How I Use Compression // Boss CS3 

Thanks man, I really appreciate that! PRS make some fantastic instruments, incredible finishes on them as well as a cool sound.

same here

Travelled a parallel route from Strat to Gibson ES355…

I've always been in the butter. Listening to others play Strats is always wonderful, but not a PLAYING experience I can get enveloped in. Yes Ben your playing in this video is beautiful. I was looking for a compressor player/video that demonstrates ethereal beauty, not goofy Country licks, and I finally found you.

Thanks so much for the comment, I'm really pleased you found the video useful. I'm glad you're now enjoying your CS-3 too, it's a great pedal. Cheers, Ben.

Ha! Very kind, thank you! I was quite surprised this one went past 1k, I was chuffed with that.

Thanks, man! I appreciate the compliment and the subscription. Cheers, Ben.

Thanks man. It's got something about it, certainly not for everyone or every style but feels great for slide. Cheers, Ben.

Thanks, man! Glad you liked it. I've never heard the expression 'mining for information' but I like it, might start using that!

Thanks man, glad you found it useful in some way! Ben

Thanks very much!

Thank you, glad it was useful. Ben

No worries, thanks very much!

Thanks, Phil!

Glad it was helpful, thank you! In answer to your other comment, I usually have the sustain around 2.00, for some reason that's the sweet spot for me. The attack varies, but I generally like the compression kicking in early on, so down around 9.00. Very sorry I took so long to reply. I'm just going through messages I've missed now and there are loads of them! Cheers, Ben.

Thank you!

Cheers, mate!

Thanks man, too kind!

Thanks, man! For ease, Vegas. For anything to do with modifying a grade or making more complex adjustments, the free version of Davinci. I then export a LUT from Davinci and use that in Vegas. Cheers, Ben.

Thanks, man!

No worries mate, good suggestion! Hope you're well.

Yep Would have been a nice thought! Title is misleading whether intentional or not! Kind of a miss here

@@richardchristensen1768 - not really. What is your definition of "use"? Playing or setting? I misunderstood also but I'm happy to have heard this explanation. He did speak of output (level) and (sustain) he didn't relate "gain" to any specific knob. Sustain is the label for input gain, as I understand it, but since he didn't detail what knob he uses to control gain - that's a guess (or you can experiment and see for yourself). His explanation gave a sort of sign post to start from.

Thanks, man!

I leave the comp on the whole time when I use one. As long as the compression is 1st in line, it shouldn't add any noise. Obviously anything in line before it, it's just going to compress all that white noise. Sonny Landreth uses it at the end of his chain, which must sound like frying eggs at gig volume, not sure how he gets away with that! I don't like stepping on a bunch of pedals either, so I pretty much just leave everything on and control it with the guitar volume. I'm not sure if the Boss comp would suit you for an always on, as it does change your tone quite a bit. I kinda dig it, but maybe something with a blend knob could be cool. I think the Xotic is supposed to be pretty good and not stupid expensive. Ben

Ben Fletcher Thanks Ben. Yeah I like the way the Boss comp behaves. I never had a CS3 but a long while ago I had a ME30 multifx and I assume the comp in that is very similar. Maybe not. Anyway, I’ll have to try your setup where you control the volume with the guitar pot. I do like what I’ve seen and heard from the Xotic though. I had a Main Squeeze and even as first in the chain it added a lot of noise when the sustain was turned up. From what I’ve been reading that’s just the trade off. Ho hum. Cheers!!

I'm constantly thinking a LIMITER is an underrated thing. Most of the time I don't want to lose any dynamics from my quieter more gentle clean playing; I just want to stop any over the top clean transients from yelping through. Once overdrives or fuzzes are introduced they add a deal of compression anyway. With limiters, no boosting of quieter signal is carried out and hence no boosting of hiss and noise - or added sustain - either. Just a hat on the amount of top level that can shout out. The Boss CS-3 has never worked at that job for me, even after I modded it for less noise and better sweep, and it makes the tone sound plasticky to me. So I have eyed the old Boss LM-2 for a while before it was considered a bass only device and began to be developed more for that market. I worry though that it may be TOO tweaked now for basses so lets guitars down somewhat. So I was delighted to find the EHX Platform Pico. Seemingly a little expensive but not aimed specifically at bassists and with a CHOICE of compression OR limiting, with a soft or hard knee too. Having enjoyed the limiter that Quilter designed into their Superblocks I am really looking forward to getting my hands on an EHX Platform to see if it meets my needs.

Thanks, man! 2007 standard, one of the fully chambered ones. The previous owner had the top refinished, so it's non-standard for the era and doesn't really match the back colour, but I like all these things about it. Cheers, Ben.

Too kind.

Haha! Who doesn't love that?!

That's definitely what seems to work for me. Glad you got something useful from my ramblings! Cheers, Ben.

Very kind indeed, I'm a fan!