Maxon CP-101 Compressor

Simple operation like most compressors.

Setup: Hardtail (I really like sustain!) Strat with humbuckers into a Hot Rod Deville 2X12. Very quiet. The compression effect is subtle but does not squash your tone. I AB'd this against other more popular units and there's no comparion, except probably a Demeterr Compulator. Most notably, it does NOT remove the natural warmth of your tone. Other boxes tended to cut bass and warmth leaving a sterile sound. Also, ths sustain on this unit is amazing, paricularly for overdrive sounds. The only thing I'd change is the very slight swell of volume after hitting a chord or sustained note...it'd be cool if was more level. But really, its so subtle you barely notice (this is probably a common theme in compressors). Another thing, this has very little effect on your pick attack. Other units seemed to create this artificial pick attack sound that was cheesy and annoying.

Too early to tell.

Don't know

I cringed at the thought of dropping 140 bucks on something that affects your tone so subtly. I bought this off of ZZounds sound unheard. I decided based on Maxonn's description on the website which aligned to what I was looking for. After really running through some tests for both clean and overdrive tones, I have to say this is one of the best investments I've made in my tone. The warmth and sustain really makes physically playing the instrument easier since you don't have to strike notes/chords so hard to get the sustain I was wanting. Even a light touch on the strings sustains a long time. My only previous experience with compressors was with the Boss and that made me never consider using one. That is until a buddy of mine showed me how his Demeter Compulator helped his tone. That sold me on the need for a quality compressor.

Very easy to use, no problems.

This is the subjective part. Earlier I tried a bunch of compressor pedals at Macon Music in Chicago the Maxon being one of them. It was one of those guitar player things of, "you have everything but the Keeley, well that's what I want" With my mind set on Keeley I bought one off the internet and patiently waited it's arrival. When I finally did get the pedal I was disappointed to say the least, but that's another review. I wrote in the Keeley review that the Maxon is another Ross clone, sorry my mistake. I listened to so many compressors that day I must of been thinking of something else. The Maxon is not a Ross clone, it has much less compression of the signal and never, I mean never squashes the note to that extreme. Another point in the Maxon's favor is the pedal does not roll off the highs at all, this ended up being why I bought the pedal. When I play (especially since I play without a pick) I do not want to loose any picking nuance due to the pedal rolling off the highs. The maxon lightly compresses the signal and has a little bit of a delayed swell which I really like. The pedal can be used with the sustain control set anywhere and the pedal will sound good. The Keeley had more range but I felt you could only really set it between 10 and 2 o'clock. Less than 10 nothing much happening and after 2 too much compression and that rubbery sound I don't care for. The Maxon is probably best for people who after that country type compression, not much, just a little popping of the notes with a little swell when set up correctly. The pedal is not noisy and remained quiet unless set stupidly, like full sustain and level. Overall, for a lighter style compression this pedal is hard to beat. This pedal will not do everything but it does the country type stuff very well.

I don't know yet too soon to tell.

Same as above.

Overall, I like this pedal a lot. It does one thing really well and that is it doesn't take away any of the highs. This helps to retain the bite lost once the compressor is on. Secondly, it has a little bit of a delayed swell which I really like. This peda is fantastic for that "chicken picken" note popping country. I may buy another compressor that mutilates the signal and squashes into nothing, but if I do I think I'll go the cheap route and buy a Boss or maybe a used Oxygen. I figure if your going to kill the dynamics (aren't dynamics a tonal quality?) why not do it on the cheap.

This maxon compressor pedal is very very easy to use. Just two knobs of level and sustain. If you can't operate this pedal , you shouldn't be buying effect pedals.

This is where the pedal shines. I am currently using either a jackson sl3 or burns marquee through the compressor ---> sansamp gt2 > fender amp. This thing sounds really great. If you are looking for a compressor that increases the volume excessivley , this isn't for you. This is a pedal that is faint but it makes your guitar sound so much better.

This thing is pretty reliable and i would gig without another compressor. THe only annoying thing are the four screws you have to unscrew to get to the battery.

never dealt with them.

This thing is really great if you want a faint compressor. When this thing is on , the only person who knows it is on is you. This thing does not make a lot of noise but it does make very little ( all compressors do.) if this were stolen or lost , i'd buy another one.

