What style of music do you play? Compression is not my favourite but if you're banging out 16ths for 4 minutes at a time it might be useful...
Edit: also useful for recording. If you play around with attack and release settings you'll get a good sound with some dynamics...

The Boss LMB-3 is a Limiter (cuts the peaks down), not a compressor (cuts peaks and boosts lower level signals). Limiters are a good way to get into dynamics effects and more natural sounding than a full compressor, keeping the natural dynamics below the threshold. If you want to get into compression rather than limiting, rather look at the Boss CS-3 - cheap and cheerful.

If you do go for an LMB-3 - avoid the "exciter" part - it's horrible. ?

The Attack controls how quickly the compressor takes action after the Threshold has been hit and Release controls how long it continues after the sound has reached its peak. The Threshold adjusts when the compression starts to kick in (e.g. -10db). The ratio adjusts the amount of db to compress for every db the volume goes up - i.e. the ratio controls the amount of compression. A compressor compresses dynamic range, that's what it does, it decreases the difference between the softest and loudest sounds.

This can result in a smoother sounding bass in the mix and may suit your style or the song, but then again, it might make the bass sound soulless like a machine. It depends how and where you use it and how much of it you use. A little compression can go a long way. The best is to try it out and see what your ears say.

Compression is one of those effects where unless it's for a particular effect a little goes a long way ?

To the OP: imo it'll do all those things and yes you need it.

In fact I thought compression was pretty much a standard requirement for bass. Dunno about live but in the studio. (Actually, come to think of it I dunno much at all. But certainly is in *my* studio. ? )

Depends on the bassist... I know when I play bass I need compression to even out the notes (preferably in the form of a valve amp ?), but a decent bassist can usually control their dynamics a lot better and will only use compression as an effect or when slapping.

Jack Flash Jr wrote: What style of music do you play? Compression is not my favourite but if you're banging out 16ths for 4 minutes at a time it might be useful...
Edit: also useful for recording. If you play around with attack and release settings you'll get a good sound with some dynamics...

I play mostly rock, but I do enjoy hammer-on chords and slapping and popping fills. I want a compressor to lift the tapped chords and lower the slapping sound.

Anyone else got some feedback on the Boss CS3? What other entry level (bass) compressors are available on the SA market? I've seen an ashdown one somewhere, but read a couple bad reviews on it.

I use a Boss LMB3 limiter for slapping/plucking on my fretted bass. It works well, but to obtain a really good slap/pluck sound I use a Boss GEB7 and then a Boss CEB3 Bass chorus. I used the settings that were shown in the pamphlets that were in the Boxes. However when these pedals are bypassed they tend to affect the sound. I solved this problem by designing a circuit with miniature telcomm relays so that i could have true bypass switching (There are 7 pedals in series o this bypass setup).
If you play fretless basses a compressor is good as the peaks and throughs can be equalized and a bit of sustain helps with getting a good smooth sound on the slow pieces of music.