Keeley electronics Compressor Plus Germanium

The KEELEY ELECTRONICS Compressor Plus Germanium celebrates the 25th anniversary of the American brand’s greatest commercial success. The original Keeley Compressor is universally acclaimed in the music community for its natural, warm, and expressive compression.
The Compressor Plus Germanium is an evolution of earlier versions; as its name suggests, it features a Japanese-designed germanium transistor. This transistor operates in the audio output stage and in the feedback circuit that controls the compression.
The Compressor Plus Germanium is useful for adjusting dynamic range or generating more pronounced compression. It’s a superb tool for funk or country rhythm parts, arpeggios in the style of The Police, or leads with lap steel textures.

The germanium transistor is an undeniable asset, historically associated with ’60s fuzz pedals (Fuzz Face, Tone Bender). It is particularly prized for its warm, rich, and organic tones, with mellow yet well-defined highs.
It also promotes subtle soft clipping, allowing for smooth transitions between clean and distorted sounds.
It has the potential to produce pleasant harmonic distortion, which adds extra density and character to the signal.
Finally, it responds remarkably well to the nuances of the musician’s attack.

The Blend control, which allows you to mix the direct signal with the compressed signal, is essential for preserving the guitar’s original attack while enhancing the sustain.
The Single Coil / Humbucker switch optimizes the circuit’s behavior to match the characteristics of your instrument’s pickups.