About as easy as it gets, two knobs and a switch, oh yah, input and output jacks as well.

My rig is" B-bender teles, digitech wh2 whammy, dunlop 535 Q wah, Cp101, boss Od3, akai P1 inteliphase, fulltone octavefuzz, fulltone fulldrive, on the pedal board, and digitech rds1900 and ibanez dd100 delays, and lexicon lxp1 in the rack. All this goes into a boogie mark III combo, with a boomerang in the loop. This is the most transparent comp I've owned, save the carl Martin, but the carl is twice the price, and much harder to use. I like being able to change settings on the fly, so the maxon is much easier in that respect. Like other reviewers, I thought the comp was a little weak at first, since this unit replace a boss cs2, a very squashy comp in it's own right. After a while, the maxon grew on me, and I find myself never turning it off. I play a lot of Phish inspired jam rock, and this can do the trey thing if you want it to, but it really excells at subtle compression, like chicken-picken style.

Not sure, but my buddy has had one for three years, and it's still going strong.

I think anyone would really dig this box, it's very musical, and that's what's important. Every other pedal I use is one i have carefully chosen for a specific purpose, and this fits in there with all the rest. I can't think of a better comp for the price, or a better comp period for that matter. Get one!

2 knobs... simple.
Plus, the instruction booklet has some
nice recommended settings that I found useful.

Rated 9 because I always leave room for something better that may come along. I A/B'd this pedal next to the MXR dyna & Boss comp... The Maxon was far superior in my ear. It seemed much quieter than the other 2, and the compression was more subtle, which I personally liked.

I mainly use this pedal for my fingerstyle acoustic guitar playing. It adds a
nice even quality to the sound.

Seems well built.... time will tell.

Haven't had to deal with them yet.

For my fingerstyle acoustic playing, I got exactly what I was looking for...
a compressor to add a subtle barely noticable "even" sound. I consider it the finishing touch on an already good thing, kind of like applying a glossy finish to a beautifully stained piece of furniture. How's that for an analogy? :-)

Extremely simple to use...... Gain and Sustain are the only 2 parameters to adjust.

This stompbox compressor is a great deal more subtle an effect then the classic older MXR Dynacomps or Ross boxes. I was not overwhelmed initially, in fact I called Godlyke to determine if the box was defective. At first I felt that the hiss:compression ratio was a little high. But after careful consideration, it's turned out to be comparatively quiet. Remember that all compressors are amplifiers and subsequently are going to add some noise to your rig, especially with single coil pickups and overdrives and distortion boxes.
I have found the CP101 to have a very flat response, without the mid-range boost that a guitarist may get with a Dynacomp. In some respects, that bump in mids in conjunction with distortion produces a great tone.
After spending more time A-B-ing it with 2 different old block logo Dynacomps, the Carl Martin, and the Roland GP-16 I am keeping it in my main pedal board. It is OPTICAL in design and NOT "squishy" sounding. Also the attack of the guitar notes don't have that plinkyness (new word?) that I was used to with my Dynacomp. (Which I will admit that I still love and use.)

Seems reasonably well made and I generally don't take backups to gigs. I will get back to this section in a year from now.

I spoke with a customer support person at Godlyke in NJ and he was very helpful and actually called back when he said he would.

Compression is one of my favorite effects and generally I plug into a compressor first in the chain and leave it. I'm not sure the search for the ultimate stompbox compressor has finished, but I will say that I do like the Maxon a great deal and have had others comment positively as well. Overall its a very clean, uncolored compression for guitarists live application and one that I think Bassist would enjoy it as well. If real juicy, squishy plinky compression is your thing, I think you might not be satisfied with this one. Otherwise it's a strong contender.
Thanks,
Jeff

You cannot get a bad sound out of this! Sustain and Level - It doesn't get much easier than that. There is a manual to give you some basic starting points, but you really don't need it.

