Oh my.
I have owned a number of different everyday and booteek compressors in my time (hard to power valve things, gargantuan things with transformers inside, a few different Keeleys, some simpler classic stuff) but I've never been so immediately impressed as with Fat General!
I confess that I have watched more than few demos of it, and based on those hadn't heard anything that made my ears prick up and reach for the credit card, but I've heard too many good firsthand reports from people whose judgment I respect to keep ignoring so took advantage of the v1 blowout on Thorpy's site.
It's just a beautifully 'sorted' circuit - I may end up with it as an always on (when clean) as it flatters my hamfisted rhythm technique and offers a sensibly-judged range of treble gloss control too - but it also performs brilliantly when set in a more 'obvious' way.
Just brilliant - kicking myself I waited so long. Pedalboard adjustments will have to occur which would normally annoy me but I don't care - it's getting nailed down.
I have also rectified my rash decision of a year or so ago to sell my original Peacekeeper - now replaced and has replaced my venerable MkI Guvnor for light drive duties (The Guv can stay at home where any impeding unreliability won't harm anyones evening)
This makes me a 3 Thorpy household - which is quite a feat given that I sold a ton of stuff when my financial circumstances changed.
Man - that Fat General - I'm smitten...
Red ones are better.
Comments
There's been way too many good reviews on here to ignore the FG now that I'm on the hunt for a comp. But so far only heard good stories of how transparent it is. I've got the Cornish for transparency, now I want over the top compression.
Anyone?
View my feedback at www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/comment/1201922
Feedback
https://soundcertified.com/speaker-ohms-calculator/
The very squishy sounds out of it are very good, as are the more subtle blended sounds, which is how I have it most of the time.
https://soundcertified.com/speaker-ohms-calculator/
I have a Peacekeeper which is utterly brilliant at everything. Sometimes I use it as a low gain transparent drive, almost a compressor with added grit. Other times I crank up the gain and presence and it does the Tube Screamer type thing beautifully.
So. Depending on whether I want to have the Peacekeeper on low or high gain, there is a slot either side of it for a compressor or a drive / distortion, so Fat General / Gunshot / Warthog or another Peacekeeper!
Only problem is that I'm out most of today and might miss the UPS Delivery.
Doh!
None of the demos (I and I trawled for many) do it justice - that's not a critique of the demos - I think it's really hard to capture it when so much of the effect is felt under your fingers (ie I know I'm playing let's say inconsistently yet the sound I hear is beautifully regulated) - a demo of a Origin Cali76 or Markbass Compressore is always going to sound more effecty and apparent, because that's what they do, whereas the FG is just a box of genius. Harder to film.
I'm glad I bought based on trust of Thorpy himself and some of the existing users whose opinions I trust.
That's my experience too. The video reviews sound a bit meh, but playing the Peacekeeper it brings such clarity that a pedal designed specifically for this is worth the leap of faith.
Many of the glowing reports I read of the Origin comps are, I think, based around what it adds to the sound, a subtle sparkle that's undoubtedly very appealing but is not part of the core functionality of a compressor. Some reviews of the FG I've read lead me to think it might be similar (I haven't tried it). I sold on my Keeley eventually but only because I found another that gave me exactly the sound I wanted and because I didn't require the flexibility of the Keeley.