I got a new compressor and I am fooling around with placement in my effects loop. It is a Vox Cooltron Snake Charmer pedal. It has much more control than your standard two knob compressor, which I prefer because compressors can be dynamic robbers. I haven't had the pedal for too long so I don't know quite what I think yet. I think that it will wind up last in the chain right before the amp.

Thoughts?

Hmmm. I use only the compressor, so it has to go between the bass & the amp. Some folks think they work best in the effects loop, though. I think this is one of those things where you have to try it first and last and see which sound you like best. The comp should even out your signal if it's first, but that might not be what you want it to do for some effects. Also try it through the effects loops and see what happens.

I have always been a fan of having it after EQ, before effects and volume because of my engineering background.

Think about it as if you were in the studio - you would throw the compressor in a channel as an insert, always pre-fader, after EQ, and before effects (if that makes any sense).

I'm guessing I'll hear this new compressor tonight, Matt? Congrat's on the new buy...getting new gear to geek out on is the best!

I think I am going to have to put the compressor outside of the effects loop. I put it first in the loop, then in the middle after my wah, then at the end of the loop. In all three spots it hums a high C when any other effects are on. That definitely creates some interesting tensions when we are playing in E or D.

Any ideas of what to do with it? Am I going to need to just pony up the dough and get an A/B switch?

That's strange. My comp is noiseless although of coyre the treble hiss get a bit louder, but it's not noticable when I play. Does it do the C hunm everywher or have t=you only tried it in one venue? Maybe it's picking up noise from the house. My old P bass was fine until we played in a Hiliday Inn and the pickup buzzed so loud with 60 cycle hum that it was horrible.

As for where to put the comp in your chain, I looked around abit and found this on -- ahem -- *another* website:

"There are two schools of thought on where to put compression in the effects chain. The first is that it should be at the beginning so a smooth clean signal hits all of the other effects. I do not buy into this method personally I know that some effects are going to cause the signal to clip again. The method I like to do is to put it after all the effects except the echo effects like reverb, delay, chorus and flange. I want to compress all the effects in the signal but let the reverb type effects fade out naturally. Both methods work for different people so you will want to try them both, and see which works best for you. These methods also apply to limiters and enhancers."

It was the same building, but one was a showcase room and the other is our practice room. I thought maybe it was a ground problem, but when I took the compressor out... it stopped.

I looked at that same article --ahem-- It makes the noise before and after the mod effects. I am puzzled...

Grrrrrrrrr. Did you try different cables? New battery? Cream Rinse?

Haven't tried Cream Rinse. I'm on it.

Cream Rinse? I'm not pro - can someone explain?

Leaves your effects manageable -- and smelling like spring in the West Indies. Next question?

Have you spent a spring in the West Indies? Sounds lovely!

I think I am going to try a line selector and keep the compressor out of the line with my overdrive pedal. What do you think?

Whatever sounds good to you. I know many guitarists who have multiple loops precisely because of the way effects work together -- or don't. It makes ense to me to have the OD pedal get a non-compressed signal.