Arion SFC-1 Stereo Fat Chorus

It's impossible to find a bad sound in this thing. Finding the 'right' sound for you might take a bit more time. The 'Rate', 'Depth' and 'Tone' knobs all make significant differences to the sound so it pays to spend some time tweaking.

I was never a great fan of chorus - I gave away a MIJ CE-2 years ago because I never used it. Now I think Andy Summers with a warm glow of nostalgia. My setup is a MIJ '62 reissue Strat into a Maxon SD9/SFC-1/Holy Grail into a Blues Junior. I've A/B/Ced this with the Arion SCH-1 and a Boss silver screw CE-2. All three of these choruses sound very good and handle distortion very well.

I bought the SFC-1 before the SCH-1 and was put off it by a spoiler who seemed to drop into every thread on the Arion choruses specifically to dis the SFC-1 in favour of the SCH-1 (I have conspiracy theories about this...). I finally got an SCH-1 and fully expected to ditch the SFC-1 - wrong! The SFC-1 is definitely more lush sounding - a lovely sonic plateau opens up underneath you when you switch from the SCH-1 to the SFC-1. This is not to discount the SCH-1 - I'm keeping both.

I've got a real Leslie and a Korg G4 Leslie Sim and both Arions are not not bad at approximating the Leslie sound. The SFC-1 excels at both the slower and higher speeds (the SCH-1 is great on fast and 'subtle' on slow). Both Arions showed up the CE-2's lack of speed although that pedal does have a certain something that get in your bones.

I wouldn't say the Arions are pristine quality - I detect an ever so faint high whine when they're plugged in - but they're pretty good.

By the way, my girlfriend preferred the SFC-1 if that means anything.

Yes I can depend on it but it's ugly - there, I said it. Both the SCH-1 and the SFC-1 have replacement knobs and no battery cover. Is someone from the audience going to come up and denounce you for having an unacceptable looking pedal? I don't think so...

No need but I'd like to thank them for a few great pedals - I've also got a SAD-1 which I love.

I play blues, soul and jazz plus my own stuff which is a dog's breakfast. I've been playing for years and wouldn't hesitate to buy another SFC-1 (or SCH-1) if I were to lose it. I wish it was better looking and had true bypass. I've gone from being indifferent to chorus to loving it and this pedal definitely makes me smile.

It's a vintage pedal made in Japan. Just a normal pedal. If you know how to use a boss, you know how to use this. It has stereo outputs. You can set one output with effect and another without effect or you can set both with effect. This is a great design!

My setup is: Fender Strat -- Boss SD-1(jp) -- Boss NS-2 -- Marshall JCM2000(effects loop: Arion SFC-1 -- Boss DD-6). I mostly play classic rock n' roll and blues. Because I gig in a club, sometimes I have to play some pop rock. This setup keeps audience happy every weekend! I use to use a Boss CE-2 as my main chorus, but this plastic box does take the place of the Boss forever! It sounds so warm! IMO, it's warmer than the SCH-1. That's why it's called Fat Chorus. I don't know how to say. I just feel like--this is the sound I've been looking for my blues rock!!

Made in the 80s'. It's reliable though it's plastic. Don't stomp it the way you kill a cockroach!!

no website!Necer try!

Arion's not famous as some big brands. Don't be fooled with ads! Believe in tone!

It's easy to use it. Only 3 knobs! There's a manual but no need to read it at all.

I used Boss CE-5. Months ago my Japanese friend brought me this and I began to use it instead of the CE-5. I can get my favirte chorus sound out of it. I also tred my friend's TC chorus at his home but everybody prefers this Arion! It's versatile, but don't choose this if you want mitallic chorus like Boss CH-1. I play in a blues rock band and gig every night with this on my pedalboard. My pedal chain is guitar with P-90 pickups, Marshall shredmaster, Boss NS-2, Arion SFC-1, Marshall AVT amp. The SFC-1 sounds so fat and warm and it does add flavor to my tone!

It's plastic, but I gig with this for several months without any trouble! I have to rely on it!

Never tried.

I play blues rock such as Allman brothers band, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendeix......... and some pop rock music. I have tons of pedals at home. This is the only chorus pedal on my stage. I really like its sound. Sometimes there're people asking me why I don't use other brand. There're countless new models chorus pedals in the world now, but why do I have to use other brand? I've found my sound here. It helps me satisfy my audience.

3 sensitive knobs. Easy to use. The Tone control really makes it stand out. When I'm using humbuckers, I can add more treble. It also add bass to thicken my Strat.

I have tons of chorus pedals. But only Boss CE-2 and Arion SFC-1 are in my pedalboard. In fact the I use CE-2 for clean arpeggio sound and Arion for dirty blues rythem and some lead work. It works great with my Laney VC30 210 combo! What makes the Arion SFC-1 unforgetable is its full and rich sound. It can also produce very lush tremolo like tone which remind me of many old British Rock songs!

I bought it 10 years ago. It still works perfect now. I use to hate its plastic shell, so I bought two for backup. But in fact it need not any backup at all.

never dealt with

I play blues and 80's metal. It helps me a lot through these years!
If it were stolen or lost, I have another backup:). But if both...I will...but it seems difficult to buy one now. There's Arion SHZ now but I haven't tried it yet. Don't look down upon its plastic face, just buy it and you'll like it!

Getting a great sound is easy, there isn't a bad sound to be found. The manual is nice for beginners, but you can't get a bad sound with this pedal no matter how hard you try. The TONE knob is the key to LESLIEUNIVIBECHORUSENSEMBLE nirvana!!!!! All hail the mighty Fat Cat!

Stellar! No Noise! No Tone Robbing! LUSH, THICK, CHEWY, ORGANIC, WARBLINGLY WONDERFUL. Sounds like the best chorus sounds you ever heard. Beats them all if you ask me!!!

