It’s great to get some good feedback on my mods, but it’s even better when the feedback is about a mod I worked really hard on to get something really special happening…
This is an email I got today.
Hi Dave,
Sorry I meant to get back to you a few weeks ago with
my opinion about the modded CS-3 I bought from you.
I think it is great. I haven’t had a lot of experience with
compressors because until now I haven’t really seen the value of them.
An unmodified Boss CS-3 was the first compressor I used years ago and
it was cold and noisy with a kind of lisp on the attack of a note that
was very annoying. The general noise seemed to float around on top of
the sound. I used the compressor when I needed to but did it
reluctantly. I then went to a Boss multi effects pedal and the
compressor on that was actually better though still hard and cold with
some lisp and noise but not as much as the CS-3. Neither of those
compressors impressed me enough to want to use them for anything but
for a little bit of a boost for a clean guitar solo. I did use
compressor plug ins that came with Cubase VST 32 within the computer
on recordings and they seemed to work well enough doing what I was
wanting of them on the recording, just to bring up the quieter sounds
and limit the louder ones.
Your CS-3 with Woolpress mod has given me a whole new tool to use in a
live situation. It is warm (compared to the original and the Boss
digital I mentioned) smooth and quite and very versatile. A quality
piece of gear. It can add a whole new dimension to a song. I can see
it being very useful and me using it a lot. I wouldn’t want to have to
do without it now. With the other two compressors it was a case of
working hard to find a compromise setting and stick with it but with
the Woolpress mod I can use the compressor in many different ways. I
compared it to the latest MXR Dyna-Comp that a friend had lent me and
there is no comparison. The Dyna Comp is warm but it is very spongy
sounding and it feels a little as if you are dragging the sound
through mud or something. Even though it has that thick slow mud like
attack the rest of the sound is actually quite thin sounding and I
just don’t like what it does to ruin my hard earned tone. The CS-3
with the Woolpress mod does nothing to detract from the sound, it is
very neutral or transparent and does exactly what you would hope a
compressor does without taking away from your tone or sound quality.
It does seem to add some compression and hardness or coldness to the
sound when on bypass, especially the bass notes, but I have it
isolated in its own effects loop so that doesn’t really matter, though
if it wasn’t like that I could save the loop for something else.
Anyway Dave, once again your hard work has been of a good benefit to
me so thanks for that.
I tried out the TS10 Tubescreamer you modded for me with the
alternative OP amp you provided (I think it is the Stevie Ray OP amp)
and I actually like it better like that. Still smooth but with a litte
raged edge, it seems to have more depth or dimension to me or
something.
How is your Tokai guitar? Seven months or so ago I bought a 1984 Tokai
Strat. It is an ST80, one of their top of the line models back then,
and it is a beautiful guitar with a lovely tone.
I will get back to you in the near future about modifying my Marshall
Jackhammer pedal.
Regards,
Tony.