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Post by chrispope on Feb 5, 2006 2:47:43 GMT -7
I have a keeley compressor that I have been trying to use...I have tried tons of settings and pedal combinations with it, but it always takes all the grit and high end out of my 6545 or any other amps distortion. Its fine on clean, but forget about it on distortion. My question is....Why do I want this pedal? What does it really do for me, or what is it supposed to do for me? By the way , my style is Rock (AIC,FOO,Pearljam,etc) So it isn't being used for finger picking or something like that. Your help is very appreciated! Thanks!
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Post by paddywhacker on Feb 5, 2006 8:15:09 GMT -7
...i dig my Keeley but not for everything....i use it at lower volumes to add sustain and with higher volumes to take some of the hair off and smooth out my tone ...sometimes i'm digging my tone but the attack is too harsh...just a tad of compression sweetens it up....the other nite i was doing some recording for a friend and i was playing through a 5 watt Tweed champ clone (kinda)...i had it dimed and wasn't getting quite enough sustain so i threw the Keeley in line with the level jacked up around 2 o'clock and got a fat screaming tone at a recordable level...i play with acoustic players and a strat with a vibro champ and the Keeley lets me sit in the mix perfectly but still gives my solos some zing....i'm always finding new situations for it but if i want just balls out overdrive tone with my Ghia i use a TC Jauerning Luxury Drive or nothing at all....
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Post by JChance on Feb 5, 2006 13:16:04 GMT -7
The key with the Keeley is to use it for a lsight enhancement. Just a little color, you know? To me, they are best used at fairly low "sustain" setting with the level matching (or just slightly above) the bypassed volume. With a cranked amp, the Keeley adds some nice "sweetness" and harmonics. But, if you rely on the sustain, it will squash your tone like every other compressor out there. I usually run mine the the sustain at no more than 11:00, level on 11-12:00.
JC
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arthur
Junior Member
Posts: 85
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Post by arthur on Feb 5, 2006 18:28:25 GMT -7
It might not be right for you. Use milder settings and see if they help. Compressors can remove some high end.
I just ordered a Really Nice Compressor, mostly to use in board (should I say under my board, as I'll hide it with my reverb in the compartment below), and partly to use for home recording.
My feeling is that a good compressor (both of these are) will help give an more even tone and can help a bit with sustain. The key is to let it help, but don't expect miracles, that pushes you toward squashed territory. Everything, or almost everything, we hear on record has compression, why not our live rigs?
I like to soften attacks on my single-note clean playing (a lot of what I do as a jazzer).
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Post by hdahs143 on Feb 6, 2006 5:42:55 GMT -7
My Keeley is set with both knobs at 12:00 noon. And to be honest, the sustain has creeped down since I've owned it. It's a nice enhancement of the sound without getting in the way.
It is also placed first in the pedal chain. I tried it after the OD as Keeley suggests, but it "sterilized" the OD too much.
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Post by LittleBlindShakey on Feb 6, 2006 8:01:11 GMT -7
I spoke with the Keeley guys at their booth last April at the Dallas Guitar Show and this topic came up. Their opinon was to keep the sustain at around 9:00 and anything more that 12:00 for most situations they really would not agree with. They think most people use to much sustain. Like JChance I place mime at unity when set to 9:00 unless I want to just use it for solos and then I add a bit more volume for a boost.
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Post by johnnyl on Feb 6, 2006 12:49:27 GMT -7
It definitely take some getting used to.. I use mine near the end of my chain for a little boost on the cleans & single note runs mostly. You start to loose some attack if you play faster rhythms though. I really like the sound of it into my Red Witch and/or AD900. I guess I try to go for a sort of LoFi Floyd type sound with it. I've had great results using it with my acoustic and even vocals through a crappy PA...
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Post by prowler on Feb 6, 2006 12:54:27 GMT -7
johnnyl....
How do you like the Keeley Compressor into your SRZ with the gain of the SRZ maxed out?
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Post by johnnyl on Feb 6, 2006 13:24:19 GMT -7
I haven't tried it. I'm guessing it would be pretty noisy though. Have you given it a try? It might be cool for solo's at that level. Maybe I should try it tonight.. I've got new neighbors upstairs..
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Post by prowler on Feb 6, 2006 13:47:23 GMT -7
No, I haven't tried it for two reasons.
1) I don't have a compressor 2) My SRZ hasn't come back from Z yet. Man, I'm really missing that SRZ!
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Cotton
Junior Member
Posts: 92
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Post by Cotton on Feb 14, 2006 15:14:51 GMT -7
Chris - I use my Keeley with a Hot Cake and get a nice drive for Tele into bright amp chops. However, one Comp that I keep coming back to for all around service is the Carl Martin. For me, its a clearer comp. It does require 120v outlet. Some folks prefer to avoid such a board comp. Good luck and try different settings on the Keeley along with different comps at your feet.
Cotton
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Post by bks on Feb 14, 2006 21:28:19 GMT -7
Cotton and I have a bit of pedal overlap, and fairly similar experience with the pedals, too. I'm not big on the Keeley with my Tele. If I'm doing heavy crunch with the Hot Cake it helps push it a bit (running Sustain around 9:00, Level around 3:00...I wouldn't have thunk it, but that's where it's happiest), but I definitely prefer using my Compulator with single coils -- a bit smoother, maybe an optical compressor thing, I dunno.
The Keeley & Hot Cakes (either/or & both) with the stock PRS sounds great with those settings, though -- it has that this-close-to-losing-control Trey Anastasio thing going on.
(OFF TOPIC NOTE: Please, someone make the figure skating stop...)
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