BeginnerGuitarHQ brings you a new guide scoping the best chorus pedals for electric guitars you can buy right now.
We’re detailing both analog and digital alternatives, and we’re covering prices that can fit all budgets.
In my humble opinion, I suggest chorus pedals as one of the 5 essential effects for all guitar players:
- Delay,
- Chorus,
- Reverb,
- Fuzz,
- Overdrive.
If you think the chorus is a lost sound, I will prove you wrong and simply state how much good this can do for your guitar’s sound.
By the way, the chorus is a very similar effect to delay, so you can also go through our best delays for guitars guide.
What are your favorite guitar pedals?
Let’s go into a bit of detail before we dive into our review of the top 10 best chorus pedals for electric guitar.
Contents
What is the chorus effect?
The chorus effect gets its name from chorus ensembles, and what a chorus ensemble does is having many people sing the same lines at slightly different pitches and times.
This is exactly what the chorus effects do. It takes your guitar’s signal, doubles it, and plays it back with slightly altered pitch and timing.
Think about this: if you want to achieve a chorus effect on a record, you would need to overdub your guitar track, which means recording an additional guitar line on top whilst altering it just enough so it makes a difference.
Let’s explain it more theoretically: chorus effects thickens your signal by copying various times. Then, it colors the copied signals and plays them back with a slight delay.
Chorus is a modulation effect, just like flanger, phasing, tremolo, delay, and reverb. The result is various “guitar voices” playing together, simulating the sound of a chorus of instruments playing the same part.
The number of controls depends on the pedals you get. Most of them feature depth (the “coloring), rate (the “slight delay”), and tone controls.
Analog pedals are usually easier to use than digital pedals.
Chorus effects come in two categories:
- Analog: early pedals were all analog. Manufacturers still produce these devices as the sound is often warmer and richer. Analog pedals don’t have much versatility, which makes them pretty easy to use for beginners.
- Digital: digital pedals are modern versions that are getting better and better. You can find all kinds of digital chorus pedals, some of which are really good and bright, and some of which are really bad for they can be really thin, and metallic. More so, digital pedals can imitate vintage analog pedals.
And chorus pedal’s sounds are described in two ways:
- Subtle, because they barely add any tonal changes to your guitar, albeit making it more “spacey” and “atmospheric.”
- Shimmery, because they add a certain spark and fullness to the sound
Next…
What is the vibrato effect?
As many chorus pedals include a vibrato effect, I felt inclined to explain this. The vibrato consists of a regular, pulsating pitch change.
Typically, you can customize the vibrato effect with two factors: the amount of pitch variation (extent), and the speed of the pitch variation (rate).
What is a flanger?
Now, a flanger effect mixes two identical signals. However, it delays one signal by a small and gradually changing period, usually smaller than 20 milliseconds.
These are types of modulation effects, just like delay, reverb, vibrato, tremolo, flanger, phaser, and chorus. Modulation effects work with LFOs.
Some chorus pedals often have vibration, flanger, or phaser effects.
Where does the chorus effect come from?
The first, standalone chorus pedal came into existence in the mid-’70s with the all-time classic Boss CE-1 Chorus Ensemble, which I’m featuring on my list.
Then, during the ‘80s, this shimmery, watery effect really became a mainstream thing because of how much chorus pedals improved.
In fact, chorus effects were so prominent in the ‘80s that many people believe this sound is more of a relic to an era.
However, music styles that have risen to prominence since that era prove chorus effects have never gone out of style. Do you want to know how iconic it can be? Well, think of Nirvana’s “Come as You Are” intro.
Nowadays, the chorus continues to be heard in all kinds of music genres. Plus, they now come with a wide arrange of features, in all shapes and sizes.
The greatest songs recorded with chorus effects
I’m going to list a couple more songs recorded with chorus effects so you have an idea of how you can use this effect and what it can add to your sound:
- Walking on the Moon – The Police
I choose this old masterpiece as the prime example of how you can use chorus pedals to great effects.
This song made chorus pedals pretty much part of the standard guitar gig for the next 15 years. Andy Summers, The Police’s guitarist, regularly used chorus pedals and flangers to create his signature sound.
