Keeley Compressor Plus
The Keeley Compressor Plus is a compact compressor, sustainer, and clean boost that adds Blend and Tone controls to Keeley's established compressor design, making strong sustain easier to combine with natural pick attack.
History and Design
- Keeley's Compressor Lineage: Robert Keeley built the company's early reputation around modified and original compressor circuits. The Compressor Plus developed that formula into a more flexible four-knob pedal for a wider range of pickups and playing styles.
- Parallel Compression: The Blend control mixes the compressed signal with the dry guitar. This allows the pedal to sustain quieter details while restoring the initial transient and dynamics that heavy compression can remove.
- Pickup Voicing Switch: The single-coil/humbucker switch changes the release response. The humbucker position releases more quickly so higher-output pickups retain separation and do not hold the circuit in compression for too long.
- Tone Recovery: The Tone control restores high-frequency detail that can seem reduced as compression increases. Level provides enough output for unity gain or a useful boost into the next pedal or amplifier.
- Broad Use: Although it can produce pronounced country-style compression, the circuit also works as a subtle always-on sweetener, an ambient sustain tool, or a gain-stage conditioner.
Popular Settings
- Transparent Evening: Set Sustain around 9-10 o'clock, Blend around noon, Tone at noon, and Level at unity. This controls peaks while keeping most of the guitar's natural attack.
- Country Snap: Use the single-coil switch position, raise Sustain to 1-2 o'clock, set Blend above noon, and add a little Tone. Adjust Level so picked notes jump forward without a large volume increase.
- Singing Lead Sustain: Set Sustain around 2 o'clock, Blend near noon, and raise Level slightly. Keep Tone near noon or lower it if an overdrive later in the chain becomes too bright.
- Always-On Humbucker Polish: Select the humbucker position, keep Sustain below noon, set Blend around 10-11 o'clock, and use Level for a small boost. The faster release helps chords remain articulate.
- Ambient Layers: Increase Sustain, keep Blend between noon and 2 o'clock, and place delay and reverb after the compressor for smooth, even repeats and pads.
Notable Players
The Compressor Plus is especially common among country, worship, pop, and session guitarists, but its Blend control has broadened its appeal well beyond players seeking an obvious compressed effect. It is often chosen by musicians who want one pedal to cover gentle leveling, added sustain, and a clean boost without committing to a heavily processed sound.
Legacy
The Keeley Compressor Plus helped make parallel compression a mainstream pedalboard feature. Its straightforward pickup switch and dry-signal blend solve two common compressor frustrations, giving it the range to work as either a special effect or an unobtrusive part of a core tone.