Ross Compressor

A piece of cake !

Reading some of the older ratings one can come to the conclusion, that some people are playing FX instead of guitar. Naturally, a setup that includes zillions of single floor FX boxes won't be quiet unless you have some help from Mr. Bradshaw or Mr. Cornish. Especially bad cables are very harmful to the overall sound. Mainly the connection between the guitar and the first-in-line FX weakens the sound so much that it will never recover on its way to the amp. So, maybe there are different qualities around but my RC is dead quiet even when turned up. When you have to rate the sound of a stompbox you always have to know what it is used for. My setup: guitar -> Tech21 Double Drive -> RC -> Fender Amp (Twin, Blues Junior or Bassman). As far as I know, the RC doesn't have a useful buffering stage. By using the Tech21 DD as the first FX I make sure that its unbypassed buffer always keeps my signal up in order to minimize the treble loss induced by the RC. The Ross Compressor has a nice smooth sound that just adds a little "thickness" while taking away some of the upper trebles (estimated 1-5% with the setup mentioned above). For everyone who is looking for such a vintage effect I would recommend the RC. Everyone else who might be looking for a modern compressor to get an uncoloured sound-compression should try the dbx product range. To the guys who want to use as much Fx as possible in order to make their guitars sound like anything but a guitar the only way to avoid (extra) noise is to buy a TC G-Major or G-Force (alternatively, if you have the money, try the Eventide). Remember the fact that every single inch of wire that you add to your setup will hurt the sound ! One can argue but: A good buffering stage is way better than ANY true-bypass. Just think about it: You might need 10cm of cable to connect 2 FX and it takes ? let?s say - about 5 cm for the true bypass wiring. 5 boxes connected that way and switch to their true bypass equals 65 cm of cable = resistance and capacity = loss of tone. These are the basic consideration BEFORE using any (vintage) FX ! Especially those largely unbuffered like the RC.

Never failed.

Never needed. Maybe Analogman can help ?

Great for adding some extra "cream" to Jazz, Blues, Rock, Funk sounds as long as you know what you are doing.

I am not a pro guitar player but the Ross Compressor makes me sound like one. It is realy simple to use as there are only two knobs and the foot button is real easy to work.

I use a Fender Amp with a Fender Strat wannabe, the Jimi Hendrix package deal they had a couple of years ago.
I may sound like a beginner but I have been playing since 1967. I Have previously had a Gibson Firebird 12 string and a Gibson Marauder A Framus made in Germany ,a Kay original, and this little Strat puts them all to shame. Of course the twelve string had a sound that could not be wreckoned with, I traded it off to my friend Don Tillman of Tillmans music in Charlotte NC. Thats how I got the Marauder and the Ross Compressor. The Compressor with a twelve string is not really that impressive, the Gibson was kinda puffy but better. The Strat copy just unbelievable. Oh by the way I still play my Kay I use it for slide licks with the compressor, look out Jimmy Page!!!!!!

It is 50 percent reliable if you are a real fast responder to playing a gig. Sometimes if you forget to check that it is turned off after playing the battery will be dead. 9 volt batteries can get to be expensive when you need one at the moment. An LED indicator for power on would be a big help on this issue.

Never needed the help of factory repair in 23 years. Just battery replacements.

It is a nice component of the Guitar playing styles of the late 60's Steppenwolf for example.

Grey Ross Compressor
Quite easy to use, only 2 knobs -

I am using it with a G&L Legacy, Vox Wah, TS9 Tube Screamer, Expandora, Line 6 Delay modeler into Fender CS Dual Professional. Its not terribly noisy, but as with any vintage pedal i'm sure some are noisier than others. If yours is noisy you might want to get it checked out. The compression colors my sound far less than the Dyna Comp - i believe one reviewer likened the effect to an Exciter - this may be an acurate description.

Overall, i like it quite a lot.

Its quite an old pedal - therefore, i always keep my Dyna Comp on the pedal board - it was inoperational when i recieved it - just had to get some work done on the switch.
I must say though, it is older than i am and still working - if the 30$ i spent to get it working is the only time its been serviced - that says soemthing for reliability.

The company is out of business, however, as mine was initially inoperational, i got it serviced at a local amp tech - i don't think it would be difficult to find someone who can fix it for you.