- Sanitarium / Fade to Black / One / Nothing Else Matters – Metallica
I can’t decide which is my favorite Metallica song of the ones I listed. What you need to know is, every time you hear a clean Metallica guitar, you’re also hearing a chorus effect, either live or on the record.
Try playing these clean arpeggios with and without the chorus pedal and see how the effect enhances the tone.
A subtle chorus effect can give you plenty of character. If you find that changing from distortion to clean results in a lifeless, dry sound, a chorus effect with a bit of the dry signal can yield great results.
EXTRA INFO:
When I talk about “dry” or “wet” signal, I mean: the dry signal is the guitar’s sound with the effect mixed in. The wet signal is the unaltered guitar sound.
- Paradise City – Guns ‘n’ Roses
And yes, you can also get the cheesy ‘80s glam rock sound. And it’s still a great example of how your chorus pedal can add so much color and personality to your clean tones.
More so, you can dial the settings of the device yo get in and get out this retro sound.
For example, try playing the intro part of this song without a chorus pedal, and see how dry and plain it sounds. Then, put the chorus up a notch plus a bit of delay and you’ll find yourself a better tone. I’m not the one who decided that, by the way. Slash did.
In the end, this is another example of arpeggio chords with chorus pedals. So you’ve learned that arpeggios and clean electric guitars always sound better on chorus. However, while picking each note individually can bring the best out of your chorus, then strumming the strings can bring the worst.
- Pull Me Under – Dream Theater
I’m not a fan of Dream Theater…not really. But you might be.
Theater’s guitar player John Petrucci uses a lot of chorus effects to give his clean tones a bigger, fatter, atmospheric sound.
Pull Me Under’s intro is a great example of the guitar cleans he uses.
On the studio, he often records with two different guitars for the clean tone, one acoustic guitar with a piezo-electric pickup; and one electric guitar. He then mixes those guitars together and adds chorus for a very wide and full sound.
You can also hear a lot of delay mixed with the chorus on those cleans, and delay is a common partner of chorus effects.
So, keep in mind recreating Petrucis sound is pretty far from just getting a delay pedal. Still, you can get pretty close to it.
- Come As You Are – Nirvana
I already mentioned this sound, and it really catches my interest because I used to believe rough and raw sounds were synonymous with the ‘90s grunge music. That sounds like the antithesis of chorus effects.
However, Kurt Cobain used two pedals in his live rig: a Boss DS-1 distortion pedal plus an EHX Small Clone chorus pedal.
The opening guitar line of this iconic song is made of chorus. Plus, the soft verse filled with chorus effects & loud distorted / power chord chorus style became a staple of the grunge movement, which is something Nirvana first explored during the record of the Nevermind album.
- I Will Follow – U2
U2 ar Red Rocks concert was the moment when U2 transition from a pop-rock band for young people to being…concert hall and stadium U2.
In the following years, The Edge became known as an experimental guitar player who kept finding creative ways to use delay pedals and chorus pedals. For example, his guitar line for “I Will Follow” is a perfect example of well-used chorus effects.
So, for anyone thinking chorus pedals makes weak guitar lines, these guitar lines explode.
- Get Lucky – Daft Punk
If this list of greatest-bands-of-all-time is not convincing you because there’s nothing new, think again.
Nile Roger’s funky guitar line on this killer hit has a sweet, subtle, and catchy chorus effects that played justices to Nile’s signature staccato guitar style.
I believe this song shows us how to sweat a chorus effect colors clean funk guitars.
- The Spirit of Radio: Rush
Everybody talks about Rush’s bass player, frontman, singer, keyboard player, and songwriter Geddy Lee…but no one talks about guitarists Alex Lifeson!
Kidding aside, Lifeson was a master of overdriven chorus tones. Check this amazing song and see how the E and B strings sing out during the whole verse. It’s so perfect how the riff mixes with the chorus pedal!
Buying advice: what to look for in chorus pedals?
Although it was known as the “80s effect,” modern chorus pedals offer a wide range of warm, sonic options.