You still cannot get a bad sound out of this! I've used this with my Les Paul and my Strat and both sound great going into any amp I've played so far. I've gone into a small Marshall practice amp and my JCM-800 head into a Marshall cab - it just sounds great! You can get it to clip if you turn the level up too high, but that may or may not be a bad thing. The beauty is that the Strat sound still sounds like a Strat, but with perfect string to string balance and the Les Paul just sounds more even. If you want to get a good idea of what this pedal sounds like, check out the sounds at Maxon.com.

It is very reminiscent of the MXR Dynacomp - I don't think it would ever break - I try to take care of my equipment. I would definitely gig with it and not have a backup.

I have never dealt with them.

I mainly play original music that is completely inspired by Rush, Triumph, Thin Lizzy, etc. I have found a new love for compressors and now the Maxon is never off. I always found that compressors changed my tone or sucked the life out of my guitar, but not this one. It has inspired me to a new level of playing. It sustains beautifully and never, ever "squashes" your sound. It doesn't "bloom" either, which I've always hated on other compressors, where the sound gets louder after you stop picking before the note starts to fade. The best thing I can say about the CP-101 is that it is the perfect compressor for players who always hated compressors. It really is that good. It adds NO noise at all and doesn't suck tone, it just enhances the tone of your guitar! I've been playing for 26 years and this is the first compressor I've owned that I actually use. If someone stole it, I would beat them with my crappy Boss CS-3 compressor and then go get another CP-101. I've obviously played a CS-3 which is the ultimate TONE SUCKING machine, a CS-2 which I didn't care for, the Ibanez CP-9 (which is decent, but not near as sweet as the Maxon), the MXR Super Comp (which is OK), some Alesis comps (more for recording rather than guitar rigs) and an MXR Dynacomp (which was good, but a little noisy). I heard the Maxon on their website, thought I would give it try and absolutely have fallen in love with it. If you need a compressor, give the CP-101 a shot. If you're not sure if a compressor is something you need, buy the CP-101 and it will never leave your rig, your sight or your ears again! Enjoy!

Extremely easy to use. And as if that isn't enough, Maxon provides you with a very helpful users manual that shows some sample setting to help you acheive the basic sound you're after. 10 because it doesn't get any easier than this!

I had an MXR Dyna-Comp I sold because I thought I wanted a rack piece. One week of tweaking, reading and getting the same sound, I sent the rack piece back and ordered a Maxon. The MXR was fine, but wow, this little box is not only quiet, but has a great degree of compression variety without going to harsh extremes like on some compression pedals. For country or straight-ahead solos and chords, it's probably one of the best compressor pedals I've ever used.

Maxon pedals are not cheap, and Godlyke Distributing seems to be pretty proud of their warranty. I would put it up to any other stomp box like it in the active market today.

Never had to use them, so I'll leave this blank.

To each his own. In my opinion, this is the best compressor in a stomp box (or any format) period. In fact, I sometimes run it into my POD just because it's so quiet and beats Line 6's attempt at a compressor effect on the POD unit.

Absolutely no complaints here. I think it's a good deal for the money and worth trying if you are considering one.

Two knobs, Sustain and Level - simple. It really helps if you know what a compressor is supposed to do. I strongly disagree with the reveiwer that said the CP-101 doesn't compress. Either his was broken, or he just doesn't understand what audio compression is supposed to sound like.

I bought this primarily because I wanted a quiet compressor to use with my Yamaha electric-acoustic in order to even out the dynamics for live playing. The CP-101 is extremely quiet for a pedal compressor and works perfectly for helping my acoustic cut through and sustain when doing fingerpicking or single-note soloing. It gives chords an almost piano-like quality. I also own a Marshall Edward The Compressor, which is also a pretty decent compression pedal. The Maxon is more balanced, transparent and "elegant" sounding to my ears. I like the Marshall better for clean electric guitar because of the additional "Attack" control. It helps to make the Marshall sound just a bit more "funky" than the Maxon by allowing more pick attack to punch through. The Maxon however, has a more balanced and even sustain, with no audible "pumping" artifacts. It's also significantly quieter than the Marshall at extreme settings, making it nearly noiseless at nominal settings. It seems that Maxon has the noise reduction thing down quite well on their non-distortion effects. The CP-101 sounds just incredible on acoustic guitar.

It seems pretty reliable. I also own a Maxon AD-80 Analog Delay that I've used for a year with no problems, so I expect the same from the CP-101.

