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Can the PGC retain your pick attack?

PostPosted: Fri Feb 06, 2009 12:35 am
by nibus
Hey guys-

I'm still debating between getting a Forest Green or the Pine Green.

I want a compressor to leave on all the time as a tone enhancer (like my Barber tone press). My main beef with compressors is they are great clean, but when run into dirt all my attack is gone, and I get no crunch on chords, and everything is overly compressed. Most compressors I would just turn off when accompanied with dirt. this is why I like compressors that can blend your dry signal with the wet - so i can retain my pick attack, but still get the sustain and bloom of a comp.

I've been thinking about the sustainer feature on the Forest Green and it seems to make more sense for keeping my pick attack with dirt. But I have heard the Pine Green is unmatched for cleans...

So will the PGC still retain your pick attack with dirt on lower settings? Or would i be better off getting the Forest Green for the sustainer feature?

Or should I try and get one of the elusive PGC Deluxes? :)

I am going insane with this decision...

Re: Can the PGC retain your pick attack?

PostPosted: Fri Feb 06, 2009 1:49 am
by NewarkWilder
nibus wrote:Or should I try and get one of the elusive PGC Deluxes? :)

I am going insane with this decision...


I believe there is only one of those, so I'd take that off your list :wink:

I'm sure others with more knowledge of compressors can give you better advice--but the PGC has to be cranked pretty hard to totally squelch your pick attack. Its really designed to keep the best balance of attack/decay possible. I love mine set with the body knob nearly all the way CW--you get into Ross style compression there, but then can use the level to dial it in to taste, and roll back on the body if thats too much for you.

One thing the PGC isn't gonna do is make you feel overly compressed though. Can pretty much guarantee that.

Re: Can the PGC retain your pick attack?

PostPosted: Fri Feb 06, 2009 2:18 am
by mills
I totally agree with newark there. I've gotten a weird look or two with the PGC in front of my drive pedals and envelope filter, but it definately keeps enough of your dynamics that you don't loose the touch sensitivity of the pedals after it.

Re: Can the PGC retain your pick attack?

PostPosted: Fri Feb 06, 2009 11:19 am
by Bobby D
I have not gotten my FGC yet, but had the chance to play with Newarks PGC, and i liked it A LOT.

It seemed to have the sound that i loved about my Tc Electronic SPE (Sustain/Parametric EQ) pedal, but WITHOUT the huge "squash".

The PGC blew everyone in the shop away the nite we demoed it into newark's 68 super reverb. Because it was very easy on the signal, never sounded "pumping" or "squashy", and was just gorgeous.

in my video demo, i am playing with my fingers, very lightly, and yet the PGC makes sure every little nuance is heard:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9CFHEoGCxM

Re: Can the PGC retain your pick attack?

PostPosted: Sat Feb 07, 2009 1:29 am
by nibus
Thanks for your input guys --

I am now leaning towards the Pine Green.

I think if I bought a Forest Green there would always be part of me that would wonder what the BJFE counterpart sounded like... plus I'm a sucker for chimey clean tone so i think I'm in...

Re: Can the PGC retain your pick attack?

PostPosted: Sat Feb 07, 2009 11:53 am
by Bobby D
well, since newark has the PGC, i'm gonna get the FGC, so we can compare and share them. 8)

Re: Can the PGC retain your pick attack?

PostPosted: Sat Feb 07, 2009 11:46 pm
by nibus
Well, a partial trade deal came up for a Forest Green, so I bit the bullet. :shock: And here I thought i had made up my mind for the PGC...

Re: Can the PGC retain your pick attack?

PostPosted: Sun Feb 08, 2009 4:01 am
by NewarkWilder
well, its getting into serious hair splitting territory when we are talking 2 super high quality compressors designed by Bjorn. I doubt you'll be unhappy :mrgreen:

Re: Can the PGC retain your pick attack?

PostPosted: Tue Feb 17, 2009 6:21 pm
by nibus
Well I've had my Forest Green for about a week now.

I love it so far. The sustainer mode is very transparent, though I think so far I have used the comp side more... at about 10:00 - 2:00 depending on which guitar I am using.

I have found that it works better with single coils, but then again this seems to be the case with nearly all comps.

NOW, what I would really like, is a footswitch to switch between compression and sustainer modes... but the volume increase on sustainer mode would have to be the same as comp mode for that to work right, and I have found it is louder.