Tech 21 Bass Compactor

Take some time to play about with the controls - that compression knob needs no more than a quarter turn. Past 9 o'clock and you're boosting every little hiss and hum so yes it will be noisy (and why did they design it to so that most of the dial is unusable?). I have it backed off a little from 9 o'clock, so it doesn't level out every note and I can still get some feel from my fingers if I play softer, but it will still lift those notes where I didn't quite get it right with either hand and quieten the times I whack the strings into the pickup! (I have spent a while on my playing technique but every now and then there's something that needs a bit of control). The bass and treble controls are not so sensitive as the compression, it's easier to control the amount of boost or cut, 12 o'clock is on par with the straight through signal. This would get a ten but I'll mark it down to eight cos most of the compression dial is unusable.

I leave it on all the time. You can tell it's on but no-one else can. It gives a tiny bit of punch to the sound, cleans up a few badly hit notes, and eq is there if you need it when using someone else's crap amp. Subtle but oh so helpful. It's a compressor and you don't want it to be wheezing and sucking every note like some eighties guitar solo (keep it below 9 o'clock on the compression. It can add sparkle to a good bass and make a cheap bass sound fuller. I mostly play a JV Squier Precision through a MarkBass Jeff Berlin 1x15, but also use a bit of plywood Korean Jazz (with some Mexican P bass and Jazz pickups I chiselled in myself) for festivals cos it don't matter if I lose it, and the Bass Compactor helps with either. I also use this with guitar, with the same settings, it helps level out 6 string chords with 3-4 string chords and is even enough to boost a solo if needed so I can leave it on all the time and concentrate on the playing.

It broke for a while so eventually I got a repair guy to quote fixing it. Too much so I had a good look inside and found the stomp button spring had moved off centre and stopped the switch working. Probably happened when I changed a battery. So it was probably my fault but then perhaps the spring should be a bit more securely fastened.

Never dealt with them.

I'd miss it so would get another.

This unit is used in my live pedal board setup. I like having the EQ controls on the unit as opposed to a simpler comp unit. It is easy to use, but far too sensitive with regard to the compression. I think, for me, 9 o'clock is about the limit. it's hard to tweek it unless you really sit down and work at it. It is aLSO critical to experiment with
placement within the chain of pedals. I have found that unless it is the first thing in the sequence, it's very loud and noisy.some compressors aren't as sensitive to this, but experimentation is in order with this pedal.

sounds terrific when it's set up properly.
I use it with a Mesa 400+

after using it for 5 years on stage, it has been completely reliable powered with a "onespot" power supply.

I emailed them about the overly sensitive (and excessive compression ratios), and about excess noise when not in the right place in the signal chain. they were completely unhelpful and just said,(no kidding) "you're the only one that has ever expressed any issues or problems with the pedal-everyone thinks it's great". i guess that's why it was discontinued huh?

I would buy one of these again (or something similar to it...perhaps now there are better units out there with an EQ?).
it is a valuable piece in my live pedal board, and I have no plans to replace it, it just seems as though it wasn't completely thought out before it went into production.

It's easy if you know a thing or two about compressors. If you don't, better start learning before complaining, because if set up wrong this can get noisy.

There is only one knob controlling compression, with probably fixed threshold and attack settings and auto make up gain. The range of the compression is between 1:1 and 1:15 which is simply overkill. One reputable compressor for example Trace Elliot's SMX dual band compressor and its max is 1:8, half of Bass Compactor's!! Because of the auto make up gain you get outrageous noise past 10-11 o'clock.

A "normal" and "usable" compression ratio is between 1:2 and 1:4 at most and this roughly corresponds to 9-10 o'clock. Within this range there is no noise and Bass Compactor sounds very good. Past that, auto gain kicks in, amplifying even the slightest touch. This is what many people complain as noise, which is not actually noise but the amplified hiss coming from your bass. Any compressor would do that!!

Other than compression, there are high and low knobs which I always set at 12 o'clock (unity gain) since I'm using Bass Driver DI to control eq. There is also a level control to be set to taste.

One good thing about this is that it converts from hi-Z (passive) to low-Z (active), even when bypassed; eliminating all kinds of noise problems associated with hi-Z.