Never dealt with them. No opinion.

I'm pretty much a classic rocker and I've been playing since '77. I've owned and still own lots of gear and I'm pretty picky about tone. I would definitely replace it if I needed to, as it is a great compression effect and simple to use. I compared it against the Carl Martin and thought the CM was just as good sounding, but I wanted a pedal that I could chain to my 9 volt power supply with my other effects instead of having another thing to plug into a wall outlet (the CM has an internal power supply). I also tried the Boss CS-3; very noisy and it colored the sound quite a bit. The CP-101 is a very compact, transparent, quiet and elegant sounding unit. I only give it a 9 because of the price. 30 or 40 dollars cheaper and it would easily rate a 10. Highly recommended.

You'd need to be developmentally disabled or on PCP for this one to give you a tough time.

Using my Frankenstein/Gibson L6S Deluxe w/ Barden HBs through a Boss BD-2 and RV-3 into a Fender Pro Jr. notes from my slide were fat and hung on for days. This unit did darken my tone somewhat, which actually is a slight improvement, as I have a very sharp, bright pick attack. Compared to a Boss Compressor/Sustainer (a real tonesucker), it is very quiet,though not completely noiseless.

Can't tell after one afternoon, but it appears to be reasonably sturdy.

N/A

I'm a bluesdude essentially (30+yrs. playing), and purchased this device for a bit more sustain, especially for slide. This thing fits the bill with very low noise while leaving my tone, for the most part, intact. It definitely is is worth the price difference between it and the (useless) Boss POS.

Very easy to use - 2 knobs. Not a bad sound in it.

Almost transparent. Switch is NOT true bypass, but it doesn't matter.
Even with Sustain set to max, this is a fairly gentle compressor. It does what it should, and nothing more.

Appears well-built, with a sturdy switch. I wouldn't bother with a backup.

Can't imagine needing support...

Excellent for my use: fairly clean Tele and Strat country/blues/rock/jazz.

Only gripe is cost, but I think *all* effects are overpriced, since I know what's inside...

Very easy to use.

Very clean sounding, almost transparent. The amount of compression is limited compared to some others, but it makes it easy to set up. You can't make this sound bad.
I've only used it with Tele and Strat, it does exactly what I want, without any harsh side-effects.

COMMENT: Unlike what another reviewer wrote here, this box does NOT have true bypass (I just checked - SPDT switch). But, when it's turned off, I can't tell it's there. I'll probably mod it for true bypass, just to satisfy my obsessive purist self.

Looks sturdy to me, inside and out. Compression isn't life-or-death for me, so I'd definitely gig without a backup.

I don't even think about this, things seldom break for me.

Overall, for my style of Tele playing, jazzy-bluesy-country-rocky... it's about perfect. I'll always have one.

Let me first explain my rig so you don't think I'm some kind of chump. US strat(gold lace)-> vht valvulator-> budda budwah-> MAXON comp-> marshall bluesbreaker 2 dist.-> analogman chorus-> mxr flanger-> boss trem.-> boss dd5-> boss dd3-> boss eq-> marshall jcm800 lead combo with heil talkbox between the amp and the celestion greenback speakers. All cables monster 500.

Listen, if you want a compressor to use as an actual effect, turning it on and off, squashing the hell out of your sound when you feel the need, the maxon is not for you. At first, I wanted the analogman comprossor but the waiting list was too long. It worked out well that I had to get my 2nd choice because the maxon does exactly what I wanted and cost $40 less. I wanted to lessen the difference between my guitar's chord strum volume and single note volume so that I could incorporate riffs into songs without worrying about my presense dropping off in the band's mix.
The maxon compressor has the same sound characteristics that would be expected from any quality studio compressor. It is not noisy unless both knobs are at or near their max. It doesn't change your tone. I do notice that the physical sound of my pick hitting the string is more audible underneath the tone of the note but it still sounds good.

remember not to throw your shit around when you're bombed, packing up after the gig and your gear will last.

screw'em. If something breaks, I'd rather buy something else than wait for months for the manufacturer to fix the device. They already have my money. I'm not a priority on their list of things to do.

