Product: Maxon CP-F1
Price Paid: US $30
Submitted
05/26/2001
at
08:01am
by
"Uncle" Al
Email: crabrangoon<at>mindless dot com
Ease of Use
:
9
This is a review for a Maxon CP-F1 "Fire Blade Compressor Effector." According to current (May 2001) information on the Maxon Web site, the Fire Blade series is not yet available in the US. This line seems to be the equivalent of the Ibanez "Sound Tank" line--plastic and cheap, but with good sounds.
Like any compressor, you need to know how compression works in order to get a good sound. This pedal has three knobs: "Level," "Attack," and "Sustain." Level is the output level, "Attack" is the sensitivity to the attack, and "Sustain" is just what it says.
I've read a lot of reviews of compressors where the reviewer complains of noise at high sustain settings. This is just a fact of life; as the compressor boosts the signal as the input decreases, it boosts all sound coming in--including noise.
That all being said, it's easy to use and get the sounds I want out of it, which are: A punchy country twang and/or a long sustain.
Sound Quality
:
7
My setup: Steinberger GL w/HH EMGs, Music Man Silhouette HSS w/EMGs, G&L ASAT Z-3. Amps are Boogie combos, mainly a Mark I reissue.
The pedal is a little noisy, even with the sustain all the way down.
The range of the effect is impressive for an economy model. A little more versatile than my vintage Dyna Comp, but the "twang" is not as distinctive or pronounced.
Reliability
:
5
This unit is made out of plastic, so I would not rely on it without a backup. In fact, I bought it as a backup for my vintage Dyna Comp.
Customer Support
:
No Opinion
Overall Rating
:
8
I play a wide range of styles, from punk to country, and a good compressor for me is a must. If my Dyna Comp were to fail me in a live situation, this pedal would do me just fine.
I've been playing for 21 years and have played with hundreds of effects. If this one were stolen or lost, I wouldn't be all that bummed. I'd probably buy something like it for use as a backup.
What I like about this pedal is it's solid sounds and versatility. What I don't like is the plastic casing.
If you are curious about what compression can do for your sound and are looking for something cheap to experiment with, I would highly recommend this pedal. You can get some good, classic sounds out of it, especially with a guitar with single-coils. I would also recommend it as an inexpensive backup compressor pedal for those of you who are like me and have to have a compressor.
