Optical Compressor that won't break the bank

**tomems** · 11-17-2025, 09:18 PM

Julian Lage's MIM telecaster video for Guitar Center highlights his Pete Cornish optical compressor. Looks cool but at $600 USD that's not gonna fly. I've found these four that look good. Anyone have good results for jazz from these?

Jackson Audio Blossom
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Orange Kongpressor
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PRS Mary Cries
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Ampeg Opto Comp
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Note 1 - not appearing are the Diamond comp and Mooer yellow comp. I have one of the latter - somewhere in my house...
Note 2 - I have other non-optical compressors already so don't need those recs.
Note 3 - it's scary that it says "access to this page has been denied" but the links work
Note 4 - did I forget an unnamed optical compressor? I am open to your suggestions.

Thanks in advance...

**MarkL** · 11-18-2025, 11:51 AM

I haven't tried any of the four OP mentioned, but I can suggest a couple of others that might be worth considering.

Your objectives for using them will likely have a big influence. I have been able to make a Keeley Compressor+ (not optical) work for occasional R&B/funk - its blend control helps here. But I usually play jazz, and I recently started experimenting with a few compressors for that purpose. The Diamond Comp/EQ works well - in addition to warming things up generally it works nicely for more modern jazz and fusion. The Warden (EarthQuaker Devices) is more flexible (more like a studio compressor) but seems harder to work with, and I'm still figuring out how to dial it in. I sometimes back up a vocalist (duet format, using a looper). It seems likely that The Warden will be a good tool for bus (end of signal chain) compression - especially when I am looping several layers.

The Diamond and Warden are both optical, warm sounding.

**jads57** · 11-18-2025, 12:51 PM

You mentioned Moore Yellow Comp above. I think that and the Nux Sculptur inexpensive compressor pedals are really good!

But that’s just me and I don’t usually use a compressor

**Jx30510** · 11-19-2025, 02:10 AM

Could you give the link of the Julian Lage video ? Is there some kind of Lage MIM Telecaster ?
Thanks

**Jx30510** · 11-19-2025, 02:12 AM

Ok I found it, if this is it ?

**Mick-7** · 11-19-2025, 06:15 AM

Originally Posted by Jx30510

Ok I found it, if this is it ?

Probably is, not sure, and there's this -- Telecaster Talk with Julian Lage - Fretboard Journal

**omphalopsychos** · 11-19-2025, 11:54 AM

Diamond comp/eq is one of the greatest pedals out there. Idk about using it for fusion but I can use it to get the exact response I want from any amp. So easy to use and the compression is very subtle/amp-like. Absolutely love the eq design.

**tomems** · 11-19-2025, 10:34 PM

OK I'm now looking at...

Empress Effects Guitar Compressor MKII Pedal - not necessarily optical but marketed as always-on - maybe close enough - $274 USD
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Jackson Audio Bloom Optical Compressor/EQ/Boost - big brother of the blossom. I was going to pair the comp with a clean boost anyway - this gets both? $247 USD
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I will probably keep bouncing around until the Xmas sales end. Thanks for the comments thus far. I did look at Diamond and Thorpy Fat General too. I'm open...

**MarkL** · 11-19-2025, 10:50 PM

Another non-optical that seems pretty popular is the Origin Effects Cali76. I haven't tried it. Also, it's more expensive than other models we have been discussing.

But if I were starting out with compressors all over again I'd go straight for the Diamond. I agree with omphalopsychos about its ease of use and great sound. In addition to pairing really nicely with a tube boost pedal for fusion, it works great with all my amps (tube and acoustic) on a standalone/always-on basis. Had I started out with it I might have saved money on some other compressors.

**omphalopsychos** · 11-19-2025, 11:42 PM

Just fyi I have owned the cali76 and the empress and the diamond is still my top choice. The Cali and empress are great for surgical studio grade compression but they take much more work to dial in. The same tool you would want for mastering is not necessarily what you want when you want your attention to be on playing guitar.

**Jx30510** · 11-20-2025, 02:53 AM

Are you talking about the Diamond Reissue, or the original ones ?

**omphalopsychos** · 11-20-2025, 10:04 AM

Reissue. I also have an original one but the eq is better on the reissue. Plus you can get it in mint green.