These pedals can tone done your sound and give you more subtle feelings. Or it can go the other way around by thickening your guitars lines all the way up to a grungy warble.
If you’re a sound purist, you’ll prefer analog pedals. I love analog pedals because there’re so many chorus analog pedals defining the sound of the effect. The Boss CE-2W is a great example.
Recent advances by Fender and Walrus Audio has taken these vintage tones to new territories, so these brands will do great justice for you if you’re looking for a mix between vintage and modern digital circuits giving you more versatility.
You should not rule out digital chorus pedals, though. These contemporary soundboxes can emulate their analog forefathers and go deep into flanger, reverb, vibrato and even delay territory. Digitech’s multi-effect pedals are a great example of this, the Digitech Nautila is the most versatile chorus pedal in the market.
Keep in mind the more versatility it has, the more difficult is going to be to use it. So, if you’re a beginner or if you just want a simple, straightforward chorus effect, pick analog options.
So far, it’s a matter of choosing between versatility or specific sounds. Or a mix in between both
If you’re looking for a professional rig, I recommend you go for chorus pedals with dual outputs. See, dual outputs will allow you to create a stereo sound (but only if you have a dual-amp rig), or a stereo mix.
And the 3D effect of a chorus is truly a stunning sound to witness. John Frusciante is a great example of this kind of use.
It all means a pedal with many features doesn’t mean it’s better, or that a pedal with few features is worse. In particular, I prefer easy, straightforward alternatives that won’t take too much of my time to master and use live.
Lastly, make sure you check the speed of the pedals because if you’re a shredder, you’ll want a pedal that can go fast.
Fender Stratocaster and Telecaster guitars always sound great with chorus pedals.
Why should you buy a chorus pedal
As you see, chorus pedals can give you great tones when you use them properly. The songs I gave you are a great starting point from you, so you can try playing these songs to match these tones as closely as you can.
Things you can do with chorus pedals are giving color and atmosphere to your clean tones and funky guitars. It can also give you great feedback, sustain and color to your soft guitar riffs.
Chorus effects mix really well with arpeggios as it adds personality to each of the notes. More so, it lets the notes ring out for a little bit.
Furthermore, I must add chorus effects are the perfect partners of reverb and delay pedals. Plus, they can also work well with overdrives, phasers, flangers, and tremolos.
If you want to master this effect, try playing parts that you know work well with the chorus, and then try adding chorus on parts you know it can’t work really well. Experiment until you learn how to make your tones sound better, and until you understand the situations where a chorus effect will simply ruin the vibe.
The more you play around, the better. If you already have a chorus pedal, try playing simple chord progressions, and then swap between strumming and arpeggios:
Em / C / Am / G.
Think about how the chorus alters your tone and how you can tweak it to fit your style. For example, you can turn the speed up for the arpeggios and turn the speed down for the strummings.
Try out your chorus pedals on your practice time.
Top 10 best chorus pedals for electric guitars reviews
Let’s go on towards the best chorus analog and digital chorus pedals you can buy right now. I’m leaving you a demo video on each article so it’s easier for you to pick the item.
Be sure to try before you buy, if you can.
Boss CE-2W Waza Craft Analog Chorus
The CEC Chrosu ensemble pedal was launched in 1976 as the world’s first chorus pedal and as BOSS first pedal as well.Three years later, Boss improved the sound with the CE-2 chorus pedal.
Four decades later, in 2016 and during the 40th anniversary of BOSS innovation, the company launched the Waza Craft
So, the Boss CE-2W Waza Craft is an expensive device for a reason. It’s a definite improvement over its predecessor, the CE-1. Why? Because the Waza craft is a chorus plus an effect crafted into a single pedal.
Even better, the CE-2W Waza Craft combines two Boss pedals into one: the CE-2 chorus/vibrato pedal, and the mother of all chorus effects, the timeless CE-1.
So sound-wise, this is a perfect mix between the classic original product and the reissue (the CE-2). It has that unmistakable thick, rich, lush, and shimmering Boss chorus sound musicians covet. Remember my examples from before? Well, most of them have used Boss chorus pedals, like Rush, Metallica, The Smiths, and The Pretenders.
