Behringer COMPRESSOR/SUSTAINER CS400 Ultimate Dynamics Effects Pedal, Green

If you have a problem with sustain, you have a problem with your guitar or your playing technique.If you're looking to even out slight level imbalances between strings, different guitars and/or your rhythm playing, then this'll do fine.Compressors work by turning down any signal that's louder than a predetermined level to bring the loud bits closer in level to the quiet bits and then turning everything up to an acceptable level. Bear in mind ALL guitar signal has some degree of background noise present, so when you turn up the quiet bits, you are also turning the noise up.Anyway, bought one of these (and a GE700) for my dear old Dad. I already own the Boss pedals that these are obviously cloned from - same colour schemes and similar model numbers? Who are they kidding?What can I say? It does everything it's supposed to do.I tested using an EMG equipped Strat through a Blackstar ID15TVP at my home - which was rewired a few years ago - and a new battery, so zero noise pollution.Is it noisy? No, not in the slightest.If you use an old/cheap guitar with dodgy soldering/wiring, through a high gain setup and valve amp, in a building with questionable wiring... well, ALL compressors are going to be very noisy.Why a quarter the price of the Boss? Made in China, (probably) using very cheap electronics with wide tolerance specs and the casing is moulded plastic.Like I said, it does exactly what it's supposed to do. The casing will only break if you're an idiot. The electronics? Who knows.Let's face it, if you're reading this you're either just starting out or strapped for cash, right?Yes, buy one of these, BUT do a little reading about what compression is about and don't expect miracles. This is a good piece of kit. The more expensive stuff is probably more durable, but by the time you break this, hopefully, you'll have figured out whether you really need one - I've rarely used one in over 30 years of playing.

Hmmm...I have several of the effect pedals in Behringer's excellent "budgety" range and I think they are great. Well made, thoughtfully designed, easy to use. Creatively, they are good to work with as they are intuitive (you turn nobs until it sounds right- it's not a mission to Mars type software bore). So, the Compressor/Sustainer : how is it? I am using it for electric guitar work being fed in to a mutitrack recorder, the notion being that compression should help parts to "blend"in rather than sounding like a guitar part is STUCK-ON to another piece of music. And do you know what?...it does that. It' is also good for punchy bass guitar and keyboards that sound less muddy. Just one thing...with the Sustain effect (it works) turned up, there is a lot of noise and hiss coming from the unit- unfortunately this is a bit like having a stone in a running trainer: it doesn't STOP me enjoying the other features, but every now and again "CROWNCH!" there it is. Mocking my dreams.I'm renaming it Compressor and Gramophone Sampler.

Excellent pedal. Basically a BOSS pedal for half the price

Excellent and above and beyond 👌! Perfectly pure torns across all the strings and no variations in pitch! With an attack and sustain options that will greatly benefit your addition chosen pedal such as distortion, overdrive and my others. I'm puzzled why I went so long without one. I'm delighted I took the plunge 😁👍!

I really like this. I've put off getting a compressor for so long as didn't really understand the point of it. But wow, what a difference it's made. The sustain is amazing. The equalisation of volume is really good too. Had made playing easier and more enjoyable.As with all Behringer pedals the adjustment of knobs is very sensitive but once you find your sweet spot it's great.

Good value for money.

£20 for a four knob compressor where all the knobs do something meaningful cannot be sniffed at. I dunno which electronic technique is being used and for the price I don't care. I've built my own compressors before using optoisolators, JFETs and even BJTs as the limiting resistor but this thing sounds and works better than all of them and cost less than the soldering iron I built them with. It does what a compressor's meant to do: throttles your guitar sound and peaks, softens the attack, sustains like crazy and brings up all the other little subtleties that normally get lost. Play a powerchord, hear it get squashed then tap a couple of harmonics and hear them sing.

Not a bad little pedal, does the job it's supposed to do, the only real problem with it is that it's not true bypass, so it changes the sound of the guitar. For instance, it made mine way too bassy. The casing is a little cheap-feeling, but I think it would stand up to normal use.