**bluejaybill** · 11-20-2025, 03:06 PM

Originally Posted by omphalopsychos

Just fyi I have owned the cali76 and the empress and the diamond is still my top choice. The Cali and empress are great for surgical studio grade compression but they take much more work to dial in. The same tool you would want for mastering is not necessarily what you want when you want your attention to be on playing guitar.

Maybe so, but I basically dialed in the Empress once, took a bit of time, and it's been set that way ever since. If I change guitars, I just adjust the input and or output slightly.

This is if I'm looking for a subtle overall evening out of level. Obviously the Empress will do more radical squashing if desired.

I do however like the look of the small Diamond, the EQ might be enough to put aside the Empress EQ (also a phenomenal pedal) as well, may be perfect for a small gig board. I like tilt controls, and the mid control addition looks very good.

**skykomishone** · 11-21-2025, 05:18 PM

Originally Posted by omphalopsychos

Reissue. I also have an original one but the eq is better on the reissue. Plus you can get it in mint green.

Juan,

or someone, Please help me understand why I might need one of these things. I hate to buy things, use them once or twice, then decide that I seem to like having only a cable between my a guitar and amplifier. What are the biggest reasons you use it, and is it with some guitars more than others? I know it's not going to improve my playing any. And please forgive me it this sounds like a stupid question. Thanks.

**MarkL** · 11-21-2025, 05:53 PM

[QUOTE=skykomishone;1434959]Please help me understand why I might need one of these things.

The short answer is you don't need one. I'm relatively new to using them for jazz playing, but IME people use compressors for a few reasons. I use mine to enhance sustain/bloom, which can sound particularly nice - at least to me - on solos where I'd want to play dramatically and hold notes. I don't do that to the same extent, and I don't know if compression was used on the original recordings, but I'd consider Santana's playing on Europa and Flor d'Luna as good examples of "in your face" single note sustain/bloom). I'm much more subtle in my usage. I also find that optical compressors provide subtle warmth.

Some additional sustain also seems to work well over fusion. Compression is often used for funk and r&b, which I sometimes am asked to play.

Although probably evident from the above, I use compression sparingly, with a light touch. Some players use heavier compression to deliberately reduce transients (such as initial pick impact). I'd prefer to use a gentle touch for that purpose (and not lose dynamics), but I could see how it might be used as a crutch for picking technique.

But because it is subtle (at least for a jazz use case) I wouldn't get started unless you are prepared to invest some time in experimenting with it and hearing what it does.

**omphalopsychos** · 11-21-2025, 06:23 PM

Originally Posted by skykomishone

Juan,

or someone, Please help me understand why I might need one of these things. I hate to buy things, use them once or twice, then decide that I seem to like having only a cable between my a guitar and amplifier. What are the biggest reasons you use it, and is it with some guitars more than others? I know it's not going to improve my playing any. And please forgive me it this sounds like a stupid question. Thanks.

If you are asking, you probably don't need it tbh.

Let me clarify, I do not use this if I am playing a tube amp. If I'm plugged into my vibrolux or something like that, and playing jazz, I only ever plug straight in. Anything else detracts (IMO).

I like to use this if I am playing a super clean amp like a henriksen and want a different responsiveness. A lot of rock guitarists talk about compressors as a tool for increasing sustain. That's not what I do. For jazz it's very simple. I have a heavy right hand when I comp. Probably comes from playing acoustic archtop and from studying with Flory for several years lol. If I am playing something like a telecaster into a solid state amp with very little compression, the result is unwanted volume spikes. Certainly someone reading will say I just need to adjust my technique, but I don't want to: it's a hallmark of how I play. It's not my fault that solid state amps are not engineered to respond like tube amps. I have similar technique whether playing electric or acoustic, so I just want the amp to be able to handle it.

With funk, it's the same thing. I use this to make sure that when I wack the strings, i don't produce unwanted spikes.

I do not use compression for sustain. 90% of my playing does not activate the compression at all. I do not want compression to "even" my dynamics for the most part. I just use it as a limiter for comping.

The one thing I will add about the diamond comp is that the EQ is so easy to use. The tilt knob turns bass and treble in tandem. So when you turn it clockwise, treble increased and base decreases. This is very powerful in itself, but combined with a mid knob you can get really precise control of your sound to adjust for a room or guitar with very little fiddling.

**MarkL** · 11-21-2025, 06:31 PM

Originally Posted by omphalopsychos

If you are asking, you probably don't need it tbh.