Furthermore, this device delivers the signature Boss tone, which is a perfect reproduction of the legendary Boss CE-2 pedal. Additionally, it includes new sounds that were not available in the original pedals, which includes a stereo output and a variable depth knob for the CE-1 chorus sounds.
- Then, you have a three-way toggle switch to select between the CE-1, the CE-2 chorus, and the CE-2 vibrato. The first position, (the one on the left), is the stereo CE-1.
- The rate knob is also the modulation speed.
- The depth knob alters the tone of the effect.
On this device, we can the standard input and output jack, plus the on and off button.
Overall, this is the best Boss chorus pedal and probably the best chorus pedal there is. The sound is warm and interesting and gives no noisy effects. Top-notch, and top-dollar.
Otherwise, you can get the cheaper Boss Stereo Chorus pedal, which comes with a 2-band EQ and an Effect Level knob. The sound is classic, the performance is superb, and it has the typical blue-Boss pedal design.
MXR M234 Analog Chorus Pedal
MXR is one of the best pedal brands right now and belongs to the top 3 chorus pedal brands in the market, alongside Boss and Walrus.
It’s a household name for all guitarists because they have been making top-quality products since the ’70s.
This is an analog chorus that delivers classic feel and ease of use. It’s designed with old-school electronics for it wants to give you that vintage, warm, and liquid tone.
Furthermore, the amount of controls it has provides the best experience regarding level, rate, depth, and low and high-frequencies function knobs.
- The level knob sets how many choruses you want coming out of the pedal.
- The rate is the modulation speed.
- The depth controls the deep pillars of the chorus.
- The high and low knobs represent the 2-band EQ to adjust the sharpness and the tone.
The thing I most love about this pedal is how gorgeous it looks. It has an indigo blue finish accentuated with a marble effect. Plus, it has LED lights indicating when the device is on and off. It’s very bright on the stage because of these lights.
More so, it’s sturdy enough to hold its own on your travel bag as you gig around with your band. It’s still a bad idea to paint it with a sharpie or letting it fall, though.
Lastly, you can power the MXR M234 with a 9V DC battery and it has 3 jacks: input, mono, and through.
For everything it offers, the price tag it has is, at least, exciting.
Overall, this is an outstanding chorus pedal giving you 80’s tones and modern tones as well. You can blend this with some delay and overdrive and have endless hours of fun and creativity.
Walrus Audio Julia Analog Chorus Vibrato Pedal
Walrus is a company making cool, different pedal effects for guitars. They are known for creating pedals with outstanding sounds, creative features, and astonishing looks. Musicians consider some of their designs as “out-there” for they can take your sound to new levels of discovery.
Bands that have used this brand include Bon Jovi, One Republic, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Shins, Boyce Avenue, The Shins, The Raconteurs, Manchester Orchestra, and Cold War Kids.
Walrus chorus line of pedals is called “Julia,” and Julia comes in rich blue or red colors. It has full analog electronics which gives a brilliant, warm sound.
As for controls, it has Rate, Depth, and Lag knobs on the upper side, plus “D-C-V” and a switch on the downside. The first two knobs are common amongst all chorus pedals, whereas the other controls are a particularity of this device.
- In essence, the Lag control knob alters the delay time of the effect for an ultra-precise tunning.
- The D-C-V knob means “Dry – Chrous – Vibrato.” and it controls the bend of the effect. It means you can blend the dry signal with the chorus effect and, as you roll the knob, add some vibrato as well. It’s an ideal choice for people looking to replicate the ‘80s chorus but without the cheese.
It means you can set this knob all the way up to get a vibrato effect.
- The Wave Switch you see is an LFO switch that chooses either a triangle or a sine LFO waveform. In other words, it allows you to change the tone from smooth and tight at the lower setting, towards noisy detune at the upper setting.
Let me explain: the sharper corners of the triangle wave sound very attractive with chorus effects, and round wave shapes of the sine form sound better with vibrato.
Now, the Lag knob lets you set the delay time that the LFO switch modulates. It adds a new dimension of sound to the traditional chorus/vibrato pedals.