I always take care of my gear. Bass Compactor is extremely rugged and I don't foresee any problems.

Never had any problems with Tech 21 products, but on occasion I asked them a few question by e-mail, they always responded in a professional and helpful manner.

I honestly believe Tech 21 has made a marketing error by designing the compression go up to 1:15. If they would cut it half of that more than half of the complaints about noise would be eliminated.

Bass Compactor does what it's supposed to do. It's just a pedal, not a rack unit. Do not expect miracles, a rack unit would allow you to select threshold, attack/release ratios, makeup gain etc to your taste. This does not.

This pedal has four knobs....... volume, high, low, compression. Fiddle with it for a few minutes and shazam!!!!!!!!!

I would say that this little unit is noisey if the compression is past ten thirty on the dial.

I am currently playing a Spector Rebop 5 string, into a led tuner-volume pedal-basscompactor- aguilar db924 preamp -rolls redsquare active di. into a yamaha bp100 combo amp.

If I use the compression past 1030, in which i see no need to do, I don't need to compress my sond that much! I play mainly at church, in fact I haven't even used it at church yet....... I have to say something here.besides excessive noise past ten-thirty, this little gem creates sustain for days!!!!!!!!! whoa it didn't matter what was being played: open string, harmonics, fretted notes, tapping. crazy sustain. I know that theoretically compression pedal don't sustain sound but gives the appearance of a sustained note. Nonetheless, I like and have a use for it and that is what matters. This pedal won't color my tone at all unless i deliberalty change the low and high knobs, but i just match them up to my preamp and active di and voila....no coloration.

I've only had it a few days N/A

I like this pedal.......... I've also owned a EHX blackfinger, Aphex Punch Factory. I like this pedal the best, as far as sustain goes. If it were lost or stolen or lost, I would buy another one if I could find one for the same price, but most likely a I would buy a Demeter compulator, or try out the new ashdown dual band compressor. And if I didn't like those, then I would find another bass compactor. Tech21 is a good company with good products, it's a shame they discontiued this pedal........

Easy to use, especially for those familiar with compression.

At first I though this was too noisy, but just as noisy as all the other comps I had used. Then I learned that cables are important. I'm cheap so I had been buying cheap cables 'cause "what's the difference?" - or so I thought. Then I bought some low end monster cables, 'cause I?m cheap, but they did the trick: better shielding = lower cord noise = equal quiet compressor. Now I leave it on all the time ? even between songs. So make sure to get some good cables whatever you do.

seems good so far - no problems.

Good pedal and a must for anyone how uses the whole neck of their bass.

Yes, it is a very simple unit. Boosting the mids by adjusting the the highs and lows was a little strange at first but I quickly got the hang of it. The manual was simple and easy to understand. I'm not sure about it's future as I cant seem to locate the "Compactor" on the companies' website.

I went easy on the guitar and bit the bullet on my amp. My fender Squire P Bass Special 5 sounded "OK" through my Ampeg SVT II Pro with a ported 18", 4 tens and a horn and 2 tens with a horn. But something was missing. I had considered hotrodding the bass with EMG'S and active circuitry until I purchased the "Compactor" and installed Ken Smith Rock Master Lights. The sound difference was nothing short of amazing! A sound man kept commenting on how awesome my rig sounded. The "Compactor made my econimical passive bass sound huge. I run the level control pretty hot but take it easy on the compressor. It can get a little noisy beyond 11 oclock. The sound reminds me of a Lakland Bass.

Iv'e had this unit for about two years and have only had to replace the battery only occasionally. It's never failed me and I have come to depend on it without reserve. If it failed I could do without it in a pinch but I would make sure to fix or replace it.

Never had to contact them yet.

