Unless I had the gain and ratio controls
set ridiculously high, it was difficult to get
a bad sound from the effect—a testament
to how expertly the pedal was voiced on
the assembly table. The entire range of the
attack control—essential to coaxing more
detail out of the tone—allowed the effect
to ride in ever so smoothly with each pluck
of the strings. Higher settings were great for
funkier slap playing, which brought in the
pedal’s snappy compression with immediate
authority. And the lower ranges were perfect
for slower, more nuanced low-end work that
needed to breathe in and out of the mix.
For tones that laid back in the mix in this
manner, the vintage mode was the obvious
choice since it allowed my attack to sit back
slightly. Conversely, the modern mode made
each note’s attack more noticeable and poi-
gnant. While there wasn’t a massive difference
in the actual tone between modern and vin-
tage, there was a highly noticeable difference
in the way the bass felt while playing. Running
through more rock-based lines went hand in
hand with the modern mode’s immediate-
sounding nature, while bluesy runs in the vin-
tage setting allowed me to let up on striking
the string exactly on the beat—as everything
just felt looser and more comfortable.
enclosure gaps on the bottom of the pedal, the
PWNZOR is a knockout choice in the world
of compression pedals for bass, and is certainly
worth a good look for those bassists looking to
keep their peaks and valleys in check.
pedal is that the LED indicator will light
up in red when striking a note, and then
fade to green as the compressor’s trigger
releases the signal. As I played more and
cranked the input control higher, the longer
the LED would remain red, showing that
the compressor was having an easier time
clamping down on the signal and not letting go. Setting an appropriate level with
the input control was made that much
easier with this visual cue, since it allowed
me to determine exactly when the effect was
coming in and out.
RATINGS
3Leaf Audio
3leafaudio.com
PWNZOR Bass Compressor
Street: $219
Tonally, the pedal is smooth as can be.
Tones
User Friendliness
Build
Value
The Verdict
3Leaf did an excellent job in designing the
PWNZOR, making it a quality piece of equipment for the compression-conscious bassist. It’s
ability to be tweaked and tailored over a large
spectrum is one of its high points, as is its perfectly set voicing to minimize overly squished
tone. While care should be taken with the
Pros
Great tone and many options for dialing in
the right amount and type of compression.
Cons
The gaps leading to an exposed circuit
board are a minor cause for concern.
BECOME A PG PERKS MEMBER TODAY!
HUNDREDS
HAVE WON NEW GEAR!
THOUSANDS
HAVE TAKEN ADVANTAGE
OF EXCLUSIVE DISCOUNTS!
Signing up is EASY & FREE!
As a PG Perks member, you’ll receive exclusive offers in your inbox
from and participating sponsors!
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP
ON PREMIERGUITAR.COM
