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Hey folks, I've been thinking about building one of these. Does anyone have one or have any love for them?

I've never gotten along with compressors terribly well, the CS-3 has that awful hiss (even post mods). I love the CS-2, but it still has some hiss as well. I like the CS-1 ok, but I don't really "chicken pick". I have a Barber Tone Press, and I think I like that best, but maybe it doesnt get as overkill (sustain and "squish-wise") as I sometimes want.

Anyway, I dont think it's gonna be my dream compressor or anything, I'm just interested in trying one out and with the low parts count it seems like a fine idea.


I also still want to try the Ross, Keeley and Dynacomp (but I think they are all just modified Dynacomps anyway, so maybe I'll just rig up a dynacomp with tons of switches... or maybe trim pots and mark'em? The CS-2 I think is a modified dynacomp as well).

I've tried the CS3 and the Carl Martin massive brute, and my current Guyatone ST2.

I think the Orange Squeezer and Guyatone are from the same family tree based on the old Ross compressors. The ST2 is great, get loads of squish but also has a cunning trick of a "direct" switch which mixes the signal to 50/50 wet and dry. It works great for keeping some of the original dynamics and stuff.

The Ross/Dynacomp/Keeley/Saffron Squeeze (and many other clones) are all of the same family.

The Orange Squeezer is a different circuit that originally came in the little Dan Armstrong boxes:


They were meant to plug directly into the guitar (but didn't work well on strats).


The Guyatone (from my quick netsearch) uses a dBX "Overeasy" circuit like old Dolby rack compressors. So I'll have to check that one out, thanks!

If you're looking at this thread:

http://www.tdpri.com/forum/stomp-box/24 ... t-2-a.html

I think he's referring to the Digitech XMS as per his post title.

The guy at Oxford Guitar Gallery told me it was based on the Ross circuit, but I wouldn't be surprised if they fibbed (the boutique twunts!). Either way, I A/B'd it instore and thought it sounded a lot nicer and more usable than the Dynacomp (non-script), which I feel is almost comical in colouration and squash.

But yeah, I've experimented using the ST2 on loads of stuff including vocals and it sounds pretty good. The direct switch is also a nifty feature I don't think you get with many other comps.

What type of power supply are you using with the CS-2/3? I've had both and neither (especially the CS-2) should hiss much.

Will wrote:What type of power supply are you using with the CS-2/3? I've had both and neither (especially the CS-2) should hiss much.

The Boss ACA-120 (I'm in North America) for both, as I have an older MIJ CS-3.

Hmmm... Weird.

Nothing much to lose by building one really. I've heard auditing transistors is very important to get a low-hiss compressor.

With high compression there's always going to be hiss to a degree if the pedal is capable of reaching high enough levels, least with what I've tried. My ST2 is fine til on max, then it's really hissy. There's plenty of mad squash inbetween though. Using humbuckers or strat quack positions helps.

I’ve been thinking about making one of these for a while, since I noticed that Geoff Farina from Karate has one on his pedalboard.

Let us know how it turns out.

I have that little Dan Armstrong Squeezer. It's ok. The plug it into the guitar thing really sucks though so I don't use it much. Could make it a stomp box but I don't really want to.
The Ross is a great compressor which is probably why there are a lot of clones of it. If I was building a compressor, I'd build a Ross.

orange squeeze is the sound of steely dan and dire straits. it's all over sultans of swing.
be interested to hear how you get on with this.

Squeezer's in here

[youtube][/youtube]

Bill Oakley wrote:I have that little Dan Armstrong Squeezer.

Me too. I also fixed my friend's; we both got them a long, LONG time ago.

I don't use mine. My friend loves his.