Iv'e been been playing on and off since Junior High School (pushing 50 now)and am currently playing Christian rock, ballad and p&w (praise & worship). With some of the more current Christian music out there I get to slap and pop occasionally and really "get down". This unit does exactly what I need it to do and use it every time I play. As I said, I would get another one if the need ever arose. I really like it.I originally chose the Compactor because of the Tech 21 (sans amp) name. Iv'e been eyeing the Sans Amp for awhile now but have held off because this unit, pushing through fourteen burning ampeg tubes sounds amazing. I would probably record with the Sans Amp though. It definately doesn't "get in the way". I like to put it up close on a music stand so I can fool with it for different styles of music.

if you cant figure it out........well, your an idiot

noisy if you put compression past 12 o clock, not that you need to to get a good sound out of this thing. I use it just as an accent to my sound, no one else can tell when im using it or when im not, but i can. I never turn it off! I play agressive yet very melodic. I run it from a Washburn xb 900 live and 1977 Musicman rehearsal into an Ampeg SVT and 2 15's, no other effects.

i have had it for 3 years no problems, seen its way through 50 plus gigs, 4 bands and numerous rehearsals.

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I love it, it can be noisy, but you can also get some very good sounds out of it. I do not use it when recording, i use my tech 21 bass driver di for that. If i lost it (more likely than it being stolen) i would go buy a new one first thing.

Even a BASS player can work this one out - and I are one! Treble turns up treble, Bass turns up bass, Compression squashes it all together, and Level turns it up.QED.

I decided to investigate Compressor pedals as I was finding that my gear lost some notes, particularlt thumbed and top octave stuff. The blues was fine, but "Carwash" and "We are family" were losing loads of notes - why bother playing the flashy bits if no-one hears them?
This pedal seemed to be the most popular (on the 'net), so I tried it out at Machinehead ( Hitchin, England) using a Bass Collection
4-string through some kind of Hartke amp with a Hartke 4x10.
It did what it said it would, I was happy, so I bought it and used it the same night using my own Bass Collection 5-string through my trusty Peavey Mk III head / 4x10 cab set up. With a bit of tweakin' it sounded good to me!
I'd hoped to be able to use it on all the time, sitting on top of the amp with a short patch lead, but it's too noisy between tunes, so I use it how it was meant to be used, on the floor, so I can switch it off when neccesary.

It seems well made, no nasty crackly noises, hasn't let me down. I like it! I would always use it without a back up ( if it packed up, you can still do the gig!), and I am a pro player. It's how I make a living!

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I do this bass thing as a job, so I play every type of music. I have used it with an R'n'B band - it's great at boosting octave rhythm riffs - but I find it most use working with function dance stuff from the '70's. All those pumping octave grooves need a boost at the top, and the "Carwash" riff cuts through just fine when tapped as it should be - no need to snap it instead! I've been playing since 1977 professionally, and though I've changed bass and amp/speaker several times, this is the first effect I've bought. I wouldn't consider any other effects (hate 'em, after all it's a BASS, right, it SHOULD be kickin' along the bottom end, not playing the lead guitar parts!).
I chose it for its ease of use, and its reveiws, and 'cos it did what I wanted when I tried it.
I wouldn't use in a studio, though. Too noisy, and not as versatile or controllable as recording (usually) needs.
I'd buy a replacement for gigs if I had to. Good piece of kit!

Way easy to figure out. A drummer could even adjust it for you, after he had a few drinks. Level, high, low, compression. 4 knobs, 2 jacks, 1 pushbutton. I love the fact that the compression is one knob (like the good old MXRs). It's hard to describe what that one knob does, but sure beats dealing with threshold, attack, ratio, release, etc... Save that jape for the studio.

A little noisy with active pickups when you turn the level and highs up to past 7 o'clock. It gives a real good boost if you set it right. It depends on the bass you are using. I use it with a SWR workingman's 12, and I use it to give me a boost during jams and bass solos. The best way to describe the sound with the proper tweaking is tight and punchy, with plenty of edge to suit your tastes.

This is easy. Lots of solid metal and an easy to get to battery jack. A female singer could probably fix this thing if she had to.

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It's a great box to use on a gig. It's simple to use, and doesn't over effect or complicate your sound. It just lets you tweak your bass sound more to your tastes, and tightens things up. It's great for adding boost to your sound for gigs. I like the thing. I keep carrying the thing in my gig bag.

Very easy to use, mostly because it has a lot less to do with actual compression than say a Boss Limiter/Enhancer. Level booster, 2 band eq, and compression, simple as that. Takes a good 2 minutes to get the hang of it.

