The Guyatone PS-021 Guitar Exciter / Compressor is a 1980s pedal that combines two jobs in one box: it works as an exciter, adding brightness and presence to a guitar signal, and as a compressor, evening out dynamics and adding sustain. Aion FX, an independent pedal-building company that has studied the circuit, describes it as "a killer tone enhancer that still enjoys revered status with many, but flies under the radar since it doesn't have an association with any big-name artists or records"1.
That lack of a famous endorser is the main thing to know about it. The PS-021 is not a pedal players meet on magazine covers; it is one they tend to find through word of mouth, and those who do often keep it. It belongs to the same family as the Guyatone PS-020 Bass Exciter / Compressor, its counterpart for bass, and it sits in the wider field of compressor pedals as a hybrid design rather than a straight squash box1.
Where it came from
Guyatone released the PS-021 in the 1980s1. The pedal was also released under the Nady brand in the USA1, so the same circuit reached American players under two names. For anyone shopping used gear, that matters: a Nady-branded exciter/compressor from the period is the PS-021 design under a different badge.
The PS-021 is a vintage design from the 1980s and is no longer in current production. Used examples appear under both the Guyatone and Nady names.
The pedal dates from the 1980s, a period when Guyatone was turning out compact effects that have since drawn renewed attention from players hunting for older designs. One source describes it simply as "a gem from the 1980s"1. Beyond that, its history is thin: the pedal was never reissued or widely documented, so most of what players know about it comes from the units themselves rather than from maker literature.
What is documented about the pedal comes down to a short list:
How it fits with other Guyatone compressors
Guyatone has returned to the compressor idea more than once. The PS-021, a gem from the 1980s, is a tone enhancer that still enjoys revered status with many, but flies under the radar since it doesn't have an association with any big-name artists or records1.
| Pedal | Approach |
|---|---|
| PS-021 Guitar Exciter / Compressor | Exciter plus compression, 1980s1 |
| Guyatone STm5 Compressor/Sustainer | A later compact take on the compressor/sustainer formula |
| Guyatone BL-2 Bottom Limiter | Approaches the low end with a limiter instead |
| Guyatone SD-2 Sustainer D | Covers the sustain side from another angle |
Videos
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Questions
Was the Guyatone PS-021 sold under another name?
Yes. Alongside the Guyatone-branded version, the same exciter/compressor was also released under the Nady brand in the USA. Players who come across a Nady-branded unit are looking at the same design, which is one reason the circuit is easier to find than its reputation might suggest.
When was the Guyatone PS-021 made?
The PS-021 dates from the 1980s. It is one of Guyatone's exciter/compressor designs from that era, alongside the related PS-020 Bass Exciter / Compressor, and it has since been traced by pedal builders interested in the circuit.
Sources (1)
- Meridian Exciter & Compressor / Guyatone PS-021, Aion FX, 2019-08-31