Lastly, the Julia device has 2 jacks (input and output).
Overall, the Walrus Julia combines a chorus and vibrato into a single, beautiful pedal with superb quality and tone and top-notch controls and sound customization. Furthermore, it has a rugged build that can last a lifetime.
As for price, Julia is not the cheapest pedal around. However, if you’re willing to make a good investment into a professional chorus pedal, Julia won’t disappoint you.
Way Huge Smalls Blue Hippo Analog Chorus
The Small Blue Hippo is a miniature doppelganger of the original Blue Hippo Pedal, which preserves the same features and sweet tones of its big brother.
The sound it gives is luscious and rich, and it’s pretty easy to set up and use. In fact, with its simple Speed and Depth control knobs, this is as easy as an analog pedal can get.
You can simply dial in your desired tone and leave the pedal on its own on your pedalboard. The perfect set-and-forget alternative.
Then, if you want to splash in some vibrato sound, you just need to flip the Vibe switch to give your tones a little more texture.
The tone is similar to The Police’s guitar player, Andy Summers, Rush’s Alex Lifeson, or even U2’s The Edge. I would describe it as “compressed” chorus tones that swirl around your guitar. And when you turn on the vibrato, it offers some serious pulsations that can liquify your sound.
I also love how small this contender is, which makes it very pedalboard-friendly.
Overall, this is a no-nonsense pedal that adds deep texture and color to your sound. It adds a thick, professional chorus and swirling vintage vibrato to your guitar gear.
TC Electric Corona Digital Chorus
If you prefer modern, versatile pedals that pack some genuine advanced features that make you think of a sci-fi movie, I present you the Corona digital chorus from TC Electronic.
This digital device comes loaded with cutting-edge technology plus the ability to simulate the analog vibe.
What’s interesting about this device is TC calls it “the chorus for people who hate chorus”. The reason for that name is how versatile it is. It offers options not common on your typical Rate / Depth chorus pedal, and it can take your sound from the common vintage sound to more modern alternatives.
More so, it can do it really easily, because albeit it has four knobs, it doesn’t take long to understand this.
Even when this is a digital pedal, it can get really close to those warm, analog tones. More so, it has so much versatility because of its all-digital circuit, so this puppy can sore the “best of both worlds” mark.
As for controls, you have four knobs:
The speed knob determines the intensity of the effect. Rolling the knob up gives you a crankier effect.
- The depth adjusts the intensity of the effect.
- The FX Level adjusts the chorus effect you inject into your tone. The higher you turn the knob, the more chorus you get and the less clean your guitar sounds.
- The tone knob adjusts the color of the effect. In other words, it adjusts which audio frequencies will the effect cover.
- The 3-way switch selects between three chorus modes. “Tri chorus mode” gets you three voices for a luscious tone. The middle option, “Toneprint,” imitates vintage analog chorus pedals. The final option, “Chorus”; is the standard digital effect.
I must also talk about its durability: it comes in a sturdy metal green casing that operates as a true bypass pedal for low levels of noise. Plus, it has two stereo inputs and two stereo outputs, which means you can separate the sound in two directions.
I’m sharing a bundle that comes with 2 instrument cables, 2 patch cables, and a bag. All in all, I find this to be a very affordable pedal.
Chase Bliss Warped Vinyl Hybrid Chorus Pedal
Do you want something interesting, classy and versatile? Look no further, because the pure aesthetics of this device will definitely catch your eyes.
See, whilst the majority of chorus pedals are trying to design the perfect pitch and the perfect delay, the Chase Bliss does a different thing.
Its approach is more organic: as the name suggests, the Warped Vinyl emulates the sound of warped vinyl records, so that means the chorus and vibrato effects are unpredictable.
It combines analog circuitry and digital controls, so this is a truly hybrid pedal that delivers an organic, vintage sound, plus a staggering amount of flexibility and options.
However, this is most definitely not an easy pedal to use. It has 6 control knobs and a bunch of switches that allow you to endlessly manipulate thee chorus effect, and the tone won’t be either full analog of full digital. It’s something different.
