CM-60 Compressor
The Tony Smith CM-60 Compressor is a no-frills, old-school studio staple that belongs in the arsenal of any guitarist seeking to tighten up their tone and add some serious punch. This compact pedal might not have the bells and whistles of modern compressors, but what it lacks in complexity, it more than makes up for in pure, unadulterated mojo. At the heart of the CM-60 lies a carefully tuned optical compression circuit that smooths out your playing, reining in those pesky volume spikes without sucking the life out of your tone. Turn up the Sustain knob, and you'll unlock a seemingly endless well of singing, harmonically-rich sustain - perfect for soulful lead lines or mammoth, distortion-fueled riffs. Crank the Attack to taste, dialing in just the right amount of snap and responsiveness to complement your playing style. While the CM-60 may not be the flashiest compressor on the market, its understated simplicity is precisely what makes it so special. Legendary blues guitarist Albert King was said to have relied on this very pedal to sculpt his impossibly thick, singing tone, and you'd be hard-pressed to find a session player from the '70s who didn't have one on their pedalboard. If you're after that vintage, studio-grade compression that just oozes character, the Tony Smith CM-60 is an absolute must-have.
