Loopy Demos

The MXR Bass Compressor (M87) is one of those pedals that just gets compression right without getting in your way. While MXR’s regular Dyna Comp is all about character and squish, the M87 takes the opposite approach – it’s designed to be transparent and professional, giving you studio-quality compression in a compact pedal format.

What sets the M87 apart is its full suite of controls: Attack, Release, Ratio, Input, and Output. This isn’t a simple two-knob affair – you get genuine control over your compression parameters, plus a super handy 10-segment LED meter that shows exactly how much gain reduction is happening. The Constant Headroom Technology ensures your bass’s full dynamic range comes through right up to the threshold, so you’re not losing punch or clarity.

I find this pedal excels at evening out fingerstyle playing without making everything sound lifeless. The attack and release controls are surprisingly musical – you can dial in everything from subtle leveling that barely registers to the ear, all the way to more obvious pumping effects if that’s your thing. The ratio control offers four settings (4:1, 8:1, 12:1, and 20:1) that range from gentle compression to hard limiting, with the 20:1 setting being particularly effective for slap bass techniques.

The M87 really shines when you need professional results without the learning curve of more complex units. It’s transparent enough for recording work, responsive enough for live performance, and the LED meter takes all the guesswork out of setting your levels. If you want compression that enhances your playing rather than changing your fundamental tone, this is a solid choice.

Signal Chain

• JMJ Fender Mustang*, La Bella Flats* and Curtis Novak Fat Mustang pickups, played with 0.60mm Dunlop Tortex Triangle pick* (neck pickup)
• Bass Compressor
• Mixwave Benson Chimera Plugin*
• A bit of room-like reverb from the Valhalla Vintage Verb plugin

Links

• If you are in the US, grab one from Sweetwater*
• Folks from the EU, try one from Thomann* with their hassle-free 30-day Money-Back Guarantee
• Get detailed specs on MXR's website

*Affiliate link: Buy something and support Loopy Demos at no extra cost to you!

Similar Pedals

M294 Sugar Drive Mini - MXR

M309 Joshua Ambient Echo - MXR

M102 Dyna Comp - MXR

Timmy Overdrive - MXR

Classic 108 Fuzz - MXR

M81 Bass Preamp - MXR

Kinematic - Dreadbox FX

The Vacuum - Poison Noises

<div style="display: flex; justify-content: center;"><iframe loading="lazy" src="https://loopydemos.com/demos/mxr-bass-compressor/embed" height="548" width="400" title="M87 Bass Compressor - MXR | Loopy Demos" style="border-radius: 12px; border: 0px;"></iframe></div>