Pettyjohn Electronics CRUSH Compressor

The Pettyjohn Electronics CRUSH Compressor is an analog compressor pedal built around a discrete VCA, the kind of gain reduction circuit found in studio outboard gear rather than in typical stompboxes. Delicious Audio's Paolo De Gregorio described it as "a discrete VCA based studio grade compressor"¹. It is designed for both guitar and bass, and sits among the wider field of compressor pedals¹.

What it does

Pettyjohn describes the CRUSH as delivering "highly musical compression in the spirit of beloved Discrete VCA compressors, such as those found in legendary British consoles, mastering buss compressors and vintage rack gear, but tailored specifically for use with any guitar or bass signals"¹. In plain terms, it brings the behavior of a studio console or rack compressor to a pedalboard: the gain reduction element is a discrete voltage controlled amplifier, a circuit that changes the signal level smoothly under the control of a side chain.

The maker points to one particular advantage of that design choice: "Using a modern Discrete VCA in our design has its greatest advantage in that it is extremely transparent even at large g[ain reduction]"¹. Transparency at heavy compression matters to players who want sustain and level evenness without the pedal audibly coloring the tone.

The CLEAN MIX control

Alongside its compression controls, the CRUSH carries "a CLEAN MIX knob that mixes in a sweet, clean pre-amped signal"¹. This is parallel compression in a pedal: the compressed signal is blended with an uncompressed copy, so a player can dial back in pick attack and dynamics while keeping the sustain and evenness the compressor provides. It is a control bass players and rhythm guitar players often look for, since full compression alone can flatten an instrument's attack.

Where it sits among compressors

The CRUSH belongs to the studio inspired corner of the compressor pedal field, where makers adapt rack and console circuits to pedalboard size and power. Within that field, pedals differ mainly in the kind of gain reduction element they use and in how much of the compressed signal they let you blend back:

• Gain reduction element: the CRUSH uses a discrete VCA, the circuit type behind console and rack compressors¹
• Blend control: a CLEAN MIX knob mixes in a clean, uncompressed signal for parallel compression¹
• Intended signals: guitar and bass alike, per the maker¹

Players comparing it with other designs can look at how other compressors handle the same questions, from optical circuits to OTA based designs, on the compressor pedals page¹.

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