I give the maxon a 9 because it wasn't a fantastic value but I got what I paid for.

Basic

Hmmm .. how to say this nicely ... IT SUX ... Ok maybe I (LIke others) Expect more from this box. This box kills the guitar- amp dyanamics. It definetly does not sound Funky (as per reviewer below). It does a great job of evening things out but if you want to dig in to a note there will be no respone and do not expect the nice overtones from A US strat to come through ...VERY DISAPPOINTED MAXON !!!

I guess it can be i have tried it for a few months now

hmm no

DISAPOINTING

Very easy to use with a simple, straight-forward manual.

My rig starts with a LP Custom and a Dean EVO both with EMG 89's into a Tech 21 Killer Wah... Maxon Compressor... Mesa Studio Preamp... Digitech effects... BBE Sonic Maximizer... Carvin 50/50 EL34 power amp... 4x12 Celestion Vintage 30 speakers.
I had been using a Guyatone ST-2 compressor, which I was pretty happy with, but I decided to try this pedal because of the reviews it received for it's transparency. I thought I needed that because I'm fairly particular about having a good clean signal to send the preamp and power amp. It is transparent... however, it is also noisy no matter where I used it. Initially I thought it was just bad EM interference but it does it all the time. I eliminated the other components and went direct to the preamp and power amp AND I even took them out of the rack and connected the AC's to adapters to lift the grounds... still noise.
It did an OK job of compression but the Guyatone was not noisy at all, seemed generally better at sustain, and in my opinion, has better features. It has a mode switch for adding direct signal to the wet signal, smaller design with all jacks on top for easier pedalboard use, and the true-bypass switch on the Guyatone seemed a lot smoother. The Guyatone isn't as tranparent as the Maxon, but it has a slight warmth to it that was appealing and that I missed when I switched over to Maxon. I'll take off points for the noise.

It appears to be sturdy and dependable. Switch seemed kinda clunky though.

Don't know.

I play a wide variety of music... mostly rock though.
This pedal, the way it is, might be good for bass, but for guitar it shouldn't be so noisy (especially using Monster cables and active pickups!) maybe I had a defective one... I don't know, but I'll stick with what I had.
Also, the price they ask for these pedals is WAY too much. I expected a Holy Grail and got a box of noise. The Guyatone is about $70... almost 1/2 the price... can't beat it! Points off for cost, design and overall practical use.

This unit is relatively simple to use, but like most compressors it requires a little time to adjust for the right results. I found this a little more challenging on this unit because the effect is so SUBTLE that I really had to listen closely to what effect the "sustain" knob was having on the sound.

To address a couple of the issues brought up by other reviewers:
The sound quality of the CP101 is pristine. Really, I a/b this box against my dyna comp and the CP101 is just plain transparent with no real noise! With the Sustain cranked to Max and the Level at about 11 o'clock, you get the full strength effect at a good volume with almost zero noise. To address the issues mentioned: 1.)This thing does not sustain. Well, compared to a dyna comp, no it lacks that incredibly long sustain/heavilly compressed sound-This pedal is like a clean boost that evens out your dynamics very subtly with a natural decay-in this regard it is an excellent compressor, but not gobs of sustain for leads. 2.) this thing does not compress. Hmmm,,,,, well, again I think I understand what the reviewer means-This pedal most definitly compresses, but compared to a dyna comp, the CP101 DOES NOT affect your picking dynamics and attack, so it doesn't have that characteristic "funky" sound, it almost doesn't feel like it's doing much at all, but if you turn it off-you notice a HUGE difference. You can't really get that delayed hard compression like you can when you start funkin' it up with a dyna comp or other compressor-so if you are looking for that "type" of compression, the CP101 doesn't do that. But-this pedal is CLEAN, extremely transparent and adds plenty of definition when using overdrive. It is like a clean compressed boost that doesn't affect your original tone. I may have to keep both this and the dyna comp because the dyna comp has that funky character that is part of the rock vocabulary-The dyna comp also has a wicked mid range boost that the CP101 doesn't muddy you up with-

IT is very well made, but not as heavy-duty as the dynacomp. The switch is probably the NICEST switch I've ever felt/seen/used and it is true bypass-comes with a good warranty. Boss style AC adapter jack for power (and it's in the back-not the side like the MXR!)

