The Keeley Bassist is a Keeley compressor pedal. Close alternatives include the MXR CSP202 Custom Comp and the Maxon CP-9Pro+. It pairs well with the PRS MT100 and the Engl 120 E610 MK II.
Keeley Bassist
Keeley · pedal
The Keeley Bassist is a studio-grade limiting amplifier and compressor designed for bass but equally useful on guitar. Built around the THAT Corp 4320 with accurate VCA-style compression, it stays quiet and transparent, preserving tone and clarity while delivering smooth, punchy, fattened dynamics. It can act as a limiter to protect amps and speakers from peaks when digging in, as an effect for extra punch and consistency, or as a clean boost with the compression dialed back. Simple to set and forgiving, it suits studio recording, live consistency, and players who want professional-grade dynamic control. Known for letting players play more lightly while everything comes out even, smooth, and fat, it is a frequent recommendation for transparent bass compression.
What stands out
“It is most commonly used for studio recording and live level control, acting as a limiter to , an effect for added punch, or a clean boost”
— from the community notes
“Built around the THAT Corp 4320 with accurate VCA-style compression, it stays quiet and transparent, preserving tone and clarity while delivering smooth, punchy, fattened dynamics”
— from the listing
“Simple to set and forgiving, it suits studio recording, live consistency, and players who want professional-grade dynamic control”
— from the listing
“It can act as a limiter to protect amps and speakers from peaks when digging in, as an effect for extra punch and consistency, or as a clean boost with the compression dialed back”
— from the listing
“Known for letting players play more lightly while everything comes out even, smooth, and fat, it is a frequent recommendation for transparent bass compression”
— from the listing
- punch
- compression
- studio
- quiet
- transparent
- clarity
- clean boost
- dynamic
Genres the Keeley Bassist 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. - 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. - Electronic
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
Amps that pair well with the Keeley Bassist
PRS MT100
PRS
20% matchPRS MT100 leans toward mid-forward, and that's a real, usable character to pair with
Comes later in the signal chain
Engl 120 E610 MK II
Engl
11% matchshapes the dynamic responseShapes how the tone responds to picking dynamics rather than its frequency or gain.
Keeley Bassist leans toward compressed, and that's a real, usable character to pair with
Comes later in the signal chain
Blackstar HT Club 40
Blackstar
11% matchshapes the dynamic responseShapes how the tone responds to picking dynamics rather than its frequency or gain.
What Keeley Bassist brings here leans toward compressed — that's worth building a pairing around
Comes later in the signal chain
Engl Savage 60 Mark II
Engl
11% matchshapes the dynamic responseShapes how the tone responds to picking dynamics rather than its frequency or gain.
What Keeley Bassist brings here leans toward compressed — that's worth building a pairing around
Comes later in the signal chain
Marshall JCM800 Purple Ltd
Marshall
10% matchshapes the dynamic responseShapes how the tone responds to picking dynamics rather than its frequency or gain.
Keeley Bassist leans toward compressed, and that's a real, usable character to pair with
Comes later in the signal chain
Mesa Boogie Rectifier Badlander EL34/100 Head
Mesa Boogie
9% matchshapes the dynamic responseShapes how the tone responds to picking dynamics rather than its frequency or gain.
Keeley Bassist's own compressed character is the real reason this is worth trying
Comes later in the signal chain
Blackstar HT20 Mk. II 20 Watt Combo
Blackstar
9% matchshapes the dynamic responseShapes how the tone responds to picking dynamics rather than its frequency or gain.
Keeley Bassist's own compressed character is the real reason this is worth trying
Comes later in the signal chain
Synergy SL2 Module
Synergy
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Put Synergy SL2 Module after Keeley Bassist
Pedals that stack with the Keeley Bassist
Beetronics Overhive
Beetronics
23% matchBeetronics Overhive leans toward transparent, and that's a real, usable character to pair with
Comes later in the signal chain
Beetronics Nectar
Beetronics
22% matchBeetronics Nectar leans toward fuzzy, and that's a real, usable character to pair with
Comes later in the signal chain
Suhr Rufus Reloaded
Suhr
17% matchshapes the dynamic responseShapes how the tone responds to picking dynamics rather than its frequency or gain.
Keeley Bassist's own compressed character is the real reason this is worth trying
Comes later in the signal chain
Dunlop FFM6 Band of Gypsys Fuzz Face
Dunlop
17% matchshapes the dynamic responseShapes how the tone responds to picking dynamics rather than its frequency or gain.
The Bassist's quiet, transparent compression evens out the attack before it ever reaches the FFM6's own germanium octave fuzz.
Comes later in the signal chain
Dunlop FFM3 Jimi Hendrix Fuzz Face Mini
Dunlop
16% matchshapes the dynamic responseShapes how the tone responds to picking dynamics rather than its frequency or gain.
Keeley Bassist's own compressed character is the real reason this is worth trying
Comes later in the signal chain
Tone City TC-T6 Kaffir Lime Overdrive
Tone City
15% matchshapes the dynamic responseShapes how the tone responds to picking dynamics rather than its frequency or gain.
Keeley Bassist leans toward compressed, and that's a real, usable character to pair with
Comes later in the signal chain
Dunlop Way Huge WM91 Pork & Pickle
Dunlop
14% matchshapes the dynamic responseShapes how the tone responds to picking dynamics rather than its frequency or gain.
Keeley Bassist's own compressed character is the real reason this is worth trying
Comes later in the signal chain
Ibanez WH10V3
Ibanez
13% matchshapes the dynamic responseShapes how the tone responds to picking dynamics rather than its frequency or gain.
Keeley Bassist's own compressed character is the real reason this is worth trying
Comes later in the signal chain
Alternativessee all similar tone character →
MXR CSP202 Custom Comp
MXR
65% similarityShared character: low noise floor, compressor, punch
Maxon CP-9Pro+
Maxon
65% similarityShared character: low noise floor, compressor, punchy
MXR M102 Dyna Comp
MXR
61% similarityShared character: compressor, boost, compression
Keeley Compressor Mini
Keeley
60% similarityShared character: low noise floor, compressor, compression
Jackson Audio Bloom EQ Boost Compression
Jackson Audio
57% similarityShared character: compressor, boost, recording
PRS Mary-Cries Compressor
PRS
56% similarityShared character: peak, compressor, boost
Maestro Arcas Comp
Maestro
55% similarityShared character: low noise floor, compressor, compression
DSM & Humboldt ClearComp Compressor
Dsm Humboldt Electronics
54% similarityShared character: low noise floor, compressor, punchy
Spaceman Ixion
Spaceman
53% similarityShared character: boost, transparent
Keeley Compressor Good Ol'Edition
Keeley
53% similarityShared character: low noise floor, compressor, compression
Acoustic Strymon Compadre Dual Voice Compressor
Acoustic
53% similarityShared character: compressor, boost, recording
Wampler Ego Compressor
pedal
52% similarityShared character: compressor, punch, punchy
See all alternatives to the Keeley Bassist (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Keeley Bassist?+
The closest matches in character are the MXR CSP202 Custom Comp, the Maxon CP-9Pro+, the MXR M102 Dyna Comp.
What pairs well with the Keeley Bassist?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: PRS MT100, Engl 120 E610 MK II, Blackstar HT Club 40 — PRS MT100 leans toward mid-forward, and that's a real, usable character to pair with.