Compressor pedals: do I need it?

do you need a compressor pedal? short answer: no

do you play with your fingers through a fender blackface amp set really clean?

maybe you could use a comrpessor, but really,, just working on your pick control would be a solid idea if you want to even out your dynamics.... technique is what you need there, with a flatpick there's no excuse…. or maybe you don't like the attack and decay of your amplifier. A compressor can be used to adjust that volume envelope before the amp, sure, but if you want fine control of it most affordable guitar comrpessors don't offer it.

and speaking of amplifiers go take your pedal budget and get a real amp already. Pathfidner's cute, and not trrible on the ears for a late 60s solid state design, but Its for bedroom use... go get a real amplifier, then worry about pedals. Keep the pathfidner of course, it might serve you well in the studio and in your bedroom. If you like the vox voicing just go buy a used ac30HW2x.... also, this amp will take care of your need for compression as it has a nice comrepssed quality from clean to mean, expecially with the celection blue speakers. But not too comrpessed, nice fast attack too... unforgiving until you have it overdriving.

if you're not going tog et serious about amplification I guess you could give compression a shot... you should probably read about it before deciding what to invest in. Understand the history and workings of compression and how it wound up as a guitar effect when it began as a studio and broadcast effect... decide if the classic mxr/ross type is good for you (90% of stompbox comrpessors are based on this) or wether you wanna look into something that does a dumbed down studio design in a pedal.

need it? nah. does it sound awesome? yeah.

they're good for math rock-esque tapping.

and funk. and bass. and switching from a single-coil to a humbucker. and using boost pedals/loud ODs.

or you can just use your hands and play into your gear appropriately

fair. i guess i'm very pro-compressor just because i like the sound, but you don't really need it

you can use it as an effect if that's soemthing you like, but a properly set compressor shouldn't be very noticable

I should be clear that depsite all the gear I own, I don't feel I need any of it apart from a guitar, an amp, a decent mono and poly synthesizer, something that makes a piano sound and maybe a rhodes sound... and that's it. I'm not very modern like that. Effects are cool, but they're not a crutch for bad playing technique just like MIDI and presets are cool but they're not a crutch for good writing and on teh fly sound design. Know how to do it bare bones is what I think. Many, many people will disagree, so balance my comments with the thoughts of big pedalboard types who make their effects into part of the performance.

I honestly have not been using anything but a guitar and amp all year, not even a little slapback or a wah wah.