Never dealt with them, but it has a good warranty.

I've been playing for 13 plus years. Club circut/semi-pro and this was a must have-I think it is an incredible sounding pedal and would clean up ANYONES sound in a pedal board. I give it a 9 because it should be 100.00 and not 135.00- Also, the addition of an "attack" trimpot that would allow for the user to dial in some of that hard compression but still maintain the pristine sound quality of this pedal would make it 100%. You must try this pedal out next to your current compressor-I chucked my Boss CS2 for this. If you need transparent, quiet, clean, subtle compression that is so small it fits into any pedalboard-try this.

It cannot get any easier than two knobs.

Currently, I am using a Fender Roadhouse Strat into a Crybaby Wah into a Danelectro Dan-Echo into the CP-101 into an Ibanez TS-9 into a Boss TU-2 tuner which then goes into a Fender '65 Twin Re-issue. I mostly play blues-rock music in the style of Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimi Hendrix, and Eric Clapton. Before buying the CP-101, I was using the Boss Compression Sustainer. I was using theis pedal for the sole purpose of getting a lot of sustain out of my rig without having to use lots of distortion. The noise that i was getting from this pedal was unbearable, and I knew that something had to be done. So when I read the reviews about the CP-101, I immediatly ordered one, because of its reviewers claim to be silent while in operation. This was very true, but I was very dissapointed when I discovered that the sustain knob on unit really didn't make that much of a difference in my sound. No matter where I had the knob positioned, I couldn't get the pedal to enhance my signals sustain. After paying $145.00, I was very dissapionted.

I would gig without a backup, simply bacause I wouldnt be able to afford a backup.

Never had to deal with them.

I think this pedal would be fantastic if only it would give me the sustain i desired. I originally bought the pedal for musictoyz.com, and I think I am going to call to see if my pedal is possibly defective.

Only one knob could be easier!
No manual needed!

If you like transparency (and I do), you'll love this pedal!
The CP-101 compresses without altering your guitars tone!
I play with a very simple setup! Variuos G&L's>>>CP-101>>>TS-808>>>TC Chourus>>>Blackface Princeton Reverb! This has enhanced what was already a nice tone!

Too early to tell!
Appears to be solidly built!
I would gig without a backup as I wouldn't live or die on stage without compression!

Hopefully I wont need to find out!

I have been playing for 22 of my 34 years! To my ears I have not found a compression pedal as appealing as this! Very pleased with my purchase! If this were stolen I wouldn't hesistate to replace it!
I tried the MXR Dyna Comp, Boss CS-3, Ibanez CP9, etc....but this one blew me away!

Ease of use? How about two knobs. Your'e up and running right out of the box. The manual was there but I didn't need it!

This is a great pedal. I had a Carl Martin compressor for about a year and though it was a good pedal, I always found myself worrying about the four knob settings. I do however , think this pedal sounds superior to the Carl Martin. I can't see how the previous reviewer said that it doesn't compress. That alone tells me he or she doesn't know what a compressor is for or what one is supposed to sound like.The Carl Martin also was in fact a noisy pedal. Not this one. Bottom line is I sold the CM and bought this. If you are looking for top quality tone and reliability, GET THIS PEDAL. If it's not one of the best compressors you've heard, you may have gotten a defective unit. I run this pedal into numerous effects and it interacts well.

I suspect it will be very reliable, it's made in Japan. Nuff said.

Never had contact. Probably won't need to.

I play jazz/rock/blues chord melody and this pedal suits them all. This is the end of the line compressor for me.

well, i guess it doesnt get much simpler than level and sensitivity

I was terribly disappointed in this pedal. IT DOES NOT COMPRESS!!! I thought the point of a compression pedal was to compress your sound--DUH!-- Anyway, the fact that it does not flatten your picking dynamics is true, but that seems to be at the cost of the compression itself. The only reason i gave it a 3 instead of a one is that does not really degrade your signal quality or make noise.

it was a lot lighter than expected, but i'm sure it would hold up just fine-- better than a MXR? I dont think so. Sorry if a super hard metal casing appeals to me.

