Keeley puts germanium at the heart of its 25th-anniversary Compressor Plus
The $189 Compressor Plus Germanium changes both the output and side-chain feedback circuits while keeping the familiar four-knob layout.
Oct 7, 2026
Credit: Keeley Electronics (via source)
Keeley Electronics has launched the Compressor Plus Germanium to mark 25 years since Robert Keeley began building pedals in Oklahoma City. The new $189 compressor keeps the familiar Level, Tone, Compression and Blend controls, but it is more than an anniversary finish. A germanium transistor is used in both the audio output section and the compressor’s side-chain feedback circuit, giving the established Compressor Plus design a different response. A two-position switch adjusts recovery for single-coil or humbucking pickups, while players can choose true bypass or Keeley’s silent buffered bypass. The pedal is designed and built in Oklahoma, runs from 9 to 18 volts DC and draws 25 mA. Keeley offers it in brushed aluminum, with a transparent-black version sold through its custom-shop channel.
Credit: Keeley Electronics (via source)
Why it matters
Keeley’s compressor helped define the early boutique-pedal market. Revising the circuit that built the company, rather than merely changing its artwork, makes this anniversary model a meaningful gear release.
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