Let me clarify, I do not use this if I am playing a tube amp.

I don't either. I have only used mine through an Acoustic Image solid state amp.

**bluejaybill** · 11-21-2025, 07:40 PM

Originally Posted by omphalopsychos

If you are asking, you probably don't need it tbh.

Let me clarify, I do not use this if I am playing a tube amp. If I'm plugged into my vibrolux or something like that, and playing jazz, I only ever plug straight in. Anything else detracts (IMO).

I like to use this if I am playing a super clean amp like a henriksen and want a different responsiveness. A lot of rock guitarists talk about compressors as a tool for increasing sustain. That's not what I do. For jazz it's very simple. I have a heavy right hand when I comp. Probably comes from playing acoustic archtop and from studying with Flory for several years lol. If I am playing something like a telecaster into a solid state amp with very little compression, the result is unwanted volume spikes. Certainly someone reading will say I just need to adjust my technique, but I don't want to: it's a hallmark of how I play. It's not my fault that solid state amps are not engineered to respond like tube amps. I have similar technique whether playing electric or acoustic, so I just want the amp to be able to handle it.

With funk, it's the same thing. I use this to make sure that when I wack the strings, i don't produce unwanted spikes.

I do not use compression for sustain. 90% of my playing does not activate the compression at all. I do not want compression to "even" my dynamics for the most part. I just use it as a limiter for comping.

The one thing I will add about the diamond comp is that the EQ is so easy to use. The tilt knob turns bass and treble in tandem. So when you turn it clockwise, treble increased and base decreases. This is very powerful in itself, but combined with a mid knob you can get really precise control of your sound to adjust for a room or guitar with very little fiddling.

Pretty much the same for me, except I find a compressor to be useful if you can't get a tube amp up to the volume where you reach that "magic spot", where you also get nice compression. Basically you can tame spikes if you want (limiting), and/or you can even out your playing and control the envelope of the note (compressing).

Keep in mind that almost all records of guitar use compression when tracking or mixing; with a compressor pedal, you can get a bit closer to that professional sound while playing.

Having said that, when I track I don't use them, because I have really nice studio compressors which are hard to beat.

**Bob_Ross** · 11-21-2025, 08:26 PM

Originally Posted by omphalopsychos

...great for surgical studio grade compression but they take much more work to dial in. The same tool you would want for mastering is not necessarily what you want when you want your attention to be on playing guitar.

^^^This.

One of the reasons I don't use a stompbox compressor when I'm playing guitar or bass live (and haven't used a studio-grade rack compressor in my live bass rig in over 30 years) is because, based on my background as a recording engineer, I want a different compression setting for every tune, based on the tempo, the dynamics, and the overall feel of that tune.

Most stompboxes don't allow for that degree of control; those that do mean you'll be re-tweaking for every number, because there is no One Size Fits All compressor setting for guitar or bass in a live situation.

**skykomishone** · 11-22-2025, 12:01 PM

Thank you everybody! The thoughtful and well articulated use cases help a lot. I really appreciate it. I often think I know more than I really do, and it's always important to check myself, particularly when I get that urge to start googling products like this, and given the modern miracle of the instant gratification 'buy now' button of online platforms such as amazon that can suck money right out of your bank account in nanoseconds, it's good to have you advice. That's a lot of useful information your answers. Thanks again!

**bluejaybill** · 11-22-2025, 01:18 PM

Originally Posted by Bob_Ross

^^^This.

One of the reasons I don't use a stompbox compressor when I'm playing guitar or bass live (and haven't used a studio-grade rack compressor in my live bass rig in over 30 years) is because, based on my background as a recording engineer, I want a different compression setting for every tune, based on the tempo, the dynamics, and the overall feel of that tune.

Most stompboxes don't allow for that degree of control; those that do mean you'll be re-tweaking for every number, because there is no One Size Fits All compressor setting for guitar or bass in a live situation.

While I agree in principle, we are talking about jazz here primarily, where one doesn’t necessarily have a different tone for every song, and the compression is generally quite subtle. We are not mastering a record. In that scenario, set and forget is perfectly doable, in fact I do just that at my weekly jazz jam. The bigger challenge I think is volume changes, when you raise guitar volume you get more compression etc.

For a more varied gig, like a top forty band, I definitely agree with you.