I think they're located in Japan. I would doubt that customer service is too spectacular.

Do not buy this pedal if you want compression-- and for $140, Maxon's got to be crazy!

Remarkably easy to use, just 2 knobs. Volume and sensitivity. Volume is the volume of the effect itself. Sensitivity sets the level required before compression kicks in. I think of it as working in reverse, the higher the control level the less signal you have to send to the pedal before it starts to compress. Makes sense to me anyway!

With quality leads and pick-ups, this thing exhibits a very good signal to noise ratio. So quiet as to not be noticeable in any playing situation. The sound quality itself is great. It adds oodles of tone to your signal without too much of that squashed sound (although you can get some of this by increasing sensitivity to max). The pick noise is retained. There is loads of gain (42db according to the manual) and the pedal can be used as a booster with the sensitivity on minimum. The compressed sound itself is very natural and organic sounding. Its just very inspirational.

I've only had it a short while but it seems very robust and I would certainly gig without a back-up.

Never dealt with Maxon. I got the pedal from Musictoyz.com without even having heard it (a risky venture!) thanks to the reviews on this site, but it certainly paid off. I had it shipped from the US to Britain.

I play mainly instrumental rock and jazz. My set-up consists of Fender Roadhouse Strat with EMG89 at bridge and SA pick-ups middle and neck positions, into the CP-101 to a Boss CE3 chorus, Morley Bad Horsie, Boss OD1, Boss OS2, Boss DD3 to a 70's Twin Reverb. I have been playing for 24 years and this is my most complete and versatile set-up I have ever had in all these years. My band S.w.a.m.p. plays stuff by Satriani, Jeff Beck, Focus, Jethro Tull and others.

The only other compressor I have tried was an old Boss CS2 which I gave up with because it was noisy, didn't really add much to my tone (it sucked it!). Knowing that I wanted a compressor but had requirements regarding noise and the natural-ness of the sound, I scanned Harmony-Central for all the compressors available and came to a decision on this one. A great addition to my set-up and I highly recommend it.

Two knobs, Sensitivity and Level, "nuff said.."
The example settings in manual are helpful here.

Sound quality is excellant!! Extremely quiet even with Sens. knob maxed out. This is a compressor for people who hate compressors. I'm primarily a blues player with a clean tone. I try to get a tone that is anything but that "whiteboy with a tubescreamer" tone. A very valid sound, it's just been overdone, IMO. I've always wanted the clean sustain of a comp., but couldn't deal with the way they erase your "attack." When I hit a note hard I want it to be louder than the other notes etc. This unit, if set properly doesn't seem to mess with your attack like other units. Increase the Sens. knob and it will comp/limit the attack which I kinda like for surf tunes and slow instrumentals. The only comp. I've ever been able to use.

It seems stout enough to gig without a back up. No problems with mine.

I'd definetly buy another if lost or stolen.

Tremendously easy to get the RIGHT SOUND. Only two knobs so a manual isn't needed!

The Maxon CP-101 Compression pedal has been a true revelation for me. It reminds me so much of a unit that I originally fell head over heels in LOVE with over twenty-five years ago, the famed Dan Armstrong "Orange Squeezer". Unlike the Armstrong unit, there is no need to plug the CP-101directly into your instrument [ via its output jack] before connecting it to your amplifier. On the old Orange Squeezers, you had to perform major surgery to manually switch two wires inside the unit to avoid having the compressor dangling from your instrument while performing with it. With this "solder and switch" surgery in the process! Granted, this was a bit unusual and odd, but the Squeezer did have a certain "romance" about its sound. It was basically the true heart and soul of the early period " Steely Dan guitar tone." What made it so nice was that it could instantly transform a Telecaster guitar into a "pseudo-archtop jazz guitar"with the simple flick of a mini toggleswitch!