I Play mostly jazz and Blues and in this context it works quite well. Relatively clean pedal - seems to color my sound less than the Dyna comp - though the dyna comp sound is desireable in some contexts.
If i lost it, well i would try to find another free one - i certainly wouldnt pay 300-400$ for one - though some may think it worth it - there are several fine compressors out there in that price range - even copies of this one - that would be far more reliable and come with factory support.

Come on! you don't have to an engineer

Prime cut this thing is very tight and punchy. Sustain for days days days & days. This on it's own when cranked is choice very low noise & supreme pressence now when I mixed certain pedal chains I had to do a little cut & paste as it likes some and not others. I am using it with a Fender Hot Rod 1x12 and a PRS HB1. This is a god send as the PRS has med-low output humbuckers and mixed with the Fender is all creamy sustain.

I play funk,reggae,jazz,blues,rock etc. and I have used many compressors as I need them but this cuts the cake I'm hooked.

I've got a grey original one. Two knobs- "Level", "Sustain". They both turn... pretty simple.

It's a "10" in my book, but I'm giving it a 9 because it honestly isn't a "universal" compressor-- if you want an over-the-top, buttery, super compressed sound, this ISN"T the pedal. It does light compression/harmonic enhancement better than any other I've tried, but it DOESN'T handle a lot of standard "compression" needs so well. (I tend to "hear" compression and sustain as two different things, and this is more of a sustain/enhancer pedal than a typical compressor).

My rig: '51 Broadcaster (or '74 Tele Thinline/'52 Gibson ES-125) -->> Ross comp --->> Ernie Ball volume pedal -->> Crowther HotCake (or Vox Valve-tone)-->> '64 Vox AC30 (or '66 Gretsch Dual Twin/'72 Twin Reverb)

I've owned mine for 18 years (so I'm DOUBLE biased, I love it AND I didn't pay the stupid prices *laughs*). It's the best subtle sustain pedal I've heard, hands down. If you're having noise problems, open it up-- I've had to replace the diode in the center of the board twice, which about every ten years you can hear the noise floor start getting static-y when a battery is in it (nice thing about Ross pedals, when the battery is dead they still operate in the "off" position). I don't know a thing about the electrical reasons for the diode dilemma-- but I know it happens (the diode actually burst the first time-- after months of getting noisier and noisier-- the pedal still worked, but was noisy as hell and the bottom end slowly disappeared).

The best I can describe it's "perfect" tone is that you can play loud, sustained portions of songs without losing any definition to your playing-- chords sound bigger, leads sound clearer, lusher, even with a distortion box. I'm not a big Phish fan, but I can tell for a fact that his super saturated compressed tone is NOT just a Ross Compressor. As some other's have stated, a hollowbody guitar and volume knob is probably 90% responsible for that... The Ross works best for a light sustain or to push the front of a tube amp lightly. For a 'Stones, or early Who, tubey rhythm sound, a Tele through the Ross into an AC30 is impeccable. And kick in a good Tubescreamer-ish overdrive and the sound can make you wet yourself with it's "umpph!" Without sounding metallic or nasally.

Works best with the level high and the sustain somewhere between 9 and 1. Cranked it's noisy as hell, and not very good sounding-- but MOST pedals suck with the settings cranked (TS-808's are worthless with the tone cranked in my opinion).

Raving as I am, I wouldn't hesitate to steer high-gain users away from it-- I've seen some Mesa users here say they love it, but I would not use this pedal with a Mesa, a Marshall, or similar. Nor with a Les Paul (just adds to the funky murkiness I associate with Les Pauls).

For players who center their sound around "vintage" tones, however, and those who use pedals for mostly "subtle" means-- it's a perfect 10!

Considering mine is left on 60-75% of the time, and has toured for two decades, I'm happy with just replacing a diode twice. Not perfect, but pretty close. I use an original Dynacomp for a backup, 'cause the Ross is too damned expensive to carry a backup.

Not around anymore, but Analogman can fix 'em for pretty cheap. (He makes his own clone, too).

If you already have great tone-- good guitars, amps, technique-- this will be your favorite pedal, simple as it is. Just dial in your normal tone, and then set the Ross so when it's engaged you barely notice it. Now play your normal style-- kick it in when you get bored or want to show off! *laughs*

I would recommend it highly for any "vintage" tone hounds-- blues, indie rock, classic rock, folk, country... If you've got a Matchless or a Vox, you NEED this pedal-- trust me. But probably NOT for hard rock, metal, other modern sounds (I'd probably rate it a 3 or 4 for that).

