Taken directly from our Joe Walsh Double Classic (JWDC), our new Double Classic Comp (DCC), allows you to get the tones from the man behind Hotel California and other ultra-famous clean compressed tunes. Featuring top-mounted jacks and the same yellow sparkle finish as the JWDC, the DCC is designed to easily fit on your pedalboard while standing out from the crowd.
As with all our pedals, they may take a while for us to cook up, but that’s because we meticulously tweak every aspect until we would be happy to use them on recordings in our world-famous Cloud 9 Recording Studio.
The result is a simple to use 3 knob compressor which will make your playing even and studio-like, without messing up the tone you already love.
Unlike most stomp box compressors, this compressor has a natural sound and is very musical – much like high-end rack-mounted compressors found in professional studios. If you want to take control of your signal’s dynamics without squashing them into extinction, the DCC is your ticket to ride!
How To Use The DCC
SENSITIVITY: The Sensitivity control allows you to make adjustments to the signal level of the compressor’s gain stage. This control comes in very handy if you are using a guitar with active pickups. Active pickups tend to have a hotter output than passive pickups. By adjusting the sensitivity properly, the output level of your instrument can be controlled, so as not to distort the input of the compressor. The opposite is true if your guitar has passive or low-output pickups. Raising the sensitivity control increases the input level, providing a stronger input signal which the compressor needs in order to work properly.
RATIO: The Ratio knob allows you to set the compression ratio. The range is adjustable from 1:1 to 10:1. The more you turn this knob up (clockwise), the higher the compression ratio. There is also a soft knee feature built into the circuit. This means that the ratio will start low and will then increase in direct proportion to the amount that the signal exceeds the threshold. Everything from mild to fairly heavy compression settings are possible. The compressor is a very flexible circuit that sounds smooth and natural. You will be able to control the dynamic range of your guitar while simultaneously preserving its tonal character.
OUTPUT: The Output knob controls the level of the output signal from the compressor to the next effect in your signal chain.
About Compression
Why do I need a compressor? Compressors are the secret tool of most professional guitarists! It takes a lot of practice to develop playing so that your notes sound fluid and uniform. Adding compression does most of the work for you.
How does it do this? A compressor reacts to what you play into it and “limits” how loud or how quiet your playing gets. It’s commonly said that a compressor brings the too-quiet notes up and the too-loud notes down.
The compressor can be used as a very effective clean boost. If set correctly, it can boost your amp from subtle to full overdrive with just a few turns of the control knobs. To use the compressor as a clean boost, start by setting the Sensitivity control to about 3:00 o’clock. Back the Ratio control off by setting it to the 10:00 o’clock position. Set the Output control to achieve the desired amount of clean boost to your amp.
What tonal changes should I expect? As mentioned earlier, your playing will sound more like the professional guitarists you love, as your playing will sound more uniform with less transience. However, that isn’t the end of the transformation. Most players agree that playing guitar with compression engaged feels much more effortless. Notes seem to bloom out of the guitar instead of being forced out, and sustain doesn’t need to be coaxed out with vibrato and feedback. It all happens much easier and can be likened to upgrading to a new (and normally much more expensive) guitar.
Where Can I Get Myself A DCC?
You can get yours by clicking this link here. We would love to hear your feedback on Facebook and across all social media. Spread the love.