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-VISE GRIP-
COMPRESSOR
USER’S GUIDE
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We’d like to thank you for making the Seymour Duncan Vise Grip Compressor a part of your tone quest.
The Vise Grip is a studio-grade, classic compressor in a user friendly 4 knob format. Our unique
Blend knob and 3 way mini-toggle switch allow you to select the frequency range of the original
uncompressed signal as well as infinitely adjust the amount of “wet” versus “dry” signal that is
routed to the output.
It’s often best to put a compressor at the beginning of your effects chain, but sometimes it can
work more eciently when placed after eects such as a wah or envelope filter. You won’t do any
damage by putting your effects in the so-called wrong order, so feel free to experiment and find
what works best for your sound.
The Vise Grip can do all of the following and more:
• Add natural sounding sustain to both chords and single notes
• Add extra sparkle to top end of chords and melody lines
• Soften harsh overtones and smooth out dynamics in your playing
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HOW IT WORKS
1
Blend – Determines how much of the original signal
is blended back into the compressed signal. This
control allows you to play above the compression
threshold to bring the natural snap back to individual
notes or a ri when you really dig in.
2
Mid/Full/High Switch – Determines whether just
the mids or highs are blended, or the full frequency
spectrum. Experiment with the settings to
discover very different tones.
3
Sustain – This knob is the heart and soul of the
Seymour Duncan Vise Grip Compressor as it
determines the length of sustain. It’s easy: the higher
the setting the longer your notes will ring out.
4
Attack – This crucial control regulates how quickly the
compressor reacts to your initial pick attack with the
circuit acting to compress the input signal. For increased
dynamics, a higher setting will give a late attack that
allows your pick dynamics to come through before
the compression kicks in.
5
Volume – Always important, this knob can be use d
to achieve the desired level balance between
Battery Door (on back panel)
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the sound though the compressor and
the bypassed sound. Balance this with the
sustain knob to provide as natural an eect
as possible. Alternatively, to use the Vise Grip
as a clean boost, set the output to a higher
setting and lower the amount of sustain.
6
Status LED – Indicates when the Vise Grip
Compressor is active. LED is on when the unit
is engaged, o when in true bypass mode.
7
True Bypass Footswitch – Removes
the circuit from your guitar’s signal via a
hardwired connection from the input jack to the
output jack.
8
Input Jack – Plug in your guitar or other
pedal cable here.
9
Output Jack – Run a cable to the input of
your amp or to the next eect in your
chain.
10
Power Jack – We designed this
pedal to be convenient. You can use
any 9Vdc regulated adapter (negative
polarity center terminal).
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Easy Access Battery Door – When pedal is
not in use, save your battery life by removing your
guitar cable from the input jack.
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LET’S GET STARTED!
1. Start with the unit in bypass mode (LED off). Set Blend knob all the way counter clockwise (off)
and all other knobs set at 12 o’clock.
2 Turn on the Vise Grip Compressor by pressing the footswitch – the LED will light up red when it’s active.
Adjust Volume knob and your amp level to achieve desired overall volume.
3. Experiment with Sustain and Attack knobs to get desired “wet” or compressed tone.
4. Select frequency range on mini-toggle switch and gradually bring up Blend knob to
re-introduce the dry signal to the compressed signal. Blend “wet” versus “dry” to taste.
5. Enjoy a smoother, more manageable tone.
SAMPLE SETTINGS
Compression is a subtle effect, so try out some of these example settings as a way of finding the
best tone for you.
Keepin’ It Clean
Neither too much nor too little, this will allow your chords to ring and sustain
naturally, just as Seymour intended. Adjust the Blend to taste to further increase
transients and keep it going without ever sounding forced or artificial.
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Sustain For Days
This will give you more than enough time to go away and have a bite: you'll certainly
still be hearing this one. Great for chords and better for single notes, this flub-free,
musical and silent sustain can seemingly go on forever…
Funky Chops
Rev up your bridge single coil and get that picking hand working. Give your
rhythmic chops and single-note melody lines a rounded edge that sounds
great on the three treble strings and adds muscle to those disco flavored
stops.