If it was stolen (which it almost was at a gig) or lost, I'd replace it immediately. Hopefully NOT at Ebay prices, but if I had to I would.

If you hate this thing, hey-- everybody's different (I'm tempted to say "you're not a very good player", but my mommy taught be better)... If you do hate it, then you either bought it from a shop, where you could have played it first, or bought it on the internet, in which case you can turn around and resell it-- that's what's great about Ebay!

I have an original Black Roos Compressor and I have built a grey one.
Both are simple to use - only 2 knobs.

I run these Ibanez Artist or strat into Ibanez TS9 (tubescreamer) then int one of the rosses into a Fender deluxe reverbe. Yup, just like Trey! I can get Trey's sound out of this to a degree.

Now for Noise. Both units are not noisy. Anyone with noise problems most likely have dirty pots (easily diagnosed) or if the unit is just noisy (hissy) when idle. One or more of the electrolytic capacitors has aged out and is / are not performing to spec.

If you have this problem with your unit and the noise is unbearable I'd be happy to take the unit.

SOUND. These compressors when working properly really act as a guitar compressor "effect" should. Notes have the same volume as chords. I also noticed a very pronounced increase in feel with my guitars. With the compression in I can feel a bit more feedback resonate in the guitar which increases "feel" and control.

You know the feeling when you have your amp cranked up and it sound and feels great. The ross provides the needed feedback even at low volume levels (great for late night jamming in suburbia or your apartment).

Any fan of Trey Anastasio's sound should be interested in this effect to achive emmulation - BUT IT IS NOT JUST THIS BOX as reported frequently on ebay. His whole setup is the key which starts with TREY - the player makes the majority of the sound. Running Tube screamer INTO the Compressor is a great way to run the chain. You can add distortion / fuzz with out a huge increase in decibles comming out of the amp.

Overall - The Ross compressors blow away my old Boss (which really sounded thin and did not add to the sound)

I think the rosses make a fatter sound and boost the desirable frequency range of my guitar unlike other compressors I have tried )pedals and rack mounts)

I got mine for about $100 and built a kit one (which is super quiet and responsive) for about $50.

Note on kits there are a couple of guys offering Ross comp kits. If you go that route to save $ The kits are very good but require a degree of electronics skill. Don't try one of these if you've never built an effects box before.

None have broken. The Black unit is over 20 yrs old and is built to last 20more!

Not applicable. Not very complicated circuit so a local usical equipment repair facility should be able to handle anything here.
Ask the local music store for a reference (they will tell you who is good)

Great effect if you want to hear the notes you are playing does not muddy up sound at all. Adds definition to playing. Maybe not good for metal but everything else great. Brings Guitar closer to the tubes!

I've been playing for 15 years and kick myself for not buying these when I was a kid and they were $35 new!

I love that it increases feel and won't ever do with out one in my set up. Helps me improve my sound! I highly recommend it.

I do wish it had an L.E.D.

How much simpler can two knobs get? Unless....you adjust the trim pot, but even that is straight forward. I have heard these sound poorly in other rigs, but I think trim pot adjustment would resolve these issues for the most part.

I love these reviews, and figure I dont really have much to add (even though that wont stop me!!)but I just want to clear something important up here:

THESE UNITS ARE NOT! TRUE BYPASS.
I have read a reviewer that said his was. NONE of the Ross products came with true bypass (DPDT) switching (and I have a Ross OD, Comp, Chorus and Flanger) The reviewer who said his was true bypass, is either mistaken, or the unit was modded. Even so the unit still sounds and performs great, and swapping out the switch is a real no-brainer. I did all my Ross pedals and it was about a half hour each (and I am no soldering iron wielding sharpshooter)!

Bout the sounds, everybody has different gear, instruments, ears etc. The unit might sound great with my rig but not with someone elses, that does not make it lousy, it just limits its applicability. I find these reviews handy but..I see them as mostly subjective.

I use it with a PRS>Ross comp>rmc-1>ernieballvolume>ross OD>rat>EHQtron>OC-2>rosschorus>dd-3>boomerang>into a custom loop bypass>70sTwin. The unit is silent, and not noisy when in use. The tone is wonderfully smooth and when I use the overdrive, (especially when I double up both drives) wow, it is smooth as butter with a gorgeous and complex sustain. Having said this, I really dont know crap about how to make these things work, I just know how it sounds to my ears and I love it. My 9 rating here is only based on the quality of the sounds to me and my own rig, it has nothing to do with adaptability. I did cut 1 mark because it makes my envelope filter sound like shit, even though perhaps it is because the envelope is crap itself who knows.

