Boss CE-3 Chorus

Very easy to use. It really only has two knobs, so not much to wory about. One knob for depth, one for rate, and a third for switching to stereo mode, which will make the pedal sound very bad if set incorectly.I didn't get a manual, but it does not need one.

I play a fender strat into a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe, with an asortment of other pedals along the way. This effect is silent, and delivers that classic chorus tone that accents the highs and leaves out the bass. The chorus has a very nice, lush tone. My only complaint is that it could be a bit fatter. I probably would not use this in conjunction with a wah or a flanger, but it sounds great with delay and some overdrive. This thing sounds way better than the new boss chorus boxes. If you can, get one of these instead.

Its Boss.

I play blues and jazz mostly, with funk mixed into both. This pedal is outstanding for both styles. I don't know why Boss replaced this model, because it is much better than their new choruses. If stolen, I would try to find another. This is a great way to thicken out a single guitar, especially in Jazz music. Also, it stays true to that great chorus tone found so often on eighties blues guitar. The only reason it looses a point it the slight lack of fatness in the tone, but that is a minor detail.

3 knobs...rate, depth, and mode. Easy enough.

I'm using this with a Squier Super Sonic through a Peavey Ultra Plus head. It really makes my clean sounds shine, and it gives distorted notes an outerworldly quality. It makes some noise if I stomp on it too hard, but as long as I'm playing with a drummer and bassist, it's not audible. I would need to be careful if recording though. I think it's a problem exclusive to my unit, however, and I wouldn't worry that much about it. It has about three sounds that I use- thin chorus, wobbly chorus, and smooth chorus. Not the best chorus pedal out there, but it's what I need, and what I use.

I'd say it's dependable. I believe it's a late 80's unit, and it's still going strong now, so that speaks volumes about it. I would use it on a gig without a backup.

Overall, it's a great pedal, and it's what I need. I prefer simple pedals with a couple knobs as opposed to floor units with multiple banks that are incredibly versatile. I don't know why, I guess I just prefer to use as few effects as possible, although they are fun. This is a staple effect, and I suggest that you get a chorus of some sort, whether it's this one or another. Considering the amount of money I paid for this unit, and the use it sees, I give it a ten.

What's with these categories? Why would a pedal not be easy to use? Isn't that the whole point? Sure, it's easy to use. The real question is do you really want to use it at all?

I don't know why I got this thing. I hate the chorus effect. I thought I liked chorus when I got it, but I was so wrong. So very wrong. Even if I did like it, this thing makes a lot of hiss.

Oh yeah. Sure. Super. It's a fact that if you never ever use a product, that it will last a good long time. The things we don't rely on are usually the most reliable.

Boss is a huge corporate monolith that doesn't care about you. They want for you to give them $100 for a $10 device. For this, they will paint it a bright shiny color, because they know that you like colorful shiny things. Their contempt for you is palpable and genuine.

I still can't believe I paid full-price, retail. What a horrible product. Hey, if you like the chorus effect so much, why don't you just go get one and share this empty feeling with me?

3 knobs: rate, depth, mode... very simple

this unit has a constant hiss when not in bypass, but it's not TOO overbearing. if the rate is too low and depth too high then the effect can get slightly metallic like there's too much signal regeneration or something. the best setting (in mode I, mono) that i have found is rate at 11 o'clock and depth at 3 o'clock.

solid as a brick caca haus. this unit has been dropped, drowned and thrown from a moving car (no kidding) and it still works like it did when i bought it new back in '88.

never contacted Roland on a Boss product. tried to get help from them
on my D-50 synth/PG-1000 programmer back in '89, tho, and they all but told me to go jump in a lake. had to sort it out myself.

