The Empress S&D Compressor Bass (Silver Sparkle) is a compressor pedal for bass made by Empress Effects. The "S&D" stands for Scratch and Dent: a cosmetic second. Empress Effects states that these pedals are functionally working perfectly, but the enclosure carries small cosmetic flaws such as a smudge on the screenprint, scratches, or a powdercoating defect1. In practical terms, a player buying this pedal gets the same compression circuit and controls as the regular Compressor Bass, in a silver sparkle case that did not pass the maker's cosmetic inspection.
The trade is price. Empress Effects lists the S&D Compressor Bass (Silver Sparkle) at $224.00, with the regular price of $274.00 shown struck through on the product page1. The Blue Sparkle version of the S&D Compressor Bass carries the same $224.00 price against the same $274.00 regular price2.
What Scratch and Dent means
Empress Effects sells a Scratch and Dent version of many of its pedals, and the maker uses the same explanation across those product pages. In its own words:
"Scratch and Dent pedals are functionally working perfectly. They have small cosmetic flaws such as a smudge on the screenprint, scratches or maybe a powdercoating defect123."
Empress Effects Inc.1
For a bass player, this means the pedal is functionally working perfectly. What separates an S&D unit from a regular one is limited to small cosmetic flaws, such as a smudge on the screenprint, scratches, or a powdercoating defect. The maker's pricing reflects the blemish rather than any difference in function, with the Scratch and Dent version listed at $224.00 against a regular price of $274.00. Because the condition is cosmetic, the S&D Compressor Bass is the same pedal where it counts, on the inside1.
Price and warranty
The S&D Compressor Bass (Silver Sparkle) is listed at $224.00, a $50.00 reduction from the $274.00 regular price shown struck through on the same page1. The Blue Sparkle S&D Compressor Bass is priced identically at $224.00 against $274.002.
The warranty matches what Empress Effects gives on its regular pedals. The maker states12:
"You still get our awesome 2 year warranty that can be extended to 4 years for free by registering your pedal12!"
Empress Effects Inc.1
So coverage starts at 2 years and doubles to 4 years at no cost when the pedal is registered with Empress Effects. The same 2 year, extendable-to-4 warranty appears on the maker's other Scratch and Dent product pages, including the S&D Compressor Mk II in both finishes34, which indicates the S&D condition does not reduce warranty coverage across the range.
Colors and related versions
The S&D Compressor Bass is offered in two finishes:
| Pedal | Finish | S&D price | Regular price |
|---|---|---|---|
| S&D Compressor Bass | Silver Sparkle | $224.001 | $274.001 |
| S&D Compressor Bass | Blue Sparkle | $224.002 | $274.002 |
The guitar counterpart in the Scratch and Dent line is the S&D Compressor Mk II, also available in Silver Sparkle3 and Blue Sparkle4 enclosures. The regular Compressor MKII is likewise available in what the maker calls "undeniable blue or silver sparkle finishes"5. Delicious Audio, reviewing the Compressor MKII, remarked on the same point: "It has a sparkle you can't deny, in blue or silver!"6
A bass player weighing this pedal against the guitar version should note the distinction the maker draws in its product naming: the Compressor Bass is presented as a compressor pedal for bass1, while the Compressor Mk II is the maker's guitar compressor5. Both exist in the Scratch and Dent program with the same warranty terms and the same cosmetic-second condition.
News
Questions
What does Scratch and Dent mean on an Empress pedal?
Empress Effects sells Scratch and Dent, or S&D, pedals as units that are functionally working perfectly but carry small cosmetic flaws. The maker lists examples such as a smudge on the screenprint, scratches, or a powdercoating defect. In other words, the electronics and controls are intact, and only the outside of the enclosure shows minor blemishes.
Does the Empress S&D Compressor Bass work the same as the regular version?
Yes. Empress Effects states that Scratch and Dent pedals are functionally working perfectly, so the S&D Compressor Bass does the same job as the regular Compressor Bass. The difference is cosmetic: small flaws like a smudge on the screenprint, scratches, or a powdercoating defect on the case. The S&D version is priced lower as a result.
How long is the warranty on the Empress S&D Compressor Bass?
Empress Effects covers the S&D Compressor Bass with a 2 year warranty, the same coverage the maker gives its regular pedals. That warranty can be extended to 4 years for free by registering the pedal with Empress Effects. Registration is the only step needed to double the coverage period.
Does the S&D Compressor Bass come in other colors?
Yes. Empress Effects sells the S&D Compressor Bass in Silver Sparkle and also in a Blue Sparkle finish, both at the same Scratch and Dent price of $224.00. The guitar version, the S&D Compressor Mk II, is likewise offered in silver sparkle and blue sparkle enclosures.
Sources (6)
- S&D Compressor Bass (Silver Sparkle), Empress Effects Inc.
- S&D Compressor Bass (Blue Sparkle), Empress Effects Inc.
- S&D Compressor Mk II (Silver Sparkle), Empress Effects Inc.
- S&D Compressor Mk II (Blue Sparkle), Empress Effects Inc.
- Compressor MKII, Empress Effects Inc.
- Empress Effects Compressor MKII, Delicious Audio, 2022-08-31
