The Albuquerque's Flat line compressor is an Albuquerque S compressor pedal, currently around $109. Close alternatives include the HomeBrew Electronics CPR Compressor Retro and the Demeter Compulator. It pairs well with the Synergy SL2 Module and the Friedman BE-Mini Head.

Albuquerque's Flat line compressor

Albuquerque S · pedal

Albuquerque's Flat Line Compressor is a boutique build of the John Hollis Flatline circuit, a well-known optical compressor design within the DIY guitar effects community using an LED-and-photoresistor combination, sometimes called a Vactrol, to control gain reduction. With the sustain control dialed back the circuit offers roughly three times gain between soft and hard playing dynamics, and fully engaged that ratio climbs to around twenty times, flattening output enough to produce long, even sustain while keeping the characteristically transparent, non-distorted compressed tone optical designs are known for. Hollis was an early and influential contributor to the DIY pedal scene, and his Flatline circuit has since been built and sold by multiple small boutique makers, of which this Albuquerque's version is one example.

  • compressor
  • sustain
  • optical
  • boutique
  • transparent
  • compression
  • distortion
  • drive

Price updated Aug 27, 2026

Genres the Albuquerque's Flat line compressor is commonly used in

  • Country
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
  • Country Pop
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
  • Alternative
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
  • Blues
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
  • Funk
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
  • Rock
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.

Amps that pair well with the Albuquerque's Flat line compressor

Pedals that stack with the Albuquerque's Flat line compressor

Suhr Rufus Reloaded

Suhr

21% match

The Flat Line's transparent compression smooths out your attack before the Rufus Reloaded's high-gain fuzz digs in, so the fuzz doesn't just amplify inconsistent picking.

JHS Smiley

JHS Pedals

21% match

The Flat Line's transparent optical compression evens out your attack before the Smiley's midrange fuzz bites in, so the fuzz doesn't just amplify inconsistent picking.

Malekko Electro-Harmonix Memory Toy Analog Delay

Electro-Harmonix

7% match

Keep the Memory Toy's warm analog echoes trailing after the Flat Line — compress first so the repeats decay evenly instead of chasing an uneven signal. — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)

Strymon BigSky

Strymon

7% match

Keep the BigSky's shimmering ambient reverb trailing after the Flat Line — compress first so the reverb tail decays evenly instead of chasing dynamics. — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)

Black Arts Toneworks LSTR Fuzz

Black Arts Toneworks

tonal match
$105via Reverb

Black Arts Toneworks LSTR Fuzz is voiced for a clean amp's front end — Albuquerque's Flat line compressor gives it exactly that

Tone City Dry Martini

Tone City

tonal match
$52.86via Reverb

Tone City Dry Martini is voiced for a clean amp's front end — Albuquerque's Flat line compressor gives it exactly that

Electro-Harmonix EH-1335/EH-3075 Hot Tubes

Electro-Harmonix

tonal match

Into Albuquerque's Flat line compressor, Electro-Harmonix EH-1335/EH-3075 Hot Tubes is right at home: it's built around a clean amp's front end

Ashdown Geezer Butler Signature

Ashdown

tonal match
$238.39via Reverb

Albuquerque's Flat line compressor leans into a clean amp's front end, precisely the platform Ashdown Geezer Butler Signature wants

Cheaper alternatives

Boutique & premium upgrades

Similar charactersee all similar tone character →

See all alternatives to the Albuquerque's Flat line compressor (cheaper + boutique) →

Questions people ask

What are good alternatives to the Albuquerque's Flat line compressor?+

The closest matches in character are the HomeBrew Electronics CPR Compressor Retro, the Demeter Compulator, the Jackson Audio Bloom MIDI V2. Budget picks: Mojo Gear Orange Compressor (Dan Armstrong Orange Squeezer Clone), CNZ Audio SCP-20, Marshall ED 1. Boutique upgrades: Origin Effects SlideRIG Compact Deluxe, Carl Martin Andy Timmons Signature, T-Rex Neo Comp Compressor.

What pairs well with the Albuquerque's Flat line compressor?+

Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Synergy SL2 Module, Friedman BE-Mini Head, Ceriatone 2202H — Run Synergy SL2 Module into that transparent platform and it finally gets some high gain.

How much does the Albuquerque's Flat line compressor cost?+

Around $109 (live listing price, updated Aug 27, 2026).

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