i originally bought this new in '88 and sold it for half of what i paid to a former bandmate in '93. 7 years later, i bought it back for US$10 cos i knew what it sounded like and it happened to fit the bill. i would not buy this unit today for more than US$40. i use this to round out a custom pedalboard made up of Boss (DD-3, TR-2 and MT-2) and MXR (Phase 100, Dynacomp) effects. i play a strat-style guitar with EMG SA pickups and SPC mid-boost thru this pedalboard and into a 1988 Fender Dual Showman (non-reverb) head and a sealed-back 2x12 cabinet. the group i am in does original music ranging stylistically from The Sundays to STP/Soundgarden and this setup pretty much does the trick, tho there IS room for improvement. i find the CE-3 gives just enough shimmer to my sound without being overbearing but, given its hiss and slightly metallic midrange, i would replace it with a T.C. Electronic SCF in a moment if i didn't have plans to go back to a rack setup.

If you plug the thing in right (the guy who had just bought one and decided it was crap maybe didn't?) not confusing the A and B outputs its real simple. I seem to remember plugging in output B (dumb, confused, drunk or all three) once and using in mono and getting V. little effect.

I use mainly a Charvel model 6 and a Roland Bolt amp. I was looking for a sound like the chorus on the Roland Jazz Chorus 120 which I recorded with once but got the Bolt as it was cleaner sounding. This does the job, its a really good chorus effect like the JC,a very warm effect. Using on leads I got accused once or twice of sounding 'like Brian May'. ..tsk(honestly don't know what this might be about) I have a general impression of some slight generalised background noise in this thing.Have been using it for years. Discovered that it sounds good in combination with a distortion pedal (the one I use is a bit crap) but BEFORE it in the chain. I wasn't expecting this. It tightens up the fuzz sound. When used before an analog delay you can get cool breezey sounds like Alan Holdsworth on 'letters of Marque'etc.

Never had any problems with it. I have looked after it well.

I think I dealt with them once about something else. Can't remember what happened.

It can help broaden out an otherwise dull sound if you're playing at low volume, for example; very useful on chordal work. If it were lost or stolen I would check out the market very thoroughly because I imagine there is plently of competition.( at the time it seemed to be an inexpensive way of getting exactly what I wanted). Bearing in mind that you can never replace something exactly unless its the same make/model I would miss it. My style is too broad-based for that to be an issue (well: Metal-Jazz-Techno)but I also play with covers bands for a living and this gadget is useful. I have been playing for millions of years -well since many years before this thing came out - and it has generally helped making music. I like it.

If you plug the thing in right (the guy who had just bought one and decided it was crap maybe didn't?) not confusing the A and B outputs its real simple. I seem to remember plugging in output B (dumb, confused, drunk or all three) once and using in mono and getting V. little effect.

I use mainly a Charvel model 6 and a Roland Bolt amp. I was looking for a sound like the chorus on the Roland Jazz Chorus 120 which I recorded with once but got the Bolt as it was cleaner sounding. This does the job, its a really good chorus effect like the JC,a very warm effect. Using on leads I got accused once or twice of sounding 'like Brian May'. ..tsk(honestly don't know what this might be about) I have a general impression of some slight generalised background noise in this thing.Have been using it for years. Discovered that it sounds good in combination with a distortion pedal (the one I use is a bit crap) but BEFORE it in the chain. I wasn't expecting this. It tightens up the fuzz sound. When used before an analog delay you can get cool breezey sounds like Alan Holdsworth on 'letters of Marque'etc.

Never had any problems with it. I have looked after it well.

I think I dealt with them once about something else. Can't remember what happened.

It can help broaden out an otherwise dull sound if you're playing at low volume, for example; very useful on chordal work. If it were lost or stolen I would check out the market very thoroughly because I imagine there is plently of competition.( at the time it seemed to be an inexpensive way of getting exactly what I wanted). Bearing in mind that you can never replace something exactly unless its the same make/model I would miss it. My style is too broad-based for that to be an issue (well: Metal-Jazz-Techno)but I also play with covers bands for a living and this gadget is useful. I have been playing for millions of years -well since many years before this thing came out - and it has generally helped making music. I like it.