I play alternative and funk/metal, and I picked this up to get a little bit more "spank and grind" when I'd do a slap part. I run Active Fender Jazz > Boss Bass Synth > Bass Compactor > SWR 350 head into a Hartke 4x10. I use it mostly to get more treble out of my sound for slap...the compression just helps me set the gain on my amp a little higher without clipping the preamp all the time. The only complaint that I have is that the thing is noisy, both on and off. When I have it on, I'm usually hitting my bass pretty hard, so it doesn't matter. But I wouldn't use it solely for compression unless you're playing pretty aggressively. It works very well for that.

Tech 21 stuff is nice...this thing is all metal, the knobs are tight, very cool.

I've heard people say they've had problems calling Tech 21. But I've emailed them on several occasions, and got faster responses than I ever would have imagined. So if you want a fast answer, email them.

Like I said earlier, if you're just looking for compression or a limiter/enhancer, this probably isn't the best bet. BUT, for my purposes, it's exactly what I needed. Nice, loud, grindy sound with just that extra boost to bring out an aggressive slap part. Sounds really cool when I use the bass synth with it! If it were lost or stolen, I'd look around some more, check out some other options, but probably try to find it again. I recommend buying one used...it's a very solid pedal, nothing to worry about with past owners, and relatively cheap, especially compared to other compressors. And it's friendly on the batteries too! My only beef with it is the noise!

How much easier could it be? 4 knobs, come on people. The manual that comes with it is great. Even has a couple sample settings (Ex. Peak Limiter, Tone Booster, DI recording, Mid Booster, and Bass Solo). Like any pedal, the battery compartment is simple to get to.

My setup at the moment is an Ibanez EDA900 through an Acoustic 600 watt head (not sure what model), through an Acoustic 2x15. (Acoustic is the name of the brand. It doesnt mean I play acoustic bass.) This piece of equipment is great! I haven't had any settings where it sounds noisy, distorted, etc... The only effect I've had trouble with is distortion. My amp started sounding like my active electronics in my bass had a low battery, but I checked it and it was still good. Overall, sound quality is great!!!

Heck ya. Gigged a few times with it. Hasnt failed me. The only thing you need is an extra battery. No backup needed.

Emailed them on, and got a reply the next day. Great service.

I play rock, classic rock, slap, blues, heavy metal. This pedal is great for anything though. I've been playing for 2 years. I have an Ibanez EDA900, a Squire P-Bass, an SWR Workingman's 160, a Squire BP-15, and an Acoustic 600 watt head with a 2x15 I'm borowing from one of my band's guitarists. I love how simple this is and how easy it took to figure out. I didnt compare it to anything before I got it, but now that I have it and I've tried others, I prefer this one. Get one, they're great!

Only an idiot won't know how to use it. 4 knobs. 1 level, 1 high, 1 low, 1 compression. Very basic. The manual is fine

I am used this with a MiM Jazz Bass, Warwick Streamer, and Takamine G-Series acoustic through A BXR 16, SWR Basic Black, and a fairly nice carvin rig. I first noticed a large hiss and hum. When one pushes up the level above 12 oclock or the high above 10, there is a noticeable hum. Otherwise, the sound is pretty good.

Dunno...

Didn't deal with them

I play jazz and rock and have been playing for 2 years. If it were stolen, I'd get something else. I like its ease of use and its actual compressor knob. Everything else really sucks. Its noise reduction is bs. It gets in the way of my music. I have no clue how anyone can record with this POS...its way too noisy...

Real easy to use. Has a cut boost type knob, real simple to get a good sound. I keep the bass and highs flat, adjust the compression to where i want it, and then raise the level until it's loud enough.

Sounds great. I bought this pedal, because I did not like the built in compressor on my amp. So I bypass the compression on my Eden Metro, and use this for the compression. And it sounds great, I dial in just the right amount of compression, and it's a preamp for your bass as well. Dead quiet to boot.

Dependable. Built really well. Even the ac adapter cable is built tougher than normal ac adapters. I would definatly gig without a backup.

Never needed to call them.

I play all kinds of music, and in different situations I like different amounts of compression, my amp only lets you dial in compression by raising or lowering the gain. This pedal lets me dial in both independently. And for only 100 bucks why would you not get this pedal if you need a compressor?