Built like a rock. One thing I love is the size of the enclosure. If you have to get inside and do some repairs, it is easy to do so. If you have to pull the board out it is quick and simple.

n/a

It really does not get any better. I tried the Boss and DOD stuff and they blew and put me off compressors for years. This unit is a keeper, even though it may not be for everyone.

Well - as easy as it gets. One Sustain and one Level knob. Very easy to dial in heavily and slightly compressed tones. As I built it myself I had to adjust the internal trimpot for minimum distortion at maximum sustain. Before I adjusted it, it distorted in a somewhat strange and... farty way.

It does alter your sound a little bit. Cuts off some highend and adds a little mids. Sounds especially great before a distortion (I use it before a modified Boss DS-2). Mine has true bypass (well I built it myself - so I could install a true-bypass switch). Noise is pretty low for a compressor - even on the highest sustain and level settings only very little noise is produced. Mine uses different transistors than the original effect - so maybe that's the reason why mine is pretty noiseless.

Built it myself in a solid metal box. Even if it would fail the signal could pass it unaltered. But I think it's reliable as far as the circuitry goes. There aren't any parts that are prone to failing.

Built it myself so no support. Ross is long gone anyway.

This thing is really great. Can't understand why people are paying premium bucks for an antique one. It's a moderately difficult effect to build. And it shares nearly the whole circuit with a MXR Dynacomp. So a Dynacomp could be converted to a Ross.

2 knobs, 1 footswitch...that's pretty easy I'd say. Got it used, so no manual, but no biggie. The trick is it just takes a while to figure out how to get a good sound from this thing. That can take weeks.

Using it with a Gibson LP or Strat into a Fender Blues Deluxe (with some distortion, overdrive, and some delay at times). I've got both knobs set at about 10:30 and I leave it on pretty much. It adds a hard-to-describe fatness and spongieness to my sound. Make chords sound distinct and sticky. With the amp I use, I have to watch it because this thing will overdrive the clean channel pretty easily, so I either have to back the volume knob down or turn the unit off for clean passages. It took me about 2 months to figure out how to use this in my setup. I was using it as a boost for solos for a bit, but I like the sound so much I decided to turn the level down a bit (so it's about as loud as the signal is without it) and leave it on. I also picked up a Boss compressor (cs-3 I think) for comparison and MAN, do these 2 pedals sound different. The Boss is more usefull for compressing the signal...Keeping the volume in a more restricted range. The downside to that unit is that it's a tone sucker. Has it's applications, but I took it off my pedalboard after a week of messing with it. The Ross, on the other hand, adds a subtle sweet nuance to you sound, but I can't really use it as a compressor. If you turn the sustain up past 10:30/11 o'clock, it just overdrives the amp in a funny kind of way. I was thinking of just using it as on overdrive, but by itself it a little...I don't know...farty? Yeah, it's a little farty past 11 o'clock. Used the way I'm using it in my rig, it would be irreplaceable. I should say that I'm giving it an 8 because while the sound is like gold to my ears, I enjoy the lo-fi kind of edge that it adds. It doesn't sound too polished (like the Boss unit does) and for me, that's excellent.

Can't say...when I got it was broken, but after the repairs I did, I think it'll work for a long time. The casing is pretty tough and the knobs are recessed, so I figure that'll help. Giving it a 9 because somebody along the way managed to break it, although I can't figure out how they did it.

Fuggedaboutit.

I guess you may be wondering how I got this pedal for free, considering the price they fetch on Ebay being so outrageously high and all. It was lying around my buddies house and I saw that there were some wires hanging out of it and I asked if I could have it to see if I could fix it. He said OK. I only had to buy a capacitor and I did a few hours of work (I added a regular size adapter plug instead of the 1/8 inch one that comes with it) and now it works fine. I can't say that this unit sounds like it did when new, but it sounds great. I'm using it in a rock bang (kind of Husker du-ish) and it's a great match. I've been playing 9 years or so. I would LOVE to buy it again if it was stolen, but of course, I'd have to pay hundreds of dollars and it might not even sound the same. The biggest drawback to this unit is the fact that it overdrives the amp after 11 o'clock on the sustain knob, so your compressing abilities are pretty limited. As a compressor, it's not very versatile. That's why it took me so long to find a good way to use it. It's got it's own rules. But that being said, it is my FAVORITE pedal (I've got an old Ibanez AD-9 analog delay, a Jeckyl and Hyde overdrive/distortion and a Boss DS-1 distortion on my pedal board). I wouldn't buy it for metal or punk. It's kind of soulful and juicy. good for rock, indie, funk, probably country, if you set it right.