More importantly, it has a tap-tempo switch, which allows you to set the delay time down to perfection by using the button as a metronome.
Let’s not get crazy with the explanation. Instead, I’m going to share you a tutorial video because this pedal is pretty complex:
This is the most versatile chorus pedal there is, and definitely one of the most interesting guitar pedals you can find.
If you’re intimidated by the deep options of the Warped Vinyl, let me assure you that you can master it with a basic approach: you can either consider it as a basic chorus/vibrato pedal, or you can think of this a rabbit hole to hi-fi experimentation.
If you want a traditional pedal, this device will still deliver sounds you won’t hear anywhere else.
Lastly, this pedal comes closer to real vinyl sound than any other pedal around, but it does so for a striking price. However, trying to emulate broken records sound is only the surface of everything this pedal has to offer with its 6 knobs, 4 flip-switches, 16 dip switches, and 2 footswitches.
Plus, it has in/out jacks, ext input, and MIDI functionality. It’s the pedal for experimental guitar players and sonic explorers. There are no compromises on this pedal, and if you hold your music to the same standards, then this is for you.
Electro Harmonix Small Clone Analog Chorus Pedal
This was Kurt Cobain’s secret weapon, and much like his guitar playing, the Small Clone is a mean, basic, and gritty pedal that can give a top-notch guitar.
In fact, it’s so easy to use you can forget about it altogether and focus on your playing. Instead, you would have to craft a single, signature tone, and leave the Clone to do its thing.
This pedal assures classic, organic and rich tones. More so, it comes within the most sturdy case you can find on this list.
I must also highlight its true bypass feature and its simple controls:
- A rate knob that adjusts the speed and presence of the chorus. The ore you roll this up, the more presence the chorus has on the mix.
- A 2-way switch that adjusts the depth. Switch it one way to give the chorus more prominence on the mix with a mellow, simmering tone. On the other way (the higher option), gives you a subtle chorus effect.
Pretty easy, pretty useful.
Many people consider this pedal as the “Come as You Are” effect, and yes, you can get that tone with the Small Clone. By the way, Kurt Cobain mostly used Fender Stratocaster guitars, a well as Fender Mustang and Fender Jaguar guitars.
I must also add the Small Clone can give you other sonic expressions, from rich, atmospheric chorus to genuine pulsating vibratos. Those easy and simple controls can craft you a neat 12-string-guitar-ñike shimmer effect.
Overall, this is the easiest pedal on the list, one that has already been proven by a professional. The sound is gritty, warm, and powerful.
And just because this is the “Kurt Cobain pedal” doesn’t mean you can’t do so much more than Nirvana did with this device.
Fender Chorus Guitar Effects Analog Pedal
Fender is not a name we usually associate with pedals. But what you need to know is the company also builds amazing effects, which means they can offer everything you need for your guitar gear: electric guitars, electric guitar amps, and electric guitar effects.
More so, when you combine Fender instruments with Fender effects and amps you get amazing effects.
Aside from the Fender name, this is a high-quality analog pedal that can save you a few bucks. It comes with most things player needs, has a distinctive Fender staple, and sells for an affordable price.
In particular, this is a stereo pedal with a single input and two output jacks to create a stereo sound. It also has low-noise features so it can operate as a low-noise analog pedal and secure a tight, clean, swirly sound.
As for controls, it has:
- A depth knob, the pedal standard that controls the final audio input. In particular, Fender’s depth knob controls the intensity of high frequencies.
- The speed, which controls the speed of the effect.
- The mix knob adjusts the level of the effect.
As simple as it gets.
I love the cool LED status indicator that flashes according to the speed of the chorus. It gives you a clear image of the pedal’s intensity even in dark scenario situations.
So, this pedal stands out because of ease of use and value for the buck. Overall, it’s a quite simple pedal with a top-notch Fender warm sound. Albeit is not that versatile, it can be enough to satisfy most players.
A foreword: this is a made-in-China Fender pedal, so don’t expect high-grade sound or construction quality. Just expect something nice, affordable, and beginner-friendly. There’s nothing wrong with that.
