STRYMON Compadre
103
AUGUST 2020 GUITAR IST
Tech Spec
ORIGIN: USA
TYPE: Compressor and
boost pedal
FEATURES: Selectable true or
buffered bypass, Class A JFET
input circuit, 300 presets,
MIDI control
CONTROLS: Boost, Compression,
Dry, Level, Boost EQ selector
switch, Comp Type selector switch,
Boost Type selector switch, Boost
footswitch, Comp footswitch
CONNECTIONS: Standard input,
standard output, Volume,
FAV/MIDI
POWER: Supplied 9V DC adaptor,
150mA
DIMENSIONS: 102 (w) x 114 (d)
x 44mm (h)
9
The Boost offers up to 14dB in its Flat EQ
setting, delivering straight volume boosts
and plenty of full-range amp-driving
capability, but the two extra EQ options
greatly increase the flexibility. The Treble
setting is classic treble booster, pushing
upper mid and high frequencies and
tightening up the bottom-end, while the
Mid setting brings forward midrange
frequencies that will fatten up any tone and
is particularly effective in getting a richer
drive sound from an amp that’s already
cooking. If you yearn for something a
little grittier than a straight clean boost,
a rear-panel switch selects between that
and a soft clipping boost circuit. Switch it
to Dirt and the boost becomes more of an
overdrive, conspicuously Tube Screamer-
like in the Mid setting.
Nicely responsive to touch, Strymon’s
Compadre feels very natural to play
through and offers many options whether
you wish to switch in the different
sections when needed or set up a sound
that particularly suits you and leave
it inline. The compression and boost
sections mesh together extremely well
and can combine to create a front-end that
brings the very best out of your amp.
It’s dead easy to use in a WYSIWYG
way, tweaking knobs as necessary, but
it does have presets if you’re happy to
connect up some external gear to access
them. You can save the settings of all
the pedal’s knobs and toggle switches,
including the rear Boost Type switch,
plus the bypass state of both Boost and
Compressor. Like the Strymon pedals
that sport a Favorite footswitch, you can
store a Favorite setting here that can
be accessed by connecting a Strymon
MiniSwitch or another external latching
footswitch. Alternatively, Strymon’s
MultiSwitch Plus three-button footswitch
will give you access to three presets. Much
more is available via MIDI where you can
not only access a full 300 presets but
remotely control patch parameters, too.
VERDICT
A unique design that shows real grown-up
thinking, the Compadre’s three-pronged
(if you add the expression pedal for
volume control) practicality could make it
the essential link between your guitar and
your amp – its perfect companion, as the
name suggests.
PROS
Two compression types; three boost
types; Dry blend control; practical size for
a twin-footswitch pedal; expression pedal
volume control; presets
CONS
Nothing
01. BOOST EQ SWITCH
Focus the frequency of your boost
here: Flat is a full-range boost,
Mid brings the midrange forward,
and Treble will push the top and
tighten up the bottom-end
02. COMP TYPE SWITCH
Select your type of compression
here from either a transparent
studio smoothing or the more
obviously squeezed sound of
a pedal compressor
03. DRY KNOB
This lets you set a blend
between your dry signal and the
compressed sound to keep your
attack more natural while still
adding evenness and sustain
04. BOOST TYPE
SWITCH
Do you want your boost
clean or dirty? The Dirty
setting brings in soft clipping
for a touch of overdrive
05. FAV/MIDI SOCKET
The Compadre supports 300
presets that you can access
through this jack with a single
footswitch for just one preset,
a triple footswitch for three,
or a MIDI device for access
to all of them
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GIT461.peds_strymon.indd 103 11/06/2020 11:34