As easy as it could be. Two knobs and a switch. Battery or wall wart.

My Grey Ross is a 10. My friend's is about a 2.5. There is one reason - NOISE. After reading the previous reviews, I had to submit one, because these pedals vary greatly. I use mine for bass alot. I own a 62 Precision and a 69 Jazz, and before I got this pedal, I would not have believed you could improve their tone, but you can with a Ross Compressor. I leave it on all the time in my bass rig. My amp is an early 60's Ampeg B-18, and everyone agrees that the Ross is the best.

Aluminum Housing, built like a tank.

NA - Ross is out of business. I had a Krossroads Bass Amp, which was built by Bud Ross' son in Kansas in the 90's and it was crap and they were hard to deal with. Don't worry, your Grey Ross won't break or confuse you.

Overall this is the best compressor out there, but play the individual unit you are buying. My friend has an identical one, and it is unusable because it is so noisy. For bass, I prefer this to Boss compressor pedals, Ibanez compressor pedals, and both my JoeMeek and DOD rack compressors. Warm and musical.

Easy even for a stompbox compressor. Level and sustain knobs only, but many useable sounds.

I'm using this with a Tele into a Mesa DC5. Any reviews that trashed this unit either had a broken one, had never owned a compressor before, or didn't actually own this pedal at all. I've owned the Boss CS2 and CS3, and the Visual Sound Rt. 66, and this is definitely a great comp pedal. There is virtually no noise added to the signal, and the compression is very warm and natural sounding at lower settings, and pumps and breathes nicely at higher settings. It also has tremendous output and functions very well as a clean boost with the sustain turned low. Last but not least it doesn't really suffer from its lack of true bypass, and I'm normally pretty strict on that for my pedals. A very nice yet simple Comp pedal.

It seems like a really solid unit to me. The connections all look sturdy and I wouldn't really expect for it to go out on me.

My chain goes: Tele-Fulltone 70-Teese RMC3-Ross-Fulltone Soulbender-Mooger Phaser-Maxon Delay-Mesa DC5. My sound varies from the 90's alternative scene music I grew up with to the classic rock I later learned how to play from. I'm sure there are other comp pedals out there that have more features and possibly a cleaner sound, but the warmth and lo fi funkiness are what I really like about this unit. I've tried and owned several other comp pedals, but this one sounds great, doesn't interfere with my fuzz pedals, and doesn't suck tone so it has a permanent place on my board.

In my opionion this is a very simple device to use. The one I have (I purchased this compressor new in the late 70's, little did I know that these would become the thing) has only 2 knobs, level and compression. Wish it had an LED, if it had one I'd would have given it a 10, on the other hand, I set it second (after my tuner) in the chain, with not a lot of compression and a bit of boost on. Once it is on, it pretty much stays on, so an LED would have not be or particular use.

Ok, I'll admit this, I love this unit. I use it with just a little compression, my guitars tend to sustain REALLY well already, but I love the warmth it gives them. I play a strat, an LP and a 335 into a Rivera and an old Fender and for the music I play (blues, blues/jazz, blues/rock (get the theme..lol) it adds a welcome warm touch I love. It is almost as if it just kisses my tone and does something that makes it feel good to me. I love that. If I'm doing a jazz thing and playing clean through the neck pickup on my 335, I get a really wonderful warm tone and NO mud. I love that. Although at the price these are selling for these days, I am so tempted to sell it and purchase something from Analog Mike, but I'm so afraid of losing that incredible warmth it adds. I don't use enough compression to ever hear any kind of hideous pumping that so many compressors add, and if I have my Ts-9 or fulltone on with a bit of boost, the compressor will add some hiss to the mix, but that noice is only audible when no one is playing and that I can live with. Since the hiss goes away if I shut off either of the overdrives I use, it doesn't bother me at all, as when I'm playing you can't hear any hiss over me and the band.

