Keeley Compressor Plus

The Keeley Compressor Plus is a compressor pedal from Keeley, first released in 2017 as an update to the company's long-running two-knob and four-knob compressors¹. Internally it follows the Ross/Dyna Comp circuit that the original Keeley compressor was built on¹, but it adds controls the earlier pedals did not have: a blend knob for mixing compressed and uncompressed signal, a tone control, and a release switch tuned for single coils or humbuckers².

Keeley describes it as offering "the same gorgeous push of frequencies and sweetening of tone that the old comps gave you, now with the flexibility to easily handle any instrument"². Beyond ordinary peak limiting, the circuit works as a compressor with an expander/sustainer: it limits the peaks in your playing and adds more and more gain as notes fade out, giving sustain and bloom³⁴.

Controls and what they do

The Compressor Plus puts four knobs and one switch on the enclosure. MusicRadar lists the control set as Sustain, Level, Blend and Tone, plus the single coil/humbucker switch⁷.

The blend control is the headline change over the earlier Keeley compressors. Pedal of the Day found it "great for getting just the right amount of both the compressed and uncompressed signals, retaining the peaks in your playing"⁹. The tone control addresses a common complaint about Ross-style compressors, which can dull the top end as they squeeze the signal²⁹.

The release switch is the other addition. MusicRadar describes it as "a humbucker/single coil release switch that automatically adjusts attack and release for a guitar's pickup type"⁷. Pedal of the Day summed up its purpose: it "lets you choose between Single Coils and Humbuckers, without having to figure out the right amount of Attack and Release"⁹. Set it to whichever position matches the pickups on the guitar you are playing.

How it differs from the earlier Keeley compressors

Keeley's own product page calls the Compressor Plus "the first true advancement in our 2 and 4 knob compressor line"². The line it updates runs from the classic two-knob Keeley Compressor through the four-knob version, which added an input trim for high-output instruments and an attack (release) knob adapted from the Boss CS-2¹⁰.

Aion FX traced the Compressor Plus circuit in 2023 and found it "identical to the earlier 4-knob Keeley Compressor with the one major difference that the input clipping control, which appeared as an external knob, has been removed and hard-wired to the full-up position"¹¹. The gain cell also changed from the CA3080 OTA to half of an LM13700, a current-production version of the obsolete CA3080¹¹¹.

Aion FX also documented small production changes over the pedal's run: in 2019 and 2021 units, the 9V connector moved from one corner of the board to the other, a ground spring was added, and the two dual op-amps changed from NE5532A to RC4558P, with the 5532 used only in the original release¹¹.

History and versions

The Compressor Plus launched in 2017¹. MusicRadar reported it was available from 5 July at an introductory $129, with a regular price of $179⁵, and Gearnews likewise listed an RRP of USD 129.00 plus shipping and taxes from July, usually USD 179⁴. The current listed price is $199.99².

Keeley has built well over 132,000 compressors as of 2/7/2024², which Guitar Pedal X works out as an average of 5,500 units per year¹². The pedal is completely made in the United States, according to Keeley's launch press release¹³.

The family has since grown:

• The classic 2-knob Keeley Compressor¹⁴
• The 4-knob Keeley C-4, which moved the input trim and attack knobs to the outside of the enclosure²¹⁰
• The PRO⁸
• The Compressor Plus, described by Keeley as an advancement over the 2 and 4-knob versions, adding a Blend knob, a Tone control and an integrated expander/sustainer²

The Germanium edition keeps the Level, Tone, Compression and Blend controls and the single coil/humbucker switch⁸¹². Its Standard Edition is stocked by dealers worldwide, while a Black Custom Shop Edition is sold direct only¹².

What reviewers said

Reviewers have been positive about the Compressor Plus across several outlets:

• Guitar.com's buying guide called it "arguably the most versatile 'always-on' compressor for everyday players"¹⁵
• Pedal of the Day wrote that "building on the original with a couple more options and that same killer tone, this one had become a staple in its own right"⁹
• MusicRadar's Rob Laing found it "great for an always-on setting" and comparatively reasonably priced, calling it "a great pedal to find out how much compression could benefit your tone"¹⁶
• Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson described it as "Keeley's 'bread-and-butter' pedal, and still the best selling compact compressor pedal as far as I'm aware"¹⁷
• Guitar World has included it in its round-up of today's best compressor pedals¹⁸

Delicious Audio positioned the pedal as being "for players wanting a smooth, subtle wash from their guitar," noting the treble blend for shimmer, that it is usable with fuzz, and that it can serve as an amp boost³.

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