Boss CS-2

The only compressors that get tricky to use are the ones with two many threshold, ratio, attack and release controls, most pedal comps are easy. If a comp has more than 3 knobs you are probably making life too complicated.

As with most boss pedals, easy way to start is set everything at 12 o'clock and make small adjustments from there to your preferences.

If not using batteries one thing to be careful is that you have a power supply with the correct voltage. I found this web page which explains all:

http://www.stinkfoot.se/andreas/diy/articles/bossadapt.htm

I power it off a 9V DC brick with common earth for all pedals and it works fine.

Great comp. Not at all noisy, smooth, not at all obtrusive. I use it with teles and strats, for clean sounds on a modderate setting so I don't squish the dynamics too much. I also use it to drive distortion and fuzz pedals sometimes, with more extreme compression.

I like it a lot. I have owned a CS-3 which was Ok and once tried a CS-1 which was very heavy compression - I like the CS-2 better, all round musically useful.

Dependable, yes. Bought 2nd hand and owned for several years, a mainstay of my board. Made in Japan, well built. No crackle from the knobs, everything works like new.

You can't go wrong with one of these. Nice thing is they are not anything expensive as a Keeley or whatever and easy to pick up 2nd hand.

Very easy, turn turn the sustain way up and adjust the level to your purposes. It may be hard for someone that doesn't know how a compressor works to understand the attack knob, that's why I didn't give it a 10.

I love what this pedal does to my sound, it does its job very well. I find myself basically turning the sustain to the max, level around 5 and attack at 3 or 4. This gives the guitar a loud even level no matter how hard you play and when you hold a note - wow. It just keeps going, then once the string stops it transitions into feedback. You can make cool sounds by tapping on the guitar body when the sustain is running out because it has the volume up so high that it makes any little thing audible. Then if you strike a loud chord suddenly it chops it right down to the same perfect level. The compression is very smooth and clean, which is important. My bassist has really picky ears and he considers it very transparent.

So far I've tried it with a strat and a cheap epi LP through my Laney 1x12 as well as my bassist's Fender Twin. I've read that it's meant to be first in line and that seems true. Putting it after a fuzz box makes the note turn clean as it gets to the end of the sustain, which is lame. As long as it's first it pretty much makes any combination of effects sound better. It's cool that it has a footswitch, but I never really want to turn it off.

This pedal will inhibit your ability to control distortion with your guitar's volume knob, unless you put the fuzz box before the CS-2 (which creates the problem mentioned above). That's just the nature of the beast the way I see it, so it still gets a 10.

Haven't had it long enough to gauge this. I would use it without a backup because I don't have a backup and these are hard to find. I don't bring a backup for anything except the guitar, in case a string breaks.

I have other Boss pedals that lead me to trust this one. They make 'em sturdy.

I've never need it on my other Boss stuff, probably won't for this one.

I try to be critical but there's just nothing wring with this thing. I was thinking about buying a Big Muff because I played one in the shop and fell in love with the sustain. Then I came across one of these and bought it based on it's reputation, hoping it could give me the big muff sustain with more versatility. It does that, so I'm completely satisfied with it.

I play heavy pop rock which ranges into psychedelia. I've always loved David Gilmour's guitar sound on Time and this pedal can help you get there. Apparently Gilmour used a CS-2 himself.

Quite easy to use.

Good sound. Sweet. Has a nice in the middle compressor i was looking for. Heard a few that sound too dramatic, though this is more a subtle compressor that i was looking for on bass and guitar. The sustain is sweet and not overpowering usually set about 12 sounds great! Only noisy when you set the sustain over 3 o'clock. But I dont use that much excessive sustain anyway. Makes the whole pedal chain in general sound sweet and my crap epiphone axe even sounds ok through it. For a compressor it does what it should, extra attack knob is good for tone shaping variety that many other comps dont get right.

Great pedal buy one.

as with compressors takes some time and basic knowledge, but not much confusing than to use a distrotion box. If you know what you want there wont be problem.

First of all, i wanted a compressor becouse i have seen many guitarists use it. First when i tried a compressor i couldnt hear much difference. Than i decided to buy this based on the rewievs and the fact that many out there still rather buy this than the newer ones. I am happy with it, adds sustain to my sound. Evens out the string levels, wich is good, if you play undistorted notes. I havent decided which attack setting i like the most. The pedal somehow makes my sound much... well nicer. I use many other effects in my chain, but recently when the others stayed at the collage and i brought only this one to home i recognized that even in bypassed mode (its not true bypass however) my sound is clearer, more defined. Those guys in the 80s must have known something... So i am very happy with it.

as usuall, its a boss!

I play mainly alternativ music, grunge, some pink floyd. It really helps. Its not a pedal to use all the time, but can balance the strings if you play clear notes. Can boost distrotion pedals, and makes my modulation effects sound greater. After my eq pedal and my proco rat probably this will my 3rd favorite pedal.

It didn't take long to find the exact tone I was looking for. That sweet plasma-like wave. I messed with the knobs for about half an hour until I realized how SWEET this thing sounded with the Sustain at 3 o'clock and really low Level and Attack. I bought it used so I never got a manual or anything...

This thing is amazing! Quality? First night I got it home I was bending out 5 minute solos during Scentless Apprentice; I was pulling down some incredible sounds with a 2006 MIM Strat.

Same construction as my DS-1. It'll probably outlive me.

Good luck finding one nowadays. I got lucky finding mine; and I looked for almost a month. These things are only going to go up in value. The CS-2 blows, the CS-3--which I played at Guitar Center first, before I bought the CS-2--sounds decent enough but isn't nearly as "organic" sounding as the CS-2.

three knobs, level, attack, sustain...

I like to use a compressor, it evens out the highs and lows and adds sustain and.. with the right amp and gear it's awesome... it's just become part of my rig.. i almost always use it, almost .. i've tried a few and i like the ibanez cp-9 .. simple straight forward but "just a bit" on the lite side and i like the dyna-comp but if you change anything around you'll spend alot more time making adjustments to the dyna-comp too- i don't want to spend the $'s on a boutique pedal. THIS CS-2 made in japan (not reissued) is straight forward like the CP-9 but stronger a little lighter than the dyna comp but sooo EZ to set it and forget it no fussing which i get enough of at home... i use tube amps, mostly fender, but imho you should get at least one of these on ebay while they can be had for less than c-note - it's a 10 for what it is.... a production pedal - not boutique - i've played the cs-3 too which are not bad in their own right i prefer these though IMHO

dependable

never needed em

great value

pretty easy to find a good sound. good head room to reach unity

its a one trick pony. sounds a lot like a ross but with an attack knob.
loads of sustain, plenty of squish, a hint of distortion. harmonics just pop out while notes and chords sustain.
also sounds cool on neck pick up doing jazzy stuff.

not my only boss from the 80s. still tickn....

who needs support? its so easy to use and never breaks. if you need support its not the pedals fault.

aka- user error

aka- riding the short buss

been playing 25 years owