Dealing with peaks. Volume automation, limiters &/or compressors?

Nice new Acoustic guitar tracks...
My first instinct was to slap on a preset with compressor in PC and adjust it until there were no more over peaks.
Then I began to think I should maybe use a volume envelope first to level things out a bit?
Or is a limiter a better choice at the early stage to tame the odd peaks?
What do others do to tame the occasional levels yet maximize the tone/dynamics/levels balance.
I don't want to over compress of course.
Also I see most of the presets use PC76U. 
I also have the PC2A and the PC4KS. 
..And the Nomad British MCL 2269.
Not to mention the LP64, Sonitus and Cakewalk options.
(I have obviously over bought here)
Which is best at the initial track stage?
Is it a personal thing in the end?
I am overwhelmed with options.

Ah! then EQ might come first if you are going to change the levels with it anyway?
Then a limiter, then a compressor for final volume?
I'm actually very pleased with the quality of the original take and was hoping not to change that too much.

"(EQ) -post-compression if I'm boosting"
I'm not getting it I think.
If you boost EQ after the Comp, won't that mean going back and readjusting the Comp due to the resulting higher peaks?

Thanks for the reply Zo
If I can rephrase?
First I do any EQ cuts so I can reduce the "triggering"(attack? threshold?) of the comp. 
(I could not get your link to work.)
Then decide if I can boost. (Gain?)
Then re-compress in the end buss with an EQ boost as needed?
Then again on the master.
Did I undertand this?