It comes with 4 knobs and all you have to do is use your ears to figure out what sound you want

When I plug in directly into a sound system and turn the compression knob up over halfway you get this noisy fuzz thing for a second when you touch the strings. I haven't had to turn the compression up that high anyway so it isn't a big problem.Whoever started the rumor about the Rikenbacker 4003 is not a slap bass hasn't plugged in this pedal with it. It eliminates that annoying pop and gives it that funky 70's sound. This pedal saved my life

You can always count on this pedal because I have accidently dropped and spilled almost everything on this little gadget. It is made very tough by a company that builds reliable products

Never had any problems

Overall this pedal has helped me compress and not squash the sound of my basses. It works alot better on basses that aren't active. If you want an affordable compression pedal that is reliable and won't kill your tone or if you just want a boost of highs, mids, and lows this pedal is for you.?

This is a very simple pedal. I comes with a manual that even the average brain dead drunk ass cousin of the guitarist could figure out. Not that they would want a good sound, but hey, maybe it was a gift? Anyway, it is easy to use.

I am using this with a Conklin GT7, a Fender elite P2, an A/E with a decent preamp of unknown origin, and even my trusty old Yamaha BB300. I put it in line before a Trace elliot head GP7 series, and an SWR 4x10. This this sounds great, gives you all the compression you need with active low and high boost to create whatever sound curve you feel like.

I have had this unit for about 6 months, seems rock solid.

I called them with an unrelated question once and they answered me very quickly. They even sent me a spare black plastic nut(holds the jacks to the casing).

This is a great unit for players who slap, pop, hammer, tap and all that. I've been playing for a long time, and this thing makes it into the equipment pile that comes with me everywhere, no contest. It is much better than all the limiters/enhancers out there.

Very simple to dial in a great sound, just use your ears. I was amazed ... this device works as advertized... imagine that....

This unit sounds very good as well. I have not dialed in any extreme settings as I like a nice warm sound with a little added definition in the mids and a bit of top thrown in for clarity. I found the unit to be very quiet and have so far used it in a studio setting where it sounds great through cans or monitors. I expect it will sound great through an amp in a live setting.

I'd gig with it. It appears to be very well designed with a sturdy housing, I'd just toss an extra 9v battery or two in my gig bag.

I've never dealt with the company and hope I never have to for service.

Overall I'd say it's a very simple, great sounding and functional unit. It is just what I was looking for (I hate technology overkill). All the controls have a purpose and a very usefull. I have been a bassplayer for 30 plus years (R&R, blues, prog. rock) and place a very high value on compactness, road worthiness, and sound. This unit makes the grade in these areas and all for about a hundred bucks.

Very simple four button setup. Very Easy to use. Active Tone Controls: High, Low. Compressor control. Level. Does what it is supposed to do.

This box does exactly what it is supposed to do. It provides a very clean "Active" preamp for non-active basses, eliminating the need for adding emg's or bartolini's. This is especially important if you like your vintage Fender and dont want to change out the pickups. On an active bass, the active tone controls are less effective, but you wouldn't really need them there. However, the compressor section is the best I have tried. It is clean and warm. Unusual for a cheap stop box unit. The compression range goes from minimal, to crisp, to radical with the sweep of the knob. I use it with an Ibanez Active 5 String, A Fender P-Bass Special, and a Rickenbacker 4001. I run it in to an SWR head, with a Hartke 4x10 cab. Does the trick for me. But Keep in mind, as one other reviewer of this box stated, you cant use this box to make up for poorly sounding equipment. My stuff sounds great, and I am using this box to tweak my sound.

This box is built like a tank. Heavy construction, quality switch and pots. Even though I have only had it for a short time, I would consider it reliable enough to gig without a backup (other than a spare battery).

I have had no need to contact the manufacturer, and I hope I never do. There web site is good.

I play hard rock and metal. This box does the trick for me. I have an SWR head that sounds awesome, but the built in compressor did not have enough flexability for the sound I wanted. I turn off the built in compressor and use the Bass Compactor to get a more tweaked compressed sound. It also kicks some serious butt with non-active basses that could use a little more power from the pickups. That is what I bought it for, and it does its job really well. And it did not cost me a fortune either... Highly recommend this box...

Very easy to get a good sound out of it. Simple controls. Can't take you more than 15 seconds to get this working for you.

Active Treble and Bass, Level, and Compression knobs. Very useful especially for beginners or people using low-end gear. This is very quiet for a compression box.

It can really boost your signal once set at 12 o'clock compression. Anything beyond that is very radical. I prefer around 9-10 o'clock on the compression knob. A little higher if you're playing very hard and need to squelch the popping of the strings hitting the neck and pickups (what I bought it for).

I'm using it with a variety of setups at different spots, including very high-end and very low-end gear. As I said above, this is particularly useful to help bad gear sound better. Running it before the Tech21 SansAmp DI, I can get some fabulous John Entwhistle rumble and growl, while more varied styles can be accomodated as well.

Very reliable, very solidly built. I'd be surprised if it broke and it would take some effort to damage it I think. Battery lasts a good long while, but you can use an adaptor too. I haven't had it long enough to give it a 10, but like I said, its solid.

Tech21's support is great. They respond to emails, and genuinely seem to care about their products, customers, and getting feedback.

I play jazz/rock and heavy rock, and I need this thing to cover for the extraneous noise my very hard playing produces. By doing that, it leaves me free to play and perform, without limiting myself in order to prevent unwanted pops, etc. It also adds a nice buzz and sustain as well.

I already dumped the Boss Limiter/Enhancer (not bad, but not as good as this) and the Boss Compressor (useless to me, too noisy, ruins tone, causes feedback - not sure how a couple of pros I know get by with it, but the Boss didn't work for me).

What can you say? It's just a compression box, but a damn good and reasonably quiet one, which is more than impressive enough!

A rugged "stomp box" compressor with active treble and bass controls.
Four simple knobs: Level, High, Low and Compression, but don't expect
instant success. The manual suggests starting with all knobs "at twelve o'clock", but I'd reccommend that you start with the compression at seven o'clock (minimum) and turn it up gradually instead.
Depending on your instrument and amp, it should take about an hour of experimenting to get close to the sound you're after. After that,the controls can be tweaked to suit the room.

I'm using a Fender Jazz bass (vintage reissue) and a 10-string Chapman Stick. The Jazz has stock passive pickups and (usually) fairly old strings. The Stick also has a passive pickup. These are both running into a Trace Elliot solid state head with 12-band graphic eq and 4x10 speaker cab. The amp has no compression. I bought the Bass Compactor to add brightness and "punch" to the Jazz, and to smooth out my Stick sound a bit (note: the bass side of the Stick sounds fantastic without any signal processing). The Compactor is simple, but the knobs are very effective. The compression starts sounding silly at about 11 o'clock, and I prefer a more "transparent" setting at around 9-10 o'clock. It does the required job of evening out the loud "pops" of a slapped bass, as well as getting rid of some of the muddiness. It will also enhance any hiss/noise coming from your instrument. This is normal, and I wouldn't blame it on the Compactor. It is very quiet through the effects loop (Post-Eq). The tone controls also work best in moderation. The manufacturer states that they can "turn a passive bass active", and I won't argue with that. The treble is my least favourite, so I tend to use the unit to boost/cut bass and leave the treble alone. Midrange has no control, but is affected by the high/low controls. This is could be a bit odd to some people, but I like the simplicity of it. Like I said before, no miracles here. If you're sound is tubby and terrible, I doubt that the Compactor is for you.
I'd buy some new strings and an amp with good EQ features first. However, if you use it to fine tune your existing setup, it does the job without much fuss. It does have a nice "warmth" about it too, unlike many compressors on multi-effects units.

Very basic and rugged. I gig with it with a backup battery.

Tech 21 have a good reputation, and they did reply to my email...after about a week and a half. By that time, I had already located their distibutor in Australia, who emailed me twice, sent me a retail outlet listing, called the nearest shop who ordered it from interstate, drove to the shop, picked up the unit and took it home and used it for a day. Well, at least they did reply, unlike some other companies.

I like it. It's simple, and it does what I thought it would do. I'd buy it again unless I bought an amp with a good compressor built in.