The Maxon CP-101 pedal retains all of the most desired characeristics of the Armstrong and is built as completed, the Squeezer's mainframe hung instead from the amplifier's main input jack, creating a visual eyesore solid as a rock [unlike the former, which was notorious for breaking down when you least expected it to onstage or worse yet, in the studio]. The CP-101's footswitches and main control pots are as smooth as silk and move throughout their range with little effort on your behalf. How does it SOUND? Well, I am glad you are curious about this factor as it is why you're all here reading this review, isn't it? On a scale of 1-10, this compressor is an easy, solid, 15+!! I give it a worthy 10 points alone for the fact that this unit doesn't degrade your guitar's signal or give you unwanted fits of indigestion type noises when picking a low note hard with your right hand. This, in itself, is utterly amazing to see in a compression stomp box these days! Most every unit on the current market that I have plucked with lately, lets you know very quickly that it gets "unhappy" and needs a double-dose of TUMS. Another handy feature is the CP-101's size when compared to the bigger style boxes natively used by Carl Martin and the like. This compressor doesn't have any extra controls on it either, Maxon keeps it short and sweet [and far less confusing for the average muso], giving you simply one LEVEL and one SUSTAIN control. That's easy... wasn't it? Two seconds or so and you're off and GIGGING rather than messing for hours with all the other "added" controls that keep you fiddling for the right sound long before you head off to Friday night's paycheck and free beer. Another 5 points for the sheer cleanliness and soul in its sonic abilities, this CP-101 is designed for the serious professional that cannot afford anything but the best sound for his/her buck! There isn't a bad sound anywhere to be found on this beauty and all positions of the two dials yield the musician/guitarist extremely expressive, valid musical tones. While not especially cheap, it's not as expensive as your normal "Boutique brand" pedal and delivers everything you have ever needed or wanted a compressor pedal for and them some. Want a life with your family at night? Simply DEMAND that your local music dealers start stocking this little gem [and go sell the rest of your compressor pedals while you're at it]. The Maxon CP-101 is destined to become the ONLY compression device you'll ever USE with your guitar and amplifier in the studio or live onstage. It is THAT GREAT!
Before I forget, every instrument or amplifier I tried this unit with sounded FLAWLESS. How much easier can it get?

Built like a Scania Truck used in the Gulf War.

I really think that support won't be required.

Best I have ever used in my 36 years of playing.

Very easy to use. (Has two knobs.)

This is the best stomp box compressor I have ever used!!!! I used a Boss and a MXR Dyna Comp for years. The Maxon is much better for the following reasons: 1. No "white noise" at all. Unit is very, very quiet at any setting. 2. The CP 101 does not degrade my signal, but enhances it. 3. Both Boss/MXR compressors hiss like a Saints fan on a losing streak. If you want excellent tone with low noise this is the pedal to select. 4. The "tactile response" is soft, not hard like the MXR Dyna Comp.

So far, very reliable.

I am a country player, so I have been using compressors for many years. I think that this is the best stomp box design currently available. My only problem with it was, it was not easy to find. One online outlet said they had them but did not. Finally got one at Guitar Heaven in Nash.,Tenn. Great price, nice people. (Why are 99% of music store employees jerks with more attitude than product knowledge? The spikes in their noses must get infected, and the toxins destroy vital brain function.) I will buy from Guitar Heaven again because of their professional manner, and intelligent sales staff.

Easy to use? come on. there's 2 knobs.

this section is thr reason I wanted to submit a review. this little red ruby is the sweetest sounding comp I've ever, EVER used. I've owned everything the boss CS-1,2, and 3 to the Ibanez CP-9 and a vintage dyna-comp and I'm here to tell ya' this Maxon kills em'. dead quiet, musical and transparent. these words are used ofen but in this case they really ring true. I have an old Ampeg comp I dearly love and have ordered a Carl Martin that I'm sure I'll really like but the bottom line for this comp lover is the Maxon CP-101 may be the best one of all. get one. hell, get two. not for a backup but just so you'll never be without it. I wish I could rate sound quality at 11!!

never had any problems.

never needed em'

man I've been playing for a living since I was 17 and I turned 42 this year. I play 4 to 7 gigs a week every week and have for a long, long time. I play in a 3 pc. blues band, a 5 pc. original and classic roc band (ExiT 37!) and I also do a single. I work in a 24 tr. analog studio here in Ga. all the time and I also have a partner in Tampa. we own a nice little 16 digital studio together I write and record in very often. I play a lot. I love what I do. I LOVE good tone. Ilove this ped. NuFF said.