The Dr. Green Life support is a Dr Green compressor pedal, currently around $48.94. Close alternatives include the Orange Sustain and the HomeBrew Electronics CPR Compressor Retro. It pairs well with the 1959 Fender Tweed Deluxe and the Fender Bassman Combo Amp.
Dr. Green Life support
Dr Green · pedal
The Dr. Green Life Support is a compressor and sustainer pedal from the Dr. Green FX line by Ashdown Engineering, the UK bass amp and effects brand. Based on a tried-and-tested compressor circuit derived from Ashdown bass amplifiers, the Life Support provides input level, output level, and sustain controls for compression and sustain shaping. The pedal is noted for its impressive sustain capability while retaining musical character, suited to bass and guitar signal chains where dynamic control and extended sustain are the objectives.
What stands out
“Three controls — input, output, and sustain — are simple enough that dialing in useful compression is fast and intuitive”
— from the community notes
“The pedal is noted for its impressive sustain capability while retaining musical character, suited to bass and guitar signal chains where dynamic control and extended sustain are the objectives”
— from the listing
“Green Life Support provides analogue compression and sustain derived from Ashdown bass amplifier circuitry”
— from the reviews
“green life support is a compressor and sustainer pedal from the dr”
— from the listing
“The circuit origin in Ashdown bass amplifier technology gives it a warm, analogue character”
— from the community notes
- compression
- musical
- analogue
- compressor
- simple
- stage
- singing sustain
- sustainer
Price updated Oct 23, 2026
Genres the Dr. Green Life support is commonly used in
- Country Pop
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Country
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
Amps that pair well with the Dr. Green Life support
1959 Fender Tweed Deluxe
Fender
11% match1959 Fender Tweed Deluxe's own transparent character is the real reason this is worth trying
Comes later in the signal chain
Fender Bassman Combo Amp
amplifier
11% matchFender Bassman Combo Amp leans toward crunchy, and that's a real, usable character to pair with
Comes later in the signal chain
Pedals that stack with the Dr. Green Life support
Univox Super-Fuzz
Univox
8% matchWhat Univox Super-Fuzz brings here leans toward octave — that's worth building a pairing around
Comes later in the signal chain
ZVEX Fuzz Factory
Zvex
8% matchZVEX Fuzz Factory's own fuzzy character is the real reason this is worth trying
Comes later in the signal chain
Empress Echosystem
Empress
5% matchRun Empress Echosystem after Dr. Green Life support in the signal chain, where it won't crowd Dr. Green Life support — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
Alexander Pedals Radical Delay
Alexander Pedals
5% matchAlexander Pedals Radical Delay's pristine voice goes after Dr. Green Life support in the signal chain — it's not there to compete with Dr. Green Life support's own compressed character — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
Cheaper alternatives
Marshall ED 1
Marshall
59% similarityShared character: sustain, compressor, compression
Donner Sustain
Donner
55% similarityShared character: compressor, sustain, compression
TC Electronic Forcefield Compressor Effetto Compressore A
TC Electronic
55% similarityShared character: sustain, compressor, compression
DigiTech XMS Main Squeeze Compressor Sustainer
Digitech
53% similarityShared character: sustain, dynamic control, compressor
Kokko FCP2 Mini Compressor
Kokko
92% similaritysimilar tone character
Boutique & premium upgrades
TC Electronic Classic Sustain
TC Electronic
60% similarityShared character: sustain, compressor, compression
FTelettronica Mars Compressor
Ftelettronica
58% similarityShared character: compressor, compression
Pigtronix Philosopher's Tone Germanium Gold Ltd.
Pigtronix
56% similarityShared character: sustain, compressor, circuit
Mojo Gear Orange Compressor (Dan Armstrong Orange Squeezer Clone)
Mojo Gear
56% similarityShared character: compressor, circuit, compression
Suhr Koji Comp
Suhr
53% similarityShared character: sustain, compressor, compression
Rocktron Reaction Compressor
Rocktron
53% similarityShared character: compressor
Similar charactersee all similar tone character →
Orange Sustain
Orange
60% similarityShared character: sustain, compressor, compression
HomeBrew Electronics CPR Compressor Retro
Homebrew
57% similarityShared character: dynamic control, compressor, compression
Jackson Audio hour-glass
Jackson Audio
53% similarityShared character: sustain, compressor, compression
Teisco Mini Compressor
Teisco
50% similarityShared character: compressor, simple
JHS 3 Series Compressor
JHS Pedals
50% similarityShared character: sustain, compressor, circuit
Henretta Engineering Golden Years
Henretta Engineering
50% similarityShared character: sustain, compressor, compression
See all alternatives to the Dr. Green Life support (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Dr. Green Life support?+
The closest matches in character are the Orange Sustain, the HomeBrew Electronics CPR Compressor Retro, the Jackson Audio hour-glass. Budget picks: Marshall ED 1, Donner Sustain, TC Electronic Forcefield Compressor Effetto Compressore A. Boutique upgrades: TC Electronic Classic Sustain, FTelettronica Mars Compressor, Pigtronix Philosopher's Tone Germanium Gold Ltd..
What pairs well with the Dr. Green Life support?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: 1959 Fender Tweed Deluxe, Fender Bassman Combo Amp, Univox Super-Fuzz — 1959 Fender Tweed Deluxe's own transparent character is the real reason this is worth trying.
How much does the Dr. Green Life support cost?+
Around $48.94 (live listing price, updated Oct 23, 2026).
Compare
- vs Carl Martin Andy Timmons Signature
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