Boss CE-2 Chorus: Is there a "better" chorus out there?

[jrbowen81]

What I mean is... I know preference when it comes to tone is purely subjective, but I'm just curious.

This is the oldest piece of gear that I own. Whether it's the "best" piece or not, that's another story. However, it's also one of the few pieces of gear I've always told myself that I'd never sell or trade off.

With all that said, this is the only chorus I've used for the past decade. I really have no idea what other ones would sound like in my rig. So as far as I'm aware, it sounds good clean. It sounds like maybe it's a bit "too much" on distorted sounds though. There's also a noticable jump in volume when I engage it, so there's definitely some tone-suck going on. I also notice that even though I consider it a "favorite" pedal of mine, I really don't use it as much as anything else on my board.

Basically, I'm kinda wondering if this will be yet ANOTHER piece of gear that will have me kicking myself in a few years for getting rid of it. (Just like with my old Laney GH50L. SMH...)

I generally like chorus as an effect, but I haven't heard a whole ton of others that I thought I just HAD to have.


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[PFDarkside]

Re: Boss CE-2 Chorus: Is there a "better" chorus out there?

Keep it.

I used to bag on chorus, I thought it was cheesy, with its saccharine slickness... Until I tried a good analog chorus. Mine is the Voodoo Lab Analog Chorus. I'm not sure if it's a CE-1 or CE-2 based circuit, but it adds a nice lushness at lower settings and does an awesome pseudo-Leslie at higher settings.

All that saying, keep it. Plus good, vintage Boss pedals aren't going down in value.

 

[jrbowen81]

Re: Boss CE-2 Chorus: Is there a "better" chorus out there?

...good, vintage Boss pedals aren't going down in value.

You're right about that. It's an '81 MIJ black label model too, so it's one of the earlier ones. What I've also considered is maybe having it modded by Keeley or something. A local guy told me he got his Keeley-modded and said it's more than worth it.



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[jrbowen81]

Re: Boss CE-2 Chorus: Is there a "better" chorus out there?

Mine is the Voodoo Lab Analog Chorus. I'm not sure if it's a CE-1 or CE-2 based circuit, but it adds a nice lushness at lower settings and does an awesome pseudo-Leslie at higher settings.

So I guess another question would be, (given that I will probably hold onto mine) what other choruses would be a good alternative to mine? I still want to try out some other ones eventually, even if I never get rid of my CE-2.

I've thought about trying one of the recent MXR offerings, the TC Electronic Corona, or something along those lines. Not really looking for any $400 boutique things right now. Lol


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[dystrust]

Re: Boss CE-2 Chorus: Is there a "better" chorus out there?

Keep it.

I used to bag on chorus, I thought it was cheesy, with its saccharine slickness... Until I tried a good analog chorus. Mine is the Voodoo Lab Analog Chorus. I'm not sure if it's a CE-1 or CE-2 based circuit, but it adds a nice lushness at lower settings and does an awesome pseudo-Leslie at higher settings.

All that saying, keep it. Plus good, vintage Boss pedals aren't going down in value.

The Voodoo Labs Analog Chorus is a CE-2 clone. I used to have one, but sold it because it was a bit on the noisy side. These days I'm using a Boss CE-2 from early 1980 (it's older than me), and it sounds even better than the VL while being quieter as well. At one point I owned a pair of CE-2s, and kept the better of the two. I don't know if my VL was bad or if this CE-2 is unusually good, but that's how it worked out.

 

[jrbowen81]

Re: Boss CE-2 Chorus: Is there a "better" chorus out there?

The Voodoo Labs Analog Chorus is a CE-2 clone. I used to have one, but sold it because it was a bit on the noisy side. These days I'm using a Boss CE-2 from early 1980 (it's older than me), and it sounds even better than the VL while being quieter as well. At one point I owned a pair of CE-2s, and kept the better of the two. I don't know if my VL was bad or if this CE-2 is unusually good, but that's how it worked out.

Yeah, another reason I like keeping this one is because it was born the same year as me. Lol


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[some_dude]

Re: Boss CE-2 Chorus: Is there a "better" chorus out there?

The best chorus' I've played are the CE-2 and Small Clone.

I've never used one, but the TC Electronic SCF is a classic and if I remember correctly it's considered the big hair 80s lead sound in a box.

I currently use a Way Huge Blue Hippo, which is a CE-2 clone... as are probably 75% of the boutique clones out there.

What makes the vintage CE-2 special is the chip. A number of the clones have the same circuit as the CE-2 but they had to use a different chip and don't get the same deep chorus sound.

 

[jrbowen81]

Re: Boss CE-2 Chorus: Is there a "better" chorus out there?

The best chorus' I've played are the CE-2 and Small Clone.

I've never used one, but the TC Electronic SCF is a classic and if I remember correctly it's considered the big hair 80s lead sound in a box.

I currently use a Way Huge Blue Hippo, which is a CE-2 clone... as are probably 75% of the boutique clones out there.

What makes the vintage CE-2 special is the chip. A number of the clones have the same circuit as the CE-2 but they had to use a different chip and don't get the same deep chorus sound.

Yeah, I've been really interested in the Stereo Chorus/Flanger from TC. It's pretty expensive though.

This one actually sounds pretty good to me: http://youtu.be/YP1ptI52ymE


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[Aceman]

Re: Boss CE-2 Chorus: Is there a "better" chorus out there?

Best? I don't know. But it is a right solid pedal.

A DD3 would fall in the same category, IMO, as well as their Flanger and the SD1

 

[mrpinter]

Re: Boss CE-2 Chorus: Is there a "better" chorus out there?

I used to have a CE-2. I stopped using it when I got a Boss DC-2 Dimension C. It's a wonderful sounding stereo chorus that's pretty rare now. I also had a Boss DC-3 Digital Dimension, equally awesome just different - also stereo. I don't have any of those three any more. I got rid of all of them when I got my Earthquaker Devices Sea Machine. It's so versatile it can get me sounds that are close to the Boss pedals, plus a lot more. Should I have kept the vintage Boss pedals? Probably, but I'm not really a vintage collector any more. So I'd recommend the Sea Machine as a good alternative to check out. When I don't want to use chorus but still want a spacious modulation effect I use an EQD Disaster Transport modulated delay. The modulation is a nice vibrato. So that's another alternative.

 

[jrbowen81]

Re: Boss CE-2 Chorus: Is there a "better" chorus out there?

I used to have a CE-2. I stopped using it when I got a Boss DC-2 Dimension C. It's a wonderful sounding stereo chorus that's pretty rare now. I also had a Boss DC-3 Digital Dimension, equally awesome just different - also stereo. I don't have any of those three any more. I got rid of all of them when I got my Earthquaker Devices Sea Machine. It's so versatile it can get me sounds that are close to the Boss pedals, plus a lot more. Should I have kept the vintage Boss pedals? Probably, but I'm not really a vintage collector any more. So I'd recommend the Sea Machine as a good alternative to check out. When I don't want to use chorus but still want a spacious modulation effect I use an EQD Disaster Transport modulated delay. The modulation is a nice vibrato. So that's another alternative.

Oh, nice. I was thinking about checking into the EQD too. They make cool stuff!


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[jrbowen81]

Re: Boss CE-2 Chorus: Is there a "better" chorus out there?

Have you tried the ZOOM MS70 CDR? About 100 bucks you'll get numerous choruses, delays, and reverbs, modelled after famous effects including the CE-2, CH-1, etc. etc. Think of it not as a modeler but a one-of-a-kind effect pedal. I bought one 3 weeks ago. It is definitely not just a cheapo modeler for bedroom practice.

I'm really only interested in something I can just swap out on my pedalboard right now, and any kind of multi effect processor would kind of over complicate my rig at the moment. Lol... Cool idea though.


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[Falloffthebonetone]

Re: Boss CE-2 Chorus: Is there a "better" chorus out there?

My chorus isn't even a chorus, it's the detune setting on the whammy. I really love it actually, cool little digital chorus and it can be controlled with your feet!

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: Boss CE-2 Chorus: Is there a "better" chorus out there?

Keep it.
It sounds better than the voodoo labs one. Thicker.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Boss CE-2 Chorus: Is there a "better" chorus out there?

Roland Dimension D, BOSS Dimension C, BOSS CE-20 in Dimension mode.

 

[Diego]

Re: Boss CE-2 Chorus: Is there a "better" chorus out there?

So as far as I'm aware, it sounds good clean. It sounds like maybe it's a bit "too much" on distorted sounds though.

I use my CE-2 in front of pretty much everything in the board. Before OD pedals even, and definitely NOT in the loop.
Only way to make it sound "not too much" with distorted sounds, in my experience. Placed any forward and it sounds too hi-fi and correct and cheesy with gain.

Hope it helps!

 

[jrbowen81]

Re: Boss CE-2 Chorus: Is there a "better" chorus out there?

I use my CE-2 in front of pretty much everything in the board. Before OD pedals even, and definitely NOT in the loop.
Only way to make it sound "not too much" with distorted sounds, in my experience. Placed any forward and it sounds too hi-fi and correct and cheesy with gain.

Hope it helps!

Hmmm... I've always had mine in the loop. I guess I just put it there and never looked back. Lol... May need to experiment with it.


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[GuitarStv]

Re: Boss CE-2 Chorus: Is there a "better" chorus out there?

I like the small clone better myself, but the CE-2 is quite a nice chorus.

 

[JeffB]

Re: Boss CE-2 Chorus: Is there a "better" chorus out there?

Better? CE1, IMO.

But the 2 is no slouch.

I use a MXR micro chorus for now, but I would pick a retrosonic (CE1 clone) or malleko (ce2 clone) if $ was not an issue.

 

[jrbowen81]

Re: Boss CE-2 Chorus: Is there a "better" chorus out there?

Better? CE1, IMO.

But the 2 is no slouch.

I use a MXR micro chorus for now, but I would pick a retrosonic (CE1 clone) or malleko (ce2 clone) if $ was not an issue.

I would definitely like to play through a CE-1 clone. I bet it would be pretty awesome to have a compact version of that. I heard Retrosonic makes some killer stuff anyway.


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