I ran that with only 2 6L6's in the output stage, creamy!!!)

I tried a boss compressor (the blue one) and hated it, weak and noisy, I didn't want to buy a ross clone either (expensive) and I never liked the originals anyway, So I bought a Fat Burner after reading a few reveiws. When I got it home I made the big mistake of putting it last in the pedal chain ( Weta -> Boss Trem -> Crowther Audio Hotcake -> Fat Burner -> Super 60). It compressed to hard and the attack seemed to slow. I run my hotcake very hot (around 3 o'clock on the level control)
So it sat on my bench for a few months until I got my Strat, A wonderful Gat but the treble strings lack sustain further up the neck. I mucked around with some other overdrives before the hotcake and it all sounded mushy and horrible. Then I remembered the Fat Burner and the result was heaven (Strat -> Trem -> Fat Burner -> Hotcake -> Super 60). Now when I go to do my lead parts (I play in a 3 piece band) they hammer thru like I'm using a high output humbucker thanks to the muscle control. No more thin sounding lead when it should be thundering. Best to put this pedal pre-distortion.

A friend of mine has used it on Mandolin, Banjo and Acoustic Guitar and said it ruled, especially on the banjo where it helped even out the pickup sound fron each string, nice.

The sound quality is very good, it has a very tranparent buffer, No true bypass but it doesn't need it. It does tend to pick up background hiss, but I can live with that.

It seems fine. I'll see what happens next time some drunk punks stand all over my pedals.

It's never broken down and I don't think it will.

After my first encounter with it this pedal turned my head. If it got stolen I would replace it. It has made using my Strat with my current band more of pleasurable experience. I'm keen to try some of his other pedals after this one.

Basic compessor with a headphone out as a bonus. Easy to use, controls have a good range, but being a compressor the changes are fairly subtle.

I'm split on this pedal. I *love* the sound at home going into a small board into headphones or into a Boss GT-3 (sounds silly, I know) and into headphones. Played like that the sound is outstanding - very natural a crisp with excellent - no almost unbelievable - sustain.

Played through an amp I'm less than happy. I don't know why it is, but through either my Mesa Blue Angel or my '68 Bassman the sound gets very rubbery and loses definition. Sustain is still there, but the attack is hosed and the sound just isn't happening. I'm mainly using it with a Fender Am. Std. Strat, but I've also plugged in my Les Paul with similar results.

I've brought it on the gig about a dozen times in hopes of using it, but when ever I kick it in the sound quality is out the window. Something with my live setup doesn't like this pedal. And it's the same problem whether I use only this pedal or if I use a whole chain of effects.

I plan on keeping it for home recordings because I love that sound.

Seems well made. I would trust it.

never used.

I play in a cover band. I really just wanted to play around with a decent compressor and get towards those great country tele-tones.

The Boss GT-3 I use has a compressor and it's ok, but not great. I've also plugged into my BBE compressor. The BBE is more "tranparent", but the Fat Burner has that great ridiculous sustain!

I'll keep it for home use, but if it were stolen I wouldn't rush out to replace it.

If you know how to work with compressors and amp splitters, you shouldn't have any problem with this pedal. It is evident upon first handling this unit that a Master designed and built this pedal, and the proof is when you fire it up. This is indeed a pro unit. Although I believe it is easy enoough to get a really good sound out of this pedal with relative ease, like anything of worth, it's after spending some time with it that one can realize all of its potential. I use a 10 here because for me it was really intuitive for me to set up and go, and I see that the maker really took the time to set it up just right for ease of use -

If you haven't looked through Jacques website, or anybody else?s that sells this pedal, and read the blurbs about it, I suggest you do so before you read my two cents about it. Some of what I say may then make more sense. I bought this unit to use solely for its headphone capability and choose it over others because it came with a compressor. If you use compressors you know what I mean, they are essential I have come to learn, That I saw Jacques hanging with Chris Whitley was another reason to check out something out made by this guy. So, the first thing I did when I got it was to grab a Gretsch White Falcon, a couple George L cables and AKG headphones and turned it on and up - Yes - this is the real deal, nothing but the real deal. The compression does exactly what a top-notch compressor is supposed to do. I A/B'ed it with one of the most noted and respected compressors in the business and it stood up to the test - It is a beautiful sounding compressor bar none - Then I stuck it into my effects board that houses stuff by Fulltone, Zvex, Durham, Emma, Keeley, Foxrox, Klon and on and on, all good stuff, and used a Fender Custom Shop prototype Strat, Fender Esquire and Tele, National Reso-electric, Ric 12, PRS, Rainsong and a few others, and gave it a whirl through a Victoria Deluxe. The Fat Burner does exactly what Jacques says it will.

I then did what he says not to do but knows most everybody will, and used the headphone out instead of the normal out. Get one, do this, if you don?t love it then I guess you don?t love electric guitar. I won?t get into describing it, other than to say you gotta check it out for yourself. It?s one of those magic things that happens with good stuff - you can fly high with this one, ya, ya can?

I placed it before and after my ODs and found it to be interesting in both places and have a preference; pointless to say which, only making the point that it works well either way.

The only problem I have is that after trying the amp splitter aspect, I am going to buy another amp and use this Fat Burner as a splitter as well as compressor. What started out as a headphone amp has now become an integral part of my setup.

This unit is well worth the yard-and-a-half one has to pay for a new one. I look at pedals as instruments and am amazed at how little it costs for what you get. I'd pay more for this, but am happy I don't have to. It's actually a three effect unit!

