i´ve just completed my all aguilar dream rig:db680.db728.gs 410(x2)but i need a good compressor to get the levels of my playing even.i got a real soft attack with my fingers and turning up the gain adds some saturation that i don´t like and when it´s time to thump: the volume (and gain level)goes to the sky.most stomp boxes that i´ve tried colours the sound too much.Can someone help me?

Ignoring the "flogging" you'll likely get for not controlling volume with your fingers...
...the Fishman Platinum Pro EQ Bass is very clean/subtle. It also has a nice high-pass filter (they call it "depth") so you can roll-off the "boominess" if you like.

The Rane DC24 is the best compresor I've used. It's dual band mono so you can split your signal and do highs and lows at different levels and then combine them again. Very cool. Expensive.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=23793&item=7335566396&rd=1

I alos like the PreSonus BlueMax. About $150 used. Nice compressor.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7335153241&category=23793&ssPageName=WDVW&rd=1

Try the Demeter Compulator (pedal) or the EBS MultiComp (pedal). I have both and they're both fantastic. I prefer the EBS for live use. The Compulator is great, but a bit more finnicky, and setting it live takes some time. The Demeter also crushes on guitar.

Any compressor will also add a color to your sound. It is an effect, after all.

Also, increasing the gain might be adding color to your sound because you are increasing the wrong thing; do you have a master volume? If you do, try that.

Also, increasing volume has a effect on perceived frequency response; at lower volumes, the human ear hears midrange more prominently than bass and treble (hence the "loudness" control on some portable audio devices, which dips the midrange frequencies). Try increasing your volume and slightly cutting the bass and treble using your EQ.

Welcome to the forum. Don't get comfortable, though, it looks like we're at the end of days.

I have a New Old Stock EBS Multicomp (the grey one) for sale. PM me if you are interested.

http://www.dbxpro.com/160A.htm

So simple, even I used to use it. Then I decided that note eveness and volume control were problems that were best handled "in house".

But you seem to know that already.

Uh... say what?

This is what I use.

THREAD .

Just trying to spread the panic.

thanks for your help,all i came up with is a dbx 266xl from a friend, now my only complain is:how about bypass it with a footswitch?,i´ve worked hard to develop a soft and precise finger technique(according to gary willis:let the amp do the job)so i want to play light AND be heard without being compressed all the time,so far, i´m done with cheap compressor stomp boxes. EBS and DEMETER? it won´t happen in mex.city

Check out Loooper pedals for a good true bypass footswitchable loops.

http://www.loooper.com

He's great to work with. Very nice and responsive.

Won't happen in Mexico City? Why's that? I'm sure you could find a dealer in the US or Canada or Ebay to ship; you won't find any to try before you buy, but that wasn't a stipulation in your question, eh?

If you're looking to balance the levels without colouration, you may be better off with using a clean boost pedal for fingerstyle and bypassing it for slapping. Or a passive volume cut pedal or a volume pedal.

Alex

I agree with Alex. Duh, keep it simple, eh?

Check out the Seymour Duncan Pickup Booster. Cheap, clean, and to the point.

with regards to the "won´t happen in mex city", i said that because when i imported my bass and each piece of my amp,the taxes left me in the dust(well the price of my gear had done that before)and dealing with fedex and ups wasn´t a sunny morning either,so,unless it´s a new bass i don´t want to import anything.most music stores in mex city sells low quality gear and beginner equipment, you won´t find anything better that usa made fender instruments and from time to time a warwick.BUT there´s a lonely seymour ducan pickup booster wich i was tempted to buy, now that gtz76 and c.alexander recommended it, i´ll go for it, here it costs 100usd, is that cheap???

It's not outrageous. I believe they go for around 70 USD here in the US.

I recently got an FMR Audio RNC. I just put it in my rack, set it up, and left it. Easy. No color, just a touch of squeeze to even things out. I love it.

http://www.analogman.com/rossmod.htm
http://www.robertkeeley.com/product.php?id=8

expensive though...

how essential is a compressor to your playing? (when I say your I mean impersonal your, as in to educate myself )

The new Ampeg Tube Direct box, while not advertised as a compressor, worked quite well to even out the sound a bit.
There are no settings to adjust.
I love it.

Me too. I haven't had much experience with high end compressors, but the low ones sucked rocks. The RNC has been sweet to me.

Another vote for the RNC here. Sweet...