It is the only compressor I have and I don't have a backup.. I've had this unit for over 20 years now and it still works GREAT. So I guess it would be reliable. I am careful with my equipment so as long as I don't throw it around or drop kick it I should be OK. At this point in time I'm not worried about it. If it dies, and I really hope it doesn't, I can certainly continue the gig without it, my tone will just be a little less warm and I'll be crabby for a while.. LOL.

I have no idea. I know they are long gone. Analog Mike will be who repairs this if it dies.

As I've said I purchased this unit new 20 some years ago for about $70. I don't use it every day, actually I practice without it, I pretty much only use it during band practices and gigs, but when I do use it, it makes me smile. I have certainly gotten my money's worth and at the rate it's going I hopefully will get a lot more use out of it.

obviously easy to use. 2 knobs, in-out. not splitting atoms.

i have to say that what people, me included, are paying for these things is completely out of line with reality. this is not the best compressor i have used and it is certainly not worth the cash. if you want to sound like trey then start taking lessons when you are 5 years old and be fortunate enough to have a good ear. the problem with this pedal is all the hype and the idiot ebay "traders" who try to make money off these things.

no problems.

obviously ROSS is long gone.

i give this pedal a 6, at best. i think it does an ok job, but it does the same as any $100 pedal, not something that is worth the $375+ it is going for on ebay. in fact, if i were smart i would sell mine on ebay for $400 and make some money off it. happy bidding :(

This Compressor is very simple. With a control for sustain (compression), and output (volume) it doesn't get much easier. I bought it used but there is very little use for a manual.

I didn't buy this pedal to sound like Trey Anastasio. In fact I had not heard of him at the time, nor did I know what these compressors where going for. As a compressor it is really pretty limited. There is very little control, but that's not what's so special about it. It's very warm, and does something really cool for your sound. I use it to smooth every thing out and keep my amp from hitting the wall when I get agressive. As for noise, I don't have much of a problem because I don't turn both the knobs to 10. Instead I use the compression sparingly and set the volume at about what it would be with the pedal off.

If I could afford it I would buy a backup because it's old, and one time before a show one of the battery leads became detached. Although this is a pretty trivial problem, it could cause some problems at a gig. They're just to expensive to buy a backup.

I can't rate this high because the company went out of business years ago. Should a problem arise I could usually fix it myself.

Unless you want a studio quality compressor, I think this would make a great addition to anybody's setup. Also, if your going for a Phish sound it's going to take a lot more than a compressor. If your into controlled feedback this pedal can be a big help. Over all, it's a really strong pedal.

This is a follow up to all the people who have rated this pedal negatively. For all of you who bitch about this compressor being noisy, well your right. However, no one ever said the reason it was good was because it is quiet. Let's all think about this one.........the thing was built over 25 years ago! The compressor is unique because it makes your guitar tone raw and powerful, not quiet. I know a lot of people buy this to imatate Trey's sound, but your have to have good technique. His guitar is a full body electric. Just imagine the feedback from that alone! His tone is different because he can control the feedback from his guitar and uses the compressor to his advantage. I know many people out there want the nice quiet studio compressor sound and that's fine because you're missing out. There is a reason the compressor goes for 350 on ebay......and it's not becasue Trey uses it..........IT"S ACTUALLY GOOD. I play an Ibanez Artstar through a tube screamer through the ross to a Roland JC77. Occasionaly I uses a Wah pedal and my Ross EQ. My tone is very good and I don't sound like Trey. Maybe a few of you out there should learn how to actually play the guitar and not let 20 pedals or 8 different guitars do the work for you. A true guitarist should have a tonal range from smooth and clean to a tone that bites with each note. (And I am not talking about shitty metal tones.........I am talking about tones more like Scofield)

Oh I would say that it is pretty easy to use......two knobs.

This is where i have to stand up and say something.....this pedal is way over-hyped. Phish has been getting pretty popular lately and more and more people have discovered and want to emulate Trey's magical tone (with good reason), but this thing is *not* the secret to his tone. I would say that has more to do with his Languedoc hollowbody and his amps than anything. But most importantly, this thing is noisy!! It really is kind of rediculous. It's not a bad compressor by any means, I would just rate it as average to above average. This thing has been fetching outrageous prices on ebay lately....$350 wtf?? I just don't see how people can praise these things unconditionally. (that would be a nod to some of those fanatical phans)

this thing is definitely built like a tank

n/a

I cannot stress enough......don't buy one of these things unless you have tried it first, and I would especially try it next to some of the other excellent compressors out there. The price you pay for one of these is 75% name and reputation via Trey, and 25% for it's slightly above average qualities.

