The MXR Dyna Comp is the move.

Yes, that’s the one. Julia Jacklin uses a Dyna Comp and a Boss CS-3 on her board, but the Dyna Comp is cheaper and nails that subtle, responsive squeeze she gets.

The Dyna Comp is a classic for a reason. It works especially well with single-coil pickups (she plays a Telecaster) and gives you that gentle compression that evens out your dynamics without killing the attack. It’s not too squishy—you can set the sensitivity low and the output high, and it just makes everything sit right.

If you want more control over the attack and release, grab a Boss CS-3—it’s got more knobs and it’s what she uses on quieter parts. But for that live feel where the guitar breathes? Dyna Comp.

You don’t need to spend more than eighty bucks to sound like her.