Xotic Effects SP Compressor, SL Drive

[mojobone]

SP Compressor


This is a copy of the old white two-knob Ross stompbox compressor, the one Robert Keeley revived to start his own product line. It's small but incredibly sturdy, takes up almost no pedalboard space and despite having two knobs and one switch it's amazingly flexible, cuz you can use the internal DIP switches to mate it with your rig. You can use it as a compressor OR a boost. Streets for about $125USD. Greasy, endlessly sustaining pedal steel licks? You bet; just pop this puppy between your guitar and volume pedal. Subtle and/or raging boost? Yep'per. Snappy, poppy, country-fried chicken-pickin'? Yes, please. Pair it with a TS808-style dirtbox, and you've basically got a Route 66; the heart of Jonny Hiland's rig.. It can be hard to hear some compressors working via internet, so check out the video on your monitor speakers and select the highest YouTube resolution for best results. Happy twangin'!


http://bit.ly/29XrXGA

SL Drive

Can this tiny terror really bring fire-breathing cranked-Marshall tone to your rig? Yes and no, depending on the rig; paired with a typical sub-$100 practice amp, I doubt it could pull off such a miracle, though it would probably still sound purty darn good. In front of just about any competent tube amp, it's a mind-blower. I bought this pedal to replace the jumpered Super Lead Plexi model from my Line6 digital rig in my new analog 'fly rig' and I am mightily impressed. This pedal is about gain, and there's plenty on tap, probably more than most guitarists will ever need, plus enough level to slap your amp's input stage silly.

It's a hefty hunk of beautifully powdercoated steel, and despite its diminutive size the simple, intuitive controls are mostly easy to grasp and all the pots have a solid, quality feel to them. The volume/level knob is smaller and a bit fiddly to operate if you have big 'ol callused, steel-bending fingers like SRV, but in practice, it's the knob you'll most likely set and forget; the others you can work with your Chuck Taylors on, but maybe not your Doc Martens.There are useful sounds throughout the ranges of the other two knobs, which is by way of saying there are no bad sounds, though you might find that all the settings are way too loud, which brings us to the internal dip switches, which allow you to integrate the pedal with your axe, your amp and your other pedals; if you have multiple gain pedals, you'll want to leave switch four in the off position. If you play an early-sixties Strat or have John Mayer Big Dipper pickups, you'll appreciate the lead/bass mode which nicely burnishes the midrange. The manual does a great job of explaining how to use the internal controls to subtly bend this little monster to your will.The sound, simply put, doesn't disappoint; this thing won an online shootout against an actual vintage plexi.