The two knobs(level and sustain) are rather straight forward. . .

I use my ross with a carvin DC400, TS9, Real McCoy Wah, DOD flanger and a Boss digital delay. I can not verbalize the extent to which I love this pedal. . .it is soooo smoooooth! The combination of the smooth tight compression and the fantastic sustain is truly inspiring.

I haven't had any problems. . .

Ross used to be in Kansas but they are no longer around.

I LOVE THIS PEDAL! I had a hell of a time finding one. . .if you are searching for one of these gems and are having little luck, I have seen a few pass through ebay recently.

Two knobs, output and sustain...about as easy as it gets.

What an over-hyped joke!! I'm writing this review because it's about time someone told the truth about this pedal. The sound of this compressor would be ok IF the thing wasn't so ridiculously noisy. Frankly, it is unusable. I have spent a lot of time and money selecting guitars that are quiet with great tone. I have also spent a lot of time and money getting together a handful of great sounding amps. I'll be damned it I'm gonna use a compressor that ADDS a bunch of noise to my sound. I compared this pedal side by side with the following compressors: Way Huge Saffron Squeeze, MXR Script Dynacomp, and DOD Milbox. The Ross finished dead last. That's right a $360 Ross finished behind a $40 Milkbox. I used a '64 strat, '98 Custom Shop LP, '91 SG, and a '93 USA Hamer GT Studio w/ p-90's. The Saffron is a totally stellar, gorgeous sounding compressor and is dead quiet.
The Dynacomp was quiet but sounded like somebody put a pillow over the amp speaker. The Milkbox is suprisingly pretty good, but doesn't hold a candle to the Saffron.

I wouldn't be caught dead with it at a gig...I would be totally be embarrassed to click on something that sounds like this. Built well enough though which I guess is what I'm suppossed to evaluate in this category...

Out of business for years...

I bought this pedal unheard based on the hype. Trey, Trey, Trey...please. I bet he has to gate the hell out of his rig to use this thing. You know why people rave about this on ebay? Because they are desparate to get rid of this thing!! I was lucky and found a buyer for mine. Don't even bother. I found a mint Saffron for $250 off Harmony Central. Couldn't be happier with it!!

Pretty darn simple. 2 knobs ... Output and Sustain

I'm using an American Standard Tele through a Dr. Z Maz 18 junior. I have a Teese RMC1 Wah and a Fulltone '69 in the line up. The effect of this pedal is pretty cool, the signal tends to boost a little as the sustain rings out. The thing is though that when the output is anywhere past half way this thing is so noisy that it becomes useless. The sustain is not creamy enough for me and in my opinion this thing does not sound that great.

It looks to be built very solid. I can't imagine it breaking down.

Out of business.

This thing is not living up to all the hype it has been getting lately because of the Trey article in guitar Player. I wouldn't buy it personally.

It only has two knobs, so it's easy to use (unless you're the Socialist scumbag that posted below fo course).

This thing sounds great! There is almost no noise through my rig. I love it's warm, organic tone. This pedal sounds especially good when used with amp tube overdrive as opposed to outboard overdrive or distortion. It can pump and breath and give a good boost. However, it doesn't walk on water like the Socialist scumbag below, so I'll give it a 9.

I have had mine for many years and it has been gigged with on several occasions. I have yet to have any reliability issues with this pedal. It probably wouldn't be as reliable, however, as the Grand God-like creature that sits in our midst that posted below. Therefore, I'll give it a nine. Don't you just love stupid assholes that cut everything down just because it didn't come from Goodwood's? Oh well, I guess we can't all get our asses kicked by the Falkland Islands.

I love it! It's much better than my script logo Dynacomp and is also better than the Boss CS-3 IMHO only.

Two knobs, level and sustain. Very simple.

This is the best compressor I ever heard. I have read that Trey uses this compressor and after you plug into it you can see why. I play through a basic strat with customized pickups and neck. I run through a TS-9dx, ross compressor, Ibanez analong delay, crybaby 535, MXR phase 100, MXR Flanger, Dunlop Tremolo, electroharmonix small clone, and an ernie ball volume pedal into a roland JC-77. The tone I get from the compressor is amazing. I have tied it with other distortion pedals, but tube screamers seem to be the only thing that work right. This is a TRUE BIPASS and when it is off there is no noise that comes from it. I recommed this pedal if you can find it.

When I bought the pedal, it needed work. The last guy who owned it tried to custom wire it. The work done to it cost $35, but it is as good as new. I haven't had it long enough to see how reliable it is.

Ross is out of buisness even though they made some of the greatest, underated pedals out there.

Get one of these. I found mine in the House of Guitars in Rochester. The staff there (by the way, they are all assholes there) did not know how much it was worth and laughed in my face when I said I wanted to buy it. Now who is laughing.

This is a follow up to the last review. I cannot make any comment about how his pedal sounds when it is turned on but I know for a fact that when the pedal is turned off it has NO effect on the tone whatsoever. This is because the bypass switch is hard wired which means your signal is not going through the circuit. The difference in tone is the same as going through an a/b box...none. You can actually take the battery out of the pedal with it bypassed play with no loss in tone. Try that with a tubescreamer or most any other pedal and you will get no sound. Maybe his or her pedal is broken in some way, I don't know. I personally feel this is a person who wants one but is angry for some reason so they posted a negative ad. Honestly, if the pedal sucks so bad why keep it??? Why not make some money off of it, there are plenty of people looking for one!

I tried submitting this review before but it never appeared...here it is again: This thing sounds awful in every setting. Two knobs, sustain and level, should be easy enough to operate, but...it sounds awful and therefore isn't easy to use at all.

Every amp or guitar you try this with yeilds the same results: Total tone loss, a "wind" effect (like playing in the eye of a hurricane!), and worst of all, when you bypass the effect (turn it off) the crappy noise still comes through! And to top it off, the bypassed sound is also suffering from the compressor's treble-removing qualities! Yuck.

Yeah, I depend on it...to sound like DUNG! You wouldn't need a backup for this (unlike you like throwing something in the garbage TWICE).

Ross used to be American (this pedal is made in the USA) but I think they moved to the Mysterious Orient after...I guess it's easier to pay people a bowl of rice a day there. Even slave labourers shouldn't be building this kind of crap, especially not over-paid American unionized factory fat-asses!!!!!

No matter what kind of music you play, don't buy this piece of trash. It sucks so intensely, I'll actually keep it to show other guitar players that "Made in the USA" doesn't always mean it's any good. I don't think I've ever owned anything as crappy as this box. Thumbs DOWN!

This is a two knob wonder, sustain and output. That just about sums it up. It's about as straight forward as possible.

I love the sound of this pedal. I's pretty quiet for it's age, although it does add some hiss to the signal if the output is set high. The compression this pedal creates is very smooth and warm. I use this pedal with two different setups and it sounds great with either one. My main guitars are a 70's les paul std. and a 57ri. strat. For amps I use a Mesa/Boogie Dc-5 and a Fender Blues DeVille 4x10. What this pedal does to the Boogie is amazing, it really makes my guitar sing by smoothing out the lead channel and fattening the clean. When I use the DeVille, I put the Ross after two Ts-9's (one vintage, one ri) and it sounds beautiful. I can use any combination of the Ts-9's and I don't have to worry about my levels jumping around. Over the years I've fooled around with some other compressors but they couldn't come close to the Ross. It's just too simple and sounds sooo good.

When I had the pedal shipped to me a wire was shaken loose in transit (thanks ups) so it would short out intermittently when I turned it on. It was no big deal to fix, a small repair with a soldering iron and she was back to new. Other than that I have no complaints. One cool feature on this pedal is the knobs are partially recessed into the housing. I guess this would help to keep the knobs from being broken off or accidentally adjusted while playing. Also, I thought it was interseting that on the base plate where it has all the specs. the estimated battery life is 1 year.

Ross no longer exists.

This is a great sounding pedal, hopefully I'll never have to find another, they're pretty hard to come by. If it were stolen I would certanly have to buy another one.

Super easy to use. Just two knobs, no more than you need.

The best compressor i have heard. Has a wonderful feel without a huge pop! I have played many other compressors and this is the first one that i have played where i said "yea that is what it is supposed to do!"

Excellent. I dont own this my roomate does but i am going to try to find one out there. I give it my full endorsement. Through my tube amp it sounded like a dream.