Keeley Compressor Plus Germanium

General

The Keeley Compressor Plus Germanium gives your guitar sound greater cohesion, without pushing your playing into the background. This compressor and boost pedal was developed to mark the 25th anniversary of Keeley Electronics and builds on the well-known Compressor Plus. The key addition is a carefully selected germanium transistor, which acts as a buffer and tone-shaping stage. So don’t expect fuzz or overdrive, but rather a refinement of your existing sound. Sharp high frequencies are softened, whilst notes resonate more naturally and unfold gradually. Thanks to the switchable voicing for single-coils and humbuckers, you can tailor the effect to your guitar.

From subtle support to distinct compression

With four controls, you can easily manage the tone and dynamics. Level determines the output volume and Comp lets you set the amount of compression. The Blend control mixes your original, uncompressed signal with the compressed sound. This allows you to retain the direct attack of your guitar if desired, whilst adding extra sustain at the same time. You can then use the Tone control to adjust the tonal character. The Recovery Speed switch offers a suitable setting for single-coils or humbuckers. The germanium circuit adds a smooth, musical saturation without sacrificing headroom. Even distorted signals take on a softer edge, whilst differences in playing dynamics remain clearly audible.

Choose the bypass that suits your setup

This Keeley also gives you freedom of choice when integrating it into your pedalboard. By holding down the footswitch, you can switch between true bypass and buffered bypass. The exceptionally low-noise buffer ensures your signal is transmitted reliably, even when using longer cables. You connect the pedal via a 6.35-millimetre mono jack input and output; a status LED indicates when the effect is active. It works well with both single-coil and humbucker guitars. For power, you’ll need a separately available 9–18-volt DC adaptor with a centre-negative connection. Battery operation isn’t possible, so make sure to reserve a power socket on your pedalboard.