I bought this pedal used and it did not come with a manual. However, since it only has 3 knobs it's pretty easy to figure out :) The user can control rate, depth, and can switch between stereo and mono modes.

I'm using a Fender Standard Stratocaster through a Fender Champion 110 amplifier. The amp does not have an effects loop, so the chorus has to go between the guitar and the amp. I generally play in positions 2 & 4, which are hum-cancelling. The pedal is extrememly quiet, and does not appear to generate any noise.
On the clean channel, the chorus is excellent, and is exactly what I was looking for. It provides a warm depth to whatever you want to play. Simple arpeggiated lines just seem so much fuller. I don't imagine I would play rythem without this pedal.
On the distorion channel though, things get kind of weird. It just sounds... well strange. The problem however, is the lack of an effects loop on my amp, as it's my understanding that time based effects such as Chorus sound best placed after distortion or overdrive. I don't yet have an overdrive or distortion pedal, so I can't comment on how this would sound.
Sounds great clean, but don't know about distorted or overdriven yet, so I have to give it an 8.

BOSS. Enough said.

I've never had to, nor do I expect to have to deal with them.

Overall, I am giving this product a 9 for two reasons.
1) Like I mentioned above, I have no idea how this product will sound when properly placed in my effects chain, and I won't know until I buy an overdrive or distortion pedal.
2) It eats batteries like the Cookie Monster eats cookies. This is insane... A fresh battery lasted only two days of practicing several hours each day; probably about 8 hours of usage. This basically means that you will NEED an AC Adapter to use this pedal. Sorry to complain about such a minor point, but batteries can get pretty expensive at the rate this pedal would eat them up. Why even bother?
If this pedal were lost or stolen, I'm not sure what I would do... I am seriously considering buying a BOSS GT-3, rather than amassing a collection of stomp boxes... If I buy the GT-3, then I will sell this pedal. If I don't, then it will become an important part of my setup. If it were lost or stolen in that case, then I would either replace it, or possibly try out a CE-5 Chorus Ensemble.
BOSS just makes things hard, because all of their products kick ass :)

3 knobs rate depth and mode

Okay, I bought this pedal about an hour ago and... what is that word I am looking for? !CRAP! Oh my God do not buy this pedal, it makes about 2 different noises and the adjustment knobs make no difference. I own a Zoom 505 and it sounds EXACTLY the same as the cheap chorus on that.

I have to give it a ten because it's a boss

couldn't tell ya

So, do not buy this pedal, unless it is at a garage sale or pawn shop for under 10 dollars. I am going to sell this pedal immediately. Look into maybe a CE-5 or even a multi-fx box for the price (new). This is probably the greatest regret of my guitar playing experience.

I bought mine used so it didn't come with a manual.... but there was no problem in finding a usable sound. Just by plugging it in I got that watery sounding chorus tht Kurt Cobain liked using so much, and after a bit of fiddling I got many other very usable sounds.

I'm using this with a Les Paul copy which goes to a crybaby, to a Nobels DT-1 Distortion (a copy of the BOSS DS-1) which goes straight into the guitar input of my amp - a Marshall Valvestate 8080. I put the chorus in my effects loop in front of a tremolo (very psychedelic sounds when combining the two). No noise what so ever, doesn't colour your tone (even though it's not true bypass). This is a stereo chorus so I hook up a second amp to it sometimes, it always sounds great. I can easily get any of the sounds I look for from Jimi Hendrix (he didn't use this thing but hey.... I can't afford anything better), to Jimmy Page, to some Pink Floydish sounding stuff.

It's a BOSS.... come on.... the great Wall of China should have been built out of these things.

Why bother?

THE BEST CHORUS EVER!

I think this box is similar CH-1. but have 3 knob Deep Rate and Mode. You can got pro sound but low price.

Very smooth when you joine with Ibanez TS-808 or Boss OD-1 and plug with Tube amp for Texas blues sound.

It's great chorus sound.

Boss made good effect for guitarplayer.