STRYMON Compadre

102
GUITARIST AUGUST 2020
IMAGES TO BE SHOT
A
rguably, there are two pedals that
you can put before your amp to
give you a range of practical tonal
options without getting too far removed
from its core sound – compression and
boost. Strymon’s new Compadre offers
just this combination with digitally
controlled, fully analogue audio signal
processing, which delivers separately
footswitchable boost and compression
sections that you can choose to use
individually or together.
The Boost section has options for
targeting its frequency range, while
the VCA-based compression section
effectively provides two different
compressors – one offering the type of
compression you might expect from
vintage studio rack compressors, the
other for the harder squeeze associated
with classic stompbox compressors.
Besides these, the Compadre has a
facility for volume control (accessed by
simply plugging an expression pedal into
a dedicated rear-panel socket), giving
you complete control over your volume
without the tonal degradation that can
occur when your signal passes through
some volume pedals.
SOUNDS
The compressor comes first in the signal
chain, and there’s nothing complicated
about it. You simply choose Studio or
Squeeze mode and use the large knob
to turn up the compression, which it
does by lowering the threshold above
which compression occurs. The Level
knob adjusts the pedal’s output when
the compressor is engaged, cutting or
boosting the level by up to 6dB. A Dry
knob is becoming a must-have feature on
compression pedals, and here it mixes
your dry signal in with the compressed.
The transparent subtlety of the Studio
mode should be your choice if you’re
not looking to use compression as a
blatant effect. Here, you can keep sound
consistent and add smoothly decaying
sustain without being too obvious,
especially if you mix in some dry sound
to retain the natural feel of your note
attack. It’s classy tone strengthening and
conditioning that doesn’t jump out at you
but that you’d miss it if it was bypassed.
By contrast, the Squeeze mode, while
still capable of subtlety in evening out
the sound and increasing sustain, can go
further into compression as an effect,
with an obvious clamping down on note
transients that works brilliantly for a
country player doing some chicken pickin’
and pedal-steel-style bends.
Could Strymon’s latest be your amp’s new front-end?
Words Trevor Curwen Photography Olly Curtis
PEDALBOARD
STRYMON
Compadre
CONTACT
MUSICPSYCH 0207 607 6005 / WWW.STRYMON.NET
MODEL
COMPADRE
PRICE
£299
MANUFACTURER
STRYMON
GIT461.peds_strymon.indd 102 11/06/2020 11:34