Overview
For many performing and recording musicians, it can be difficult to maintain the dynamic range of an instrument especially when you get lost in the music. To solve this, compressors were used to limit the dynamic range of instruments like electric guitars and bass guitars. It allows players to keep their volumes consistent and within a specific range throughout a song. It compensates by attenuating high output and boosting low ones.
Compressors were mainly made for electric guitars, but bass players have found that it works just as well with their instrument. However, these compressors performed poorly when it came to the lower frequencies produced by the lower E and A strings on a bass guitar. This caused tone loss and failure to compress the full sound of the instrument. Because of this, manufacturers have produced compressors specialized for bass guitars to allow bass players to enjoy the same benefits of a compressor pedal optimized for their instrument.
Getting decent yet inadequate performances out of the original Diamond compressor, bass players demanded a dedicated compressor from Diamond Pedals - and they delivered. Following the success of the Diamond comp amongst guitarists and bassists, the Canadian brand introduced its first original Diamond bass compressor pedal that works great but had some flaws. Soon after receiving various feedback, the BCP-1 Bass Comp was released as Diamond's second-generation bass compressor.
With the Diamond BCP-1 Bass Comp, the Canadian brand fixes the problems of its previous model and offers a pedal that is near perfect. It features a smoother response and enhances the mix of bass guitars by seamlessly keeping the dynamic range consistent. It is also one of the most popular bass compressors in the market nowadays, being the best seller among bass players in many stores. A new Diamond Bass Comp Jr. is also available for those who want a more compact variant. For any bassist building a pedalboard, the BCP-1 Bass Comp from the boutique company Diamond Pedals is a must-have.
Should You Get It?
For bassists who perform live frequently or record in studios, keeping your dynamic range consistent is very important to ensure all the notes you play provide the necessary "meat" in the band's mix without overpowering the other instruments. It can also help equalize the dynamics of a bass guitar with pickup issues such as a low or high output on some strings. Using the Diamond Bass Comp, you can simply set your desired range and the pedal will keep you within the set limits. It allows your basslines to have more presence in the song without flooding the lower frequencies. For performing and recording bassists, this new BCP-1 Diamond compressor is a must.
Guitar | Pedal | Model | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
Main | Diamond | BCP-1 |
Diamond Bass Compressor BCP-1
PRO's & CON's of Diamond BCP-1
Before we dive into our review, let's look at some of the pros and cons of the Diamond Bass Compressor BCP-1:
Pros
Cons
Features and Benefits
Features
Diamond Pedals has gained a reputation for paying extreme attention to their products; and with the Diamond Bass Comp, it shows. The electronics and components used are high-end, including metal film resistors, 2% polypropylene capacitors, and professional audio op-amps. These are what allows the compressor to sound great and provide users with a smooth response and seamless compressing from the pedal. It gives bassists a combination of smooth attack and gradual decay which works great for a natural-sounding tone while the pedal is engaged.
The BCP-1 Diamond Bass Comp also has a new tilt EQ feature, allowing bassists to select the mid-frequency where the range will play around. With this feature, instead of simply boosting and cutting out lower or higher frequencies, the compressor boosts notes below the set tilt point and attenuates the frequencies above the mid-frequency and vice versa for attenuating frequencies. The pedal incorporates an innovative method of getting a compressed effect while keeping your instrument sounding natural. I definitely would love this feature on a compressor as most of the other versions I've tried cut out some frequencies in a harsh manner making my tone sound weird, unnatural, and sometimes choppy.
The pedal also has a true-bypass circuitry - and one that works. This ensures that the pedal does not eat up your tone when it is disengaged. The pedal also does not add any unwanted color or EQ to your tone while in use, which is great for a compressor pedal since they are only supposed to affect your dynamic range and nothing else. It is also worth mentioning that the pedal is built like a tank and feels very solid, with satisfying smooth knobs allowing for easy fine adjustments to the parameters. The pedal's size isn't too large, but for those who want to save space on their pedalboard, a smaller Diamond Bass Comp Jr. is available with a smaller footprint and slightly different layout for the knobs.
The BCP1 Bass Comp has many practical features and performs way better than the older Diamond bass compressor. The only two aspects of the BCP1 Bass Comp that some people may have issues with is the lack of a blend control feature that other compressor pedals have, as well as the 18V power supply. This deviates from the usual 9V power demand from pedals. However, the pedal can still be powered up by a 9V as long as a red polarity reversing cable is used.
Controls
The BCP1 has a simple control layout with only three knobs and a toggle switch. the Comp knob allows you to vary the compression done by the Bass Comp to your signal. It can be seen as the effect's "Level" control. The BCP1 Bass Comp is sensitive to your picking and playing, having various responses to different techniques. You may have to experiment with the dynamics of your playing while using different Comp settings. The EQ attenuates the frequencies below the center point or mid-frequency and boosts frequencies above when turned clockwise. Inversely, turning the EQ knob counter-clockwise will attenuate the frequencies above the center point and boost those below it. You may select 900Hz or 250Hz as the tilt point using the toggle switch. Finally, there is the volume knob which allows you to adjust the output volume.
Sound
The BCP1 Bass Comp, as I mentioned, has a very smooth attack and gradual decay. In terms of tone, no other colors or flavors are added. It keeps your tone pure and unaltered and only works on the dynamic range of your instrument. Speaking of dynamic range, the BCP1 Bass Comp offers sufficient adjustments for this parameter through its tilt EQ function and EQ knob - which is already a lot coming from a compressor. In fact, its EQ is the main strength of the new BCP1 Bass Comp, setting it apart from its competition and a huge upgrade from the original Diamond compressor.
For a demonstration of the Diamond Bass Comp, refer to this video:
Social Proof of the Pedal
Let us now present some selected customer reviews, which in our opinion, represent the median views of the users of Diamond Compressor. You should go through similar reviews over various web platforms, before committing to purchase it.
Like many of the other purchasers, this buyer is very impressed with the Diamond Compressor and calls it a bassists best friend. He goes on to describe all the features and controls of the pedal in detail with their benefits and impact of each one of them on the tone.
The user is very appreciative of Diamond products in general and with their compressors in particular. He specifically talks about low noise generation in this compressor in comparison to similar units from other manufacturers. He cites couple of limitations of the unit
This reviewer is another user calling Diamond Compressor as the best compressor he has ever used and likes the EQ and sustain.
In Conclusion
The BCP1 Bass Comp by Diamond Pedals is an innovative compressor that isn't a surprise coming from a reputable boutique company such as them. With high-quality electronics, build, and performance, the Bass Comp is definitely worth its price and is perfect for bassists of any skill level. It is great for keeping a consistent dynamic range for performing musicians and recording artists to optimize the mix of their basslines with the other instruments.
It also ensures that each note pops out and adds the extra "oomph" to the track without overpowering other instruments or flooding out the lower frequencies of the track. Despite its unusual power supply requirement, it offers new EQ features and great performance right out of the box for beginners and professional bassists alike. You can check out the Diamond Pedals Bass Comp on Amazon and get one for yourself through this link:
