The Bassics Squeezer is a compressor stompbox from Bassics, described in the company's announcement as "a no-frills compressor stompbox"1. It handles compression, the effect that evens out the difference between a player's loudest and quietest notes, with a deliberately simple control set: turn up the Drive knob and hit the footswitch to switch the effect on1.
Controls
The Squeezer's control set is minimal. Guitar.com's report on the range describes the operation simply: "Turn up the 'Drive' and hit the footswitch to turn on the effect"1. The Drive knob is set before engaging the footswitch, so the player dials in the amount of compression by ear, then switches the effect in and out from the floor.
That single-knob approach places the Squeezer at the simple end of the compressor field. Other compressors take different approaches: the T-Rex Squeezer, a pedal of the same name from a different maker, was reviewed by ovnilab.com as covering "everything from subtle smoothing up to heavier squashing and some moderate peak limiting"2. For a wider look at how compressors differ, see Compressor Pedals.
Where it came from
The Squeezer's list price was reported in pounds sterling, GBP 199, at its July 2018 introduction1.
The Squeezer name
The name Squeezer has been used by several makers for compression-related pedals. Besides the Bassics pedal and the T-Rex Squeezer2, the Orange Squeezer, a Dan Armstrong design, survives as a DIY replica kit from General Guitar Gadgets, whose instructions describe setting its internal 10k bias trimmer by turning it counter-clockwise until the sound dies, then clockwise to the best compression point, past which it distorts3.
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Questions
What kind of pedal is the Bassics Squeezer?
The Squeezer is a compressor stompbox. Guitar.com described it as a no-frills compressor, meaning it keeps its control set simple rather than offering the full range of ratio, attack and release adjustments found on some studio-style compressors. It was introduced in 2018 alongside three other pedals in the Bassics range.
How much did the Bassics Squeezer cost?
When Bassics introduced the Squeezer in July 2018, Guitar.com reported that each pedal in the range, including the Squeezer, listed for GBP 199. That was the list price at introduction, given in pounds sterling as reported.
Sources (3)
- Bassics introduces four new effects pedals, Guitar.com, 2018-07-17
- T-Rex Squeezer, ovnilab.com, 2009
- Orange Squeezer™ Clone Kit: Dan Armstrong Compressor Pedal, General Guitar Gadgets, 2014-05-12