Soild. This unit is solid. With a few things that to me are essential, I always have a backup. Compression is to me essentail, so I have a backup. If you are a pedal type player you know that pedals have a mind of their own and many have strange ghosts that come to live in them making troubles... No fault of the maker. The pedal feels right, the knobs are well positioned and tweak with the right amount of travel.

If you have dealt with this guy, you know he's right on top of his game. If you haven't dealt with him, no worries; he's the kind of madman who stands behind what he makes all the way. He's accessible, highly knowegable, and will take the time to answer what you want to know, with a sense of humor to boot. This guy is really a wizard. Check him out for yourself.

I'm one of thise freaks who have been playing for decades and have or have had all the stuff this world has to offer in the way of musical gear. I haven't had a Dumble, but everything else, yes, I've got it or have had it. This Fat Burner is the real deal for sure.

How easy is it to get a good sound out of it? Very easy, but this pedal does more than just add compression. A complex device that's easy to operate. Beat that.
How is the manual for it? The manual is very good for the novice or intermediate user. It describes the functions of each knob, and how the knobs interact with each other. Unfortunately, it lacks technical data/specs for those that are interested in such information.
Has your unit been upgraded? No.
I would rate this pedal an "8" due to it's complexity (my other favorite compressor has one knob), but the manual answered most of my questions.

What setup (i.e. what guitars and amps) are you using this with? Mostly single-coil Fender Strats and Duo Sonics with certain stock pickups (pre-CBS Duo's are stock)
Is it noisy? There is some noise when controls are maxed; such is the nature of gain-based effects.
On what settings? At low/medium settings, it's fine.
Are the effects weak or do they always sound great? DEFINITELY NOT WEAK!!! And it does sound great. The headphone amp has a nice top-end that reminds me of SWR's headphone circuits.
What amp are you using it with? 1950's Fenders - Tremolux, Vibrolux, and Champ.
Can you get the sound of your favorite artists? Who are they? It doesn't sound like Jackson Pollock or Maxfield Parrish. Seriously though - it's not "snappy" like some compressors I own. I've owned more than a few pedals, and refuse to compare one brand to another.
Are certain effects very good? Headphone sound is better than average. The "balance" effect works just like an Ibanez VL10 in "pan" mode - absolute genius to combine an up-front (meaning in front of the amp instead of one that goes in the effect loop) effect with a manual balance control. It's been done before, but not often. The sustain effect is very nice for distortion-free clean playing.
Are certain effects very bad? The only drawback is that this effect can be very powerful. Not for weak hearts, or speakers. Here's your warning when playing through speakers that are 45 years old. But if you have an amp with speakers that can handle a very strong signal, buy a set of earplugs and warn the neighbors, or scare the hell out of the soundman at your next gig.

Can you depend on it? Judging from the construction design, yes.
Would you use it on a gig without a backup? Definitely.
I'm a small guy, and don't "stomp" my pedals. If you wear tanker boots and feel the need to smash a pedal to turn it on/off, don't complain when it breaks. Monsieur Charbit's design requires as much force as a DOD switch - a light tap.
The only drawback to the design is that if the stomp pad goes, the LED indicator goes with it.

It doesn't get any better than this. Jacques sent me Fuse Blower #3 back in the spring of 2000; from day one he has demonstrated a level of customer support that is rare in this day and age. Recently, I switched from modern amp with lots of effects to vintage Fenders that sound so nice I don't want to use effects. I consulted Jacques on this matter (What works best with tweed Fenders?); he recommended the Fat Burner, as he owns a `52 Deluxe himself.
For the record, a different, handmade Jacques pedal arrived with a scratchy pot (handmade Singing Geisha #4). I emailed Jacques about it and received a reply within a day; the problem is fixed. My rating for this category is a 20.

I've owned over 250 effects during my 16 years of playing guitar; Jacques Stompboxes were the first boutique effects in my collection. I was very curious to see how his factory-made pedals would compare to his hand-built models, and I'm very impressed. For those of you wondering why the factory models are in the same price range as the hand-built - keep in mind that in comparison to other companies that mass produce effects, Jacques Stompboxes is (at this point in time), still a small operation. Boss, Ibanez, MXR, etc. sell tens of thousands of pedals each year. Manufacturing cost decreases with numbers like that.
I don't know how he's done it, but his factory peds are on par with the ones he built by hand. The Fat Burner is the fourth pedal I've bought from JC (others being the Fuse Blower, Mercer Box, and Singing Geisha); it's construction is very well thought out, and combines design elements of classic pedals from various manufacturers. Nice easy switch like DOD, non-slip rubber padding on top and bottom like Boss, a clever battery compartment that reminds me of early 80's Ibanez 0 and 9 series, and a small profile similar to old MXR.
In terms of sound quality, when set properly it does not interfere with tone when placed between a 1960 Fender guitar and 1958 Fender amp - and that is better than I hoped for.
What do I love about it? The balance control when using two amps together. Unbelieveable to be able to blend the sound of two great amps *and* clean boost their signal at the same time. And the headphone/mini amp feature? I'll build a mini-speaker cabinet for it someday.
This one is more than a keeper - it's essential. Until two weeks ago, I didn't have much interest in compressors (despite owning several). Considering that this pedal is "3-in-1" (compressor, stereo balance, and headphone amp), you can't go wrong with it. The Fat Burner is worth more than it's list price, and lives up to it's claim as a "Professional" pedal.