Donner Tutti Love Analog Chorus pedal
Do you want the best budget chorus pedal? I got you. This Donner Tutti Love is a pure analog pedal with a true bypass switch and simple controls and a subtle, pretty chorus effect.
Its design is so friendly it can fit beginner guitar players. And its price is so absurdly cheap it can definitely fit a tight budget. In fact, this can cost you less than what you’d expend on a date with your partner.
Something I really love about this affordable pedal is its true bypass chip. It also has a LED indicator showing you the working state of the device.
Overall, it’s a simple, affordable chorus pedal made of a plastic chassis that, although not as sturdy as metal, it can hold the test of time. And as for sound, expect pure analog tones with a clear, gentle pump.
DigiTech Nautila Digital Chorus Pedal
We reached the bottom of the list to flanger / chorus pedal with tons of versatility.
The Nautilus, as most of DigiTech’s gear, offers impressive amounts of variety and allows players to dial in up to four chorus voices or eight flanger voices at the same time.
Additionally, you have a drift knob to blend different modulation waveforms in real-time.
Another amazing feature it includes is the True Bypass, plus stereo inputs and outputs for the silent switching.
Let’s make a rundown of the controls. Some of these knobs are two knobs at the same time, one above other.
- It has a 2-way switch that selects between chorus or flanger effect.
- The Mix knob blends dry and wet signals. The more you roll it up, the less of the wet signal you use.
- The Speed & Depth knob increases the speed of the effect whilst changing the tone.
- The Emhp & Voices knob dials the number of voices you want in the effect and changes the tone of the voices.
- Drift selects the waveform, sine, triangle, or log. It can give you a unique asymmetrical modulation.
This digital pedal packs a lot of technology, and the results are worth the effort by DigiTech, as well as your time investment to understand this pedal.
Thre’s also an unusual feature for the on / off footswitch it has. When the effect is active and as you hold the footswitch, you will “ramp” the modulation speed to the maximum speed as you play. And when you release the footswitch, the modulation falls back to the rate determined by the speed knob.
Lastly, it has stereo in and out connections, which makes this a great choice for professional musicians.
The tone is swirly d soothing, and with the voice and drift controls, there’s much you can do. For example, you can add up to eight voices of chorus or eight flanger voices, and then morph and blend these waveforms at your heart’s content.
You can then tweak your sound to clean curls, soapy foam, or wild atmospheres. The versatility is truly extreme and, even better, it’s not as complex as other pedals achieving similar levels of possibilities.
The sound is always rich and full. In particular, the drift control is very useful as you can slow down the effect sweep to call upon other sounds such as vibrato. It gives your guitar additional layers of texture.
Overall, this is a very cool and very versatile pedal. And it looks otherworldly. So, for a mid-level price tag, you get a pedal that’s as practical as creative.
Final considerations
Getting the most of your chorus pedals
Moderation is key with chorus pedals. While this applies to most effects, it’s very important for you to keep the chorus tight and because it can easily push your organic tone down the trash.
First of all, you need to consider your pedal placement. Because of its nature of copying, delaying and putting the signal back together, chorus pedals must be near the end of the chain.
So, let’s now make a rundown of how you can use chorus pedal effects:
- Clean tones: The chorus on clean sections can yield some amazing results. You can dial in good tones that add some personality, color, and texture to your guitar. Just keep in mind different chorus pedals will react differently to your guitar, especially when you start to abuse the rate and depth knobs.
- Distorted tones: chorus pedals are natural companions of overdrives. However, distortion is a bit different. Generally, these two don’t mix together, but a subtle amount of chorus can certainly do the trick. It allows your guitar to stand out in the record with more authority whenever you need your guitar to be the main character of the song.
Lastly, I need to add there are subtle chorus pedals that won’t alter your core tone. Instead, they will only add the delay. But on the other end o the spectrum, we have shimmering chorus effects that are extremely warm or bright.
Remember your chorus pedal goes at the end of your signal chain.
I hoped you found some interesting pedals that can suit your style and your budget on my list. If you have any comments or suggestions, leave it on the comments down below!
Good luck and happy hunting!
