The Trickfish VCA Compressor is a compressor pedal for bass from Trickfish Amplification, built into a steel chassis with a single latching footswitch for engage/bypass, a 1/4" phone jack input and a 1/4" phone jack output1. Trickfish says the pedal came out of a desire to "offer a compressor pedal that threads the needle between the transparent and accurate studio compression we love, and the tonal enhancement (aka magic sauce) that we all love in certain vintage compressors or beloved compressor pedals on the market"2.
The circuit is a VCA, short for voltage-controlled amplifier. Trickfish settled on that design after considering what it wanted from a compressor, and the company describes the result as a pedal that balances studio-style transparency with the character of vintage units2. Bass Gear Mag's Sean Fairchild placed the topology in familiar studio territory, noting it is "the same type of compression featured in famous studio compressors like the SSL bus compressor, Neve 33609" and others1.
How it works and what it does
A VCA compressor reduces gain by controlling an amplifier whose level responds to a control voltage, rather than by driving a photocell or a transistor into clipping the way an optical or FET compressor does. For a bass player, the practical difference is in the feel: VCA designs are the ones behind the bus compressors used on countless records, and Trickfish brought that approach to a pedalboard-sized box2.
The pedal is aimed at players who want even, controlled dynamics without losing the character of their instrument. Trickfish's own framing is that it sits between transparent studio compression and the tonal enhancement of vintage compressor pedals2.
The controls
Four knobs handle everything, with smooth taper knobs, top-mounted jacks and easy to read graphics3:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| THRESHOLD | Sets the level at which the compressor engages2 |
| RATIO | Adjusts how aggressive the gain is reduced2 |
| LEVEL | Adjusts the overall output level2 |
| BLEND | Sweeps between wet/dry levels2 |
The BLEND control is what makes parallel compression possible: you dial in heavy compression on the wet side and mix it against your untouched dry signal, a common studio technique for keeping attack and dynamics while adding sustain and consistency. Bass Gear Mag's reviewer found the parallel compression controls effective, writing "I really liked the way the VCA Compressor reacted to my playing!"1
Attack and release are not on the panel. Trickfish tells reviewers the attack is around 40ms and the release around 200ms, fixed rather than adjustable1. Players who like to shape the timing of their compression themselves will want to know that up front; those who prefer a set-and-forget pedal get one fewer thing to dial in.
Power and connections
At 186 mA, this pedal draws more current than a standard 9V battery-style supply can deliver, and it is not a good candidate for a low-current daisy chain shared with analog drives. Plan on an isolated or adequately rated 9V DC supply with a center pin negative plug2.
The pedal runs on 9V DC with a center pin negative input, drawing 186 mA2. Connections are simple: a 1/4" phone jack input at 1M Ohm impedance and a 1/4" phone jack output at 100k Ohm impedance, both top-mounted23. A single ON footswitch toggles the effect on and bypass, and it is a latching switch rather than momentary21.
Build and where it is made
The VCA Compressor is designed and manufactured by Trickfish in the USA3. It sits in a steel chassis measuring 2.29 inches high at the top, 1.96 at the bottom, by 2.72 wide and 5.08 long including knobs, and weighs 0.98 lbs / 0.45 kg2. Adhesive backed removable rubber feet come on the pedal, so you can strip them off for velcro mounting on a pedalboard and stick them back on later2.
What reviewers said
Bass Gear Mag reviewed the VCA Compressor in May 2024 as part of its coverage of Trickfish's four-pedal line1. Fairchild's verdict was positive on the pedal's response and its parallel compression controls, the two things a bass player is most likely to care about in a compressor1. The review also confirmed the $249 USD price and the latching engage/bypass footswitch1.
Videos
Trickfish Amps
Alexandre Panta
Steve Lawson
Questions
Does the Trickfish VCA Compressor have attack and release controls?
No. The attack and release times are fixed rather than adjustable. Trickfish tells reviewers the attack is around 40ms and the release around 200ms. The player-adjustable controls are threshold, ratio, level and blend, so the timing of the compression cannot be changed from the front panel.
Can the Trickfish VCA Compressor do parallel compression?
Yes. The BLEND knob sweeps between wet and dry levels, so you can mix your uncompressed signal with the compressed one. Bass Gear Mag's reviewer found the parallel compression controls effective and liked how the pedal reacted to his playing.
Where is the Trickfish VCA Compressor made?
It is designed and manufactured by Trickfish in the USA. The pedal sits in a steel chassis weighing 0.98 lbs, with top-mounted jacks and adhesive backed removable rubber feet.
How much does the Trickfish VCA Compressor cost?
The list price is $249.00 USD, as listed on Trickfish's product page in October 2026. Bass Gear Mag quoted the same $249 USD price when it reviewed the pedal in May 2024.
Sources (3)
- Trickfish Amplification Pedals: Signal Filter, and more..., Bass Gear Mag, 2024-05-30
- VCA Compressor, Trickfish Amplification
- New Gear: Trickfish Introduces New Line of Pedals, Bass Musician Magazine, 2024-03-25
