The Analog Man Juicer is a compressor pedal built around the Dan Armstrong Orange Squeezer, the small 1970s compressor that plugged straight into the guitar. Analog Man's manual calls it "an improved version of the Dan Armstrong Orange Squeezer", and JHS Pedals' history of the company's pedals credits Mike Piera with being the first to put that circuit into an enclosure with true bypass in a quality way12. Where the original Orange Squeezer had no controls at all, the Juicer adds a footswitch, a status LED and a volume knob, and runs from a battery or a standard adaptor.
What it does to your sound
Analog Man's manual describes the compression the Orange Squeezer was known for: the attack of each note is compressed and the decay is brought up somewhat, something like a tube amp's natural sag, and the circuit adds a bit of grit, sort of like a Dallas Rangemaster1. The same description appears in Analog Man's manual for the Juicer side of the Mini BiComp, which calls the original Orange Squeezer legendary for its smooth, squashing tone3. Pedal of the Day's review describes the Juicer as based on the 1960s classic Dan Armstrong Orange Squeeze Compressor and notes it features one knob for overall volume4.
"The attack of each note is compressed and the decay of the note is brought up somewhat, something like a tube amp's natural sag."
Controls, switching and jacks
The Juicer keeps the front panel simple. There is one control, and the switching and jacks are laid out as follows1:
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| VOLUME knob | External knob for overall volume1 |
| Footswitch | 3PDT stomp switch1 |
| Status LED | Shows when the effect is on1 |
| Input jack | Re'an jack, right side1 |
| Output jack | Re'an jack, left side1 |
| Power jack | Boss style adaptor jack1 |
The Re'an jacks are there, in Analog Man's words, "to isolate noise and make good contact"1. The single volume knob is the only control: like the Orange Squeezer it is modeled on, the amount of compression is fixed by the circuit, and the player sets only the output level14.
Power: battery or 9V to 18V DC
The Juicer runs on a 9V battery or a 9V DC center negative adaptor. The manual is emphatic that the adaptor must not be AC, warning that this will blow up the pedal. Higher voltage up to 18V is safe, and the battery is disconnected when the input cord is removed1.
Use a DC adaptor only. The manual warns that an AC supply will blow up the pedal, and the Boss style power jack takes a 9V DC center negative plug1.
With a draw of about 10mA when on and under 4mA when off, the manual notes a battery will last a long time1.
Where it came from
The Dan Armstrong Orange Squeezer was a compressor that plugged directly into the guitar, and DryBell's product page describes it as a unique compressor that quickly became a cult classic5. Musitronics Mu-Tron, which holds the vintage Mu-Tron and Dan Armstrong lineage, lists the Orange Squeezer among its vintage effects6, and a Premier Guitar oral history of the Mu-Tron story counts it among the company's compressors7. JHS Pedals writes that Analog Man was the first to clone the circuit in such a quality way and put it in an enclosure with true bypass2. Guitar.com's interview with Mike Piera also names the Juicer as a Dan Armstrong-inspired compressor8. An older Analog Man manual for the Juicer carries a note that Dan Armstrong is a registered trademark not affiliated with Analog Man9.
Videos
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Questions
Is the Analog Man Juicer true bypass?
Yes. The Juicer's manual lists true bypass as a feature of the pedal, and it uses a 3PDT stomp switch for switching. JHS Pedals' history of Analog Man's pedals notes that Mike Piera was the first to put an Orange Squeezer style circuit into an enclosure with true bypass, which the original plug-in Orange Squeezer did not have.
Is the Analog Man Juicer the same as a Dan Armstrong Orange Squeezer?
No, it is a pedal version of the same idea. Analog Man's manual describes the Juicer as an improved version of the Dan Armstrong Orange Squeezer, the 1970s compressor that plugged directly into the guitar. The manual also notes that Dan Armstrong is a registered trademark not affiliated with Analog Man.
Can the Juicer run on a battery?
Yes. The Juicer takes a 9V battery, and the battery is disconnected when the input cord is removed. Current draw is about 10mA when the effect is on and under 4mA when off, so a battery lasts a long time. It can also run from a 9V DC center negative adaptor, and higher voltage up to 18V is safe.
How much current does the Analog Man Juicer draw?
Analog Man's manual gives the current draw as about 10mA when the effect is on and under 4mA when it is off. That low draw is why the manual says a battery will last a long time.
Sources (9)
- JuicerManual2020.pdf, Analog Man Guitar Effects, 2020-11
- ANALOG MAN'S BEST PEDALS, JHS Pedals
- MiniBi-CompManual2020.pdf, Analog Man Guitar Effects, 2020-11
- Analogman Juicer Compressor, Pedal of the Day, 2015-01-23
- DryBell Module 4: Orange Squeezer + True FET Compression, DryBell Guitar Effects, 1970
- Dan Armstrong, Musitronics Mu-Tron
- Builder Profile: The Mu-tron Story, www.premierguitar.com, 2013-09-12
- "We don’t have our pedals on shelves ready to ship": Analog Man's Mike Piera on his customer-driven approach, guitar.com, 2019-08-13
- Analog Man Juicer manual, older edition, Analog Man Guitar Effects
