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
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Country Pop
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Alternative
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Blues
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Funk
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
Amps that pair well with the Albuquerque's Flat line compressor
Synergy SL2 Module
Synergy
tonal matchRun Synergy SL2 Module into that transparent platform and it finally gets some high gain
Friedman BE-Mini Head
Friedman
tonal matchRun Friedman BE-Mini Head into that transparent platform and it finally gets some high gain
Ceriatone 2202H
Ceriatone
tonal matchRun Ceriatone 2202H into that transparent platform and it finally gets some high gain
Hughes & Kettner Warp 7
Hughes & Kettner
tonal matchRun Hughes & Kettner Warp 7 into that transparent platform and it finally gets some high gain
Friedman Jose LTD
Friedman
tonal matchFriedman Jose LTD's high gain fills in what this transparent tone doesn't make on its own
Egnater Tweaker 88 Head
Egnater
tonal matchInto a transparent tone, Egnater Tweaker 88 Head brings the low gain it's missing
Hiwatt Hi-Gain 100W Head
Hiwatt
tonal matchHiwatt Hi-Gain 100W Head's high gain fills in what this transparent tone doesn't make on its own
Hughes & Kettner Coreblade
Hughes & Kettner
tonal matchInto a transparent tone, Hughes & Kettner Coreblade brings the high gain it's missing
Pedals that stack with the Albuquerque's Flat line compressor
Suhr Rufus Reloaded
Suhr
21% matchThe 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% matchThe 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% matchKeep 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% matchKeep 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 matchBlack 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 matchTone 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 matchInto 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 matchAlbuquerque's Flat line compressor leans into a clean amp's front end, precisely the platform Ashdown Geezer Butler Signature wants
Cheaper alternatives
Mojo Gear Orange Compressor (Dan Armstrong Orange Squeezer Clone)
Mojo Gear
72% similarityShared character: compressor, circuit, compression
CNZ Audio SCP-20
Cnz Audio
97% similaritysimilar tone character
Marshall ED 1
Marshall
97% similaritysimilar tone character
DigiTech XMS Main Squeeze Compressor Sustainer
Digitech
96% similaritysimilar tone character
Kokko FCP2 Mini Compressor
Kokko
96% similaritysimilar tone character
Boutique & premium upgrades
Origin Effects SlideRIG Compact Deluxe
Origin Effects
71% similarityShared character: compressor, compression, subtle
Carl Martin Andy Timmons Signature
Carl Martin
97% similaritysimilar tone character
T-Rex Neo Comp Compressor
T Rex
97% similaritysimilar tone character
Carl Martin Comp/Limiter
Carl Martin
96% similaritysimilar tone character
Similar charactersee all similar tone character →
HomeBrew Electronics CPR Compressor Retro
Homebrew
72% similarityShared character: compressor, compression, transparent
Demeter Compulator
Demeter
71% similarityShared character: compressor, compression, subtle
Jackson Audio Bloom MIDI V2
Jackson Audio
69% similarityShared character: compressor, compression, subtle
PRS Mary-Cries Compressor
PRS
69% similarityShared character: compressor, compression, transparent
SahBro? Audio Ross Kempressor
Sahbro Audio
69% similarityShared character: compressor, compression, subtle
J. Rockett Jrad Squeegee Compressor
J Rockett
69% similarityShared character: compressor, compression, subtle
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).