Danish guitar effects pedal specialist Carl Martin has unveiled the Honey Comp, a next-generation take on its popular compressor pedal that adds a dry knob for enhanced control over your dynamics.
The Honey Comp is housed in the same compact grey anodized metal enclosure as its predecessor, the Comp Limiter, with top-mounted jacks to aid your pedalboard housekeeping, and despite the expanded control set it remains a simple proposition.
It has three dials. There’s Comp for setting the ratio of compression that will be applied to your signal, simply turn it clockwise if you want to put more squeeze on your sound. Level allows you to adjust the output after compression, compensating for any loss of volume you might have after your signal is processed.
And finally Dry is where things get really interesting, allowing you to control the wet/dry mix of compressed and uncompressed signals, preserving your playing dynamics while tidying up your sound.
This parallel processing approach is similar to how studio compressors work and can make for a more naturalistic sound. Compressor pedals are often underrated. Unlike a fuzz or overdrive pedal, there is nothing outwardly dramatic about what they do to your sound. But in smoothing out your tone they can gussy up your electric guitar tone and flatter your playing.
The Carl Martin Honey Comp takes a 9V DC power supply, but has an internal convertor that sees it operate at 12v, giving you a little extra headroom. And it is available now, priced $199 / €179.
See Carl Martin for more details.