Lo-Fi Thinning
Especially eective when using humbuckers, try this to wildly change your tone
from warm and full to scratchy and toppy at the press of a footswitch. Want to
recreate that garage band feel? If you have a use for a skinny humbucker tone,
try this little trick for starters.
Clean Solo Emphasis
You don’t want any additional drive with a clean boost, and this setting gives
you just that. Adjust the Volume knob to the output of your amp and balance
the Blend to the tone of your guitar: your clean solos need never be buried
again.
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SPECIFICATIONS
General Description – A low noise, low distortion soft-knee compressor/sustainer pedal with very
wide-range compression, exceptional sustain, and simple, intuitive control of compressor dynamics.
Compression Ratio: Soft-knee, adjustable from 1:1 to > 20:1
Maximum Compressor Gain: +50dB
Attack Speed: Adjustable from 2.0ms to 50ms
Input Impedance: 1 Megohm
Output Impedance: 2.75K ohms maximum
Maximum Input Level: 3 Vrms
Distortion: < 0.3% at 300mV RMS output at 1 kHz
Noise referred to Input: -110dBV, 400 Hz – 20 kHz, input shorted
Compressor Type: Voltage Controlled Amplifier (VCA)
Power: 9V battery or 9V to 18 Vdc regulated adapter, center pin negative polarity
Current Consumption: 21mA operate, 19mA bypass
Dimensions: 2.60" wide X 5.0" long X 1.45" high
Weight: 0.67 lbs.
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COMMITMENT TO QUALITY AND COMMUNITY
Seymour Duncan takes pride in designing and crafting our products to create the most amazing sound
possible. Our Made in the USA label designates that the products are designed in Santa Barbara, California
and manufactured in the USA with quality parts sourced in the United States and around the world.
With everything we create, our passion and obsession for amazing sound is reflected in its quality and
reliability.
LIMITED WARRANTY
Seymour Duncan oers the original purchaser a one-year limited warranty on both labor and materials,
from the day this product is purchased. We will repair or replace this product, at our option, if it fails due to
faulty workmanship or materials during this period. Defective products can be returned to your USA dealer,
international distributor, or sent direct to our factory postage prepaid along with dated proof of purchase
(e.g., original store receipt) and RMA number. Call or email our factory for an RMA number, which must be
written on the outside of the box. We reserve the right to refuse boxes without an RMA written on the
outside. As you might expect, this warranty does not apply if you’ve modified the unit or treated it unkindly,
and we can assume no liability for any incidental or consequential damages which may result from the use
of this product. Any warranties implied in fact or by law are limited to the duration of this express limited
warranty.
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DISPOSAL GUIDELINES
In the unlikely event that you ever need to dispose of this product, it must be disposed of properly by handing
it over to a designated collection point for the recycling of waste electronic equipment. Please contact your
local household waste disposal service or the shop where you purchased this product for those locations.
Thanks for helping us conserve natural resources and ensure that it is recycled in a manner that protects
human health and the environment.
PERSONAL SETTINGS
USER NOTES
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PERSONAL SETTINGS
USER NOTES
USER NOTES
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We stand for great tone:
It’s the heart.
The soul. The essence.
The core of the sound.
We stand for musicians.
Because soul matters.
Spirit matters.
Music matters.
We stand for quality.
We’re an American original.
An industry leader.
And we’re always innovating.
We stand by our work.
Our passion. Our history.
It’s in everything we build.
In everything we touch.
We stand for great tone.
Music. Power. Heart. Soul. Tone.
It’s who we are. It’s what we do.
We are Seymour Duncan.
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seymourduncan.com
5427 Hollister Ave
Santa Barbara, CA 93111
(805) 964-9610
© 2016 Seymour Duncan. All Rights Reserved.
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