Suprisingly durable. I'm almost afraid to put it in harms way on my pedalboard but I'm addicted to the SOUND!

This kills all chorous pedals IMHO! Sold my T.C. Chorus because this is WAY BETTER. The most orgasmic pedal I own. Rare as hen's teeth... there's one on ebay right now it's up to $130 U.S. and climbing... good luck finding one!!!!! ARION hit their apex with this pedal!

Its very easy to get a great Sound out of it. You dont need a manual.

My Setup is a Hamer Special --> Morley Bad Horsie Wah --> Boss Sd-1 --> Arion sch-1 --> Marshall JCM 800 MV --> 1960B.This is simply the best Chorus I've ever heard. I've owned a T.C. Chorus, a Boss CE-3, Danelectro Cool Cat and an old Ibanez Chorus. It blowes them all away. I've sold last week my T.C. Chorus at Ebay :o)

If a Boss-Pedal is a 10, this is a 6. It doesn't matter if you're using a Pedal-Board. The Battery-Clip is very unstable.

I've found my perfect Chorus-Pedal. It sounds really fantastic. Other Arion Pedals are really bad - shure, this one is wonderful

I'm not much of a chorus guy, but I use em once in a while to compliment the acoustic guitarist.

Previously used, Boss CE-3 Chorus. Heres my initial review of the Arion FAT Chorus SFC-1, to put in a good word for Arion:

The enclosure is plastic, with plastic jacks, stereo output, with a slider switch (Mono/stereo). 3 pots labeled Rate, Depth and Tone. Footswitch is boss style, only difference is plastic. The battery cover is on the top of the pedal, just above the footswitch (like the Soundtank pedals). AC power like Boss.

Pluged in my Godin (HSH) -> Chorus -> Amp, and checked its bypass, no noise or loss of treble/tone detected. When turned on, all knobs at noon, no volume drop, or hiss detected, and there was smooth, warm chorus.

In the chain with my Boss CE-3, the rate and depth on both are standard, but the tone knob made the Arion pedal a keeper. The Boss CE-3 sounded like ice, made my humbuckers sound like single coils and had a slight volume drop. With the Arion's tone knob maxed out, I can get that sorta sound, with no volume drop. At lower tone settings, it boosts the lower strings without muddy-ing up the sound (like most cheap tone controls do). Later I checked, the tone control is using a 2A103 KT capacitor (green), maybe the techies can shed some light on this. Definately beats most Boss tone controls here.

EVERYTHING is mounted on the PCB. Components are neat and not too tightly spaced. 5 ICs on board:

MN3207
MN3102
2 x TA75558P
TA75358P
Toshiba TC4027BP (or is it 9018HB?) (16 pins)

The pots have a cubic base, not the large round ones.

Well... Don't know yet. Will review again in a few months.

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Will post more when played with the band. I'm so tempted to swap the LED for a blue one. :D

3 knobs (rate, depth, tone) Nice pulsating swirly sound or speed it up to a tremolo like shimmering sound. 2 outputs for stereo effect with 2 amps. Very easy to use. No need for instructions.

Excellent with tube or solid state amp. No extra unwanted noise. Works great at all settings. Great for intros. Can be used with lead or rhythm guitar.

Thick plastic construction. Big foot switch. Very solid. Switch never fails.

I have 3 of these pedals (Chorus, Phaser, Fat Chorus). I bought them used. Considered to be among the best available. Used by many artists. I doubt I will need any support from the company.

I play everything except rap and the junk that has no musical instruments in it. I especially like blues music. I use a solid body guitar with 2 humbuckers. I especially like this pedal when playing in a sing-a-long with friends and family. It takes away some of that dry electrical sound.

Very easy to use. Three knobs for rate, depth and tone and a little switch for direct/stereo.

Brilliant sound! It's a bit different from the boss Ensemble and it is very versatile. The tone knob cut bass or high frequencies as you set it. It 's not noisy when not playing, many guitarists use this box. I play with a Peavey ultra plus head, a Marshall cabinet and some effects before it (boss CS 3 and Crybaby) and a tremolo after.

It didn't give me any problem, maybe an angry foot could break it 'cause it's made of plastic, anyway it's strong enough. The battery is placed in a very comfortable place to be changed (in the front panel and not below the switch).

Never dealt with 'em

Very simple! Three knobs!

Two of my favorite guitarists (who also happen to be top players) use this pedal--Michael Landau and Scott Henderson. I'm an L.A.-based freelance studio player and I have probably heard just about every chorus on the market at one time or another. IMHO, the Arion blows them all away! It has a very pure, rich tone with tons of analog warmth! A very unique-sounding chorus! Just the other day a friend and I A/Bd his TC Electronics Chorus/Flanger pedal with the Arion. He was immediately convinced! The Arion blew the T.C.'s doors off!

Don't know yet! (Just got it!) However, I know both Mike Landau and Scott Henderson have been using theirs for quite a while now with no apparent problems!

N.A.

I play all styles to pay the rent! My own music is in the Fusion vein. I've been playing for 30 yrs. A comprehensive list of my gear would take too long to compose here! My current live rig (simplified) is as follows: 8-space ATA rack containing (top to bottom) Furman PL-Plus Power Conditioner, Marshall JMP-1 MIDI Valve Preamp, Lexicon MPX-1, Chandler Digital Stereo Echo, Soldano Super Lead Slave 105 Tube Power Amp (into a Marshall 4x12 cab loaded with 70w Celestions). Pedals: Ibanez TS-9, Boss CH-1 Super Chorus, Arion Stereo Chorus. I chose this pedal because if it's good enough for a first-call/A-list session player like Michael Landau then it's good enough for us mortals!