Build Your Own Clone Message Board

Which should i build? Pros and cons of each? Any owners of a classic that really wished they had built a 5-knob? Any owners of a 5-knob that would have been happier with an opti? Any owners of all 3 that can knowingly rate them?

Preface:
1) I am an advanced builder, so difficulty is not an issue.
2) Musically, i have 2 requirements. One is for church where i play mostly clean with a little ts-9 dirt when required. The other is my band where it varies between weezer, jimmy eat world, and a little coldplay (dont judge me).
3) Basic Stereo Setup - Fender Jazzmaster into TS-9 (setup with 50-75% drive) and Proco Rat (100% drive), 10-band eq, DL4, MM4, into Egnater Rebel 30 and Peavey Classic 20 both set clean.

I have all three models and I use the 5-knob and the opti-comp mostly. I like to put the optical last in the chain and use it to sort of clean up the entire signal chain. I don't have the compression cranked on it or anything ,it just makes everything sound better. I have it on most of the time. "Set it and forget it". The optical comp is fantastic with acoustic electric guitars.

I tend to use the 5-knob at the beginning of the chain. It isn't on all the time. I'd say about %60. I think that it tends to color the tone just a little but not in a bad way. The "jangle" effect. Although, with the ratio (blend) knob you can remove some of that.

I don't use the classic compressor as much because I have the 5-knob which is just a modded version of the classic. Anything you can do with the classic compressor you can do with the 5-knob. If you don't need all the bells and whistles you can't go wrong with a ross comp clone. I do have it on my smaller board that I take out just to pick with friends and most everyone likes it.

I would say that the opti-comp is my favorite but the 5-knob is the most versatile.

What coolhand said, and that's how I use the opti and the 5-knob in my main rig. I have a small 'bedroom' rig where I use the classic comp with vintage kit and this is *my* favorite from a tone perspective. But overall, the 5-knob wins because I can dial in some dry signal and get just the right amount of everything. I think the IDEAL would be vintage kit in the 5 knob and I've heard tell that that is possible with some trick leg bending...

im basically looking for 2 things:

1) something to give my guitar more sustain on held notes. Since i'm not playing thru high-gain settings on my ts-9, notes tend to die out fast when allowed to ring.
2) since i go through more than a few pedals, my tone is a little browned by the time it gets to the amp. I'd like be able to spruce it back up, possibly make it sound as alive as the "guitar>amp input" sound.

addendum.... ive used just about every pedal you can think of, but i've never used a compressor. so my expectations may be off reality.

I would use the optical compressor at the end of the chain.

and for 2) you really need a buffer, not a compressor. Your issue is a long cable run and the compressor will not give back much - put a buffer at the beginning of your chain (except maybe after certain fuzz pedals) and you're laughing...