Help me decide on a chorus pedal...

[misterwhizzy]

After my recent run through different types of modulation, I've decided chorus is what I need. I have a Boss CE-5, and it's a little bit on the sterile side. I can't get it to thicken up the sound like I would like, and it's just not the right sound. Plus, I screwed it up trying to mod it, and at this point, it's sort of a lost cause.

I'm looking for some of those classic metal chorus tones. Think Welcome Home or maybe Cemetery Gates. I figured I could probably do it with the Hardwire CR-7, then I ran across the Black Label Chorus from MXR. The reviewers of that pedal online really like to go for Black Label Society riffs, and I still have a bit of a mental aversion to Black Label Society as a whole.

What can you tell me? What do you like or use or dislike and why?

 

[wolf5150]

Re: Help me decide on a chorus pedal...

Absolutely no contest on this one... Analogman Bi Chorus.

I've owned everything, and I mean everything and this is the best chorus pedal I've ever played.

Absolutely indespensible. :wow:

It's thick and pretty sounding when used for arpeggios, does an incredible leslie impression, doesn't drop the output when engaged and best of all.. you can set up one of each sound.. which is how I set mine.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Help me decide on a chorus pedal...

My favourite is the Roland Dimension D rack and its Boss pedal counterparts, the DC-2 Dimension C and DC-3 Dimension Chorus. What I actually use today is the Boss CE-20 in Dimension mode.

 

[misterwhizzy]

Re: Help me decide on a chorus pedal...

I'm sure the Analogman pedal is great, but $300 is way out of my price range. I want to keep it to half that or less.

 

[Low_fidelity2100]

Re: Help me decide on a chorus pedal...

You can normally find an old Boss CE-2 on ebay for less than $150, thats what I'd go with for the classic "metal chorus" sound (or just a good all around chorus). If you want to spend less $ than that, try to find an older CH-1 Super Chorus.
Prior to 2000 they were all analog, and the analog ones actually sound pretty good. Plus you can find them used for $50 or less. But make sure its the analog one, the newer digital ones sound terrible.

I've not heard anything good about the MXR Black Label Chorus, infact everything I've heard was bad. So I'd steer clear of that.

You should also check out some analog Flanger pedals. Specifically the Electro Harmonix Deluxe electric mistress, and Ibanez FL-9. Get the Big box Electric Mistress though, not the small ones EH is making now. Theres some great thick chorus sounds to be found in both the EH and the Ibanez. Plus, they can both obviously do flange too, obviously.

Theres so many Chorus pedals out there its sorta ridiculous.

 

[LesStrat]

Re: Help me decide on a chorus pedal...

I actually like my DOD FX-65 chorus.

DOD is not popular around these parts, but their loss is my gain...uh, chorus.

 

[misterwhizzy]

Re: Help me decide on a chorus pedal...

Specifically the Electro Harmonix Deluxe electric mistress, and Ibanez FL-9.

I was thinking about this one, but I was worried it wouldn't do chorus well on its own. If I can basically turn off the flange or keep it real subtle and let the chorus do most of the voicing, I'd be okay with it.

Theres so many Chorus pedals out there its sorta ridiculous.

I didn't really realize this until I got into looking at it more. Clone Theory, Mind Bender, MXR Stereo Chorus, Malekko Analog Chorus, Hardwire, old Voodoo Lab chorus pedals, the Boss stuff... It's enough to make my head swim. I just want my tone to sound like it's doing a bit of swimming, that's all.

 

[Lazarus1140]

Re: Help me decide on a chorus pedal...

I haven't tried one, but you might do some research on the Visual Sound Liquid Chorus:

Also, Analogman's standard chorus is excellent for $225. It is the one I use.

 

[briggleman]

Re: Help me decide on a chorus pedal...

I will jump in with my opinion of the Hardwire Chorus. I love it. It does give you a variety of tones and selections of chorus types. However, please do this if you are able. Go and play with the many ones that are out there. I did and it can be overwhelming at times and your tonal memory will play tricks on you. However all that being said, I settled on the Hardwire due to the fact it covered more bases than some of the ones devoted to a single type of chorus.

The way I now use mine is running my delay with the chorus. My Deja Vu allows a wet out which I run through the Hardwire Chorus and back into the Deja Vu. Even though the Hardwire has a multi chorus mode and a modulation mode, I find this give me the sound/tone I like.

Really, the only advice I would like U to consider, is please go and listen to the ones that are out there. It is your ear that you have to make happy, your audience will care less than you will. I will add that I also auditioned the analogman Bi Chorus and it was, to my ear at the time, the best sounding chorus of all that I heard. I did not get to play with it in a gig setting, however from my small time with it, I have regretted not purchasing it. It too, at the time was a little out of my price range. The the Hardwire came closest to matching it, well, not really close, but for the price, got me to where I needed to be at the time.

 

[Lazarus1140]

Re: Help me decide on a chorus pedal...

Hey Will,

Don't trust my memory, but doesn't Seymour Duncan have a chorus pedal on the horizon?

 

[lareplus]

Re: Help me decide on a chorus pedal...

I like my Visual Sound H20. . .combines a chorus and an echo, both work quite well!

 

[mwalluk]

Re: Help me decide on a chorus pedal...

I actually really want to try the zakk wylde chorus, the od is awesome so I expect the chorus to sound awesome as well. Moreover, MXR makes really, really good pedals.

I would recommend these 3,

voodoo labs chorus
mxr chorus
boss ce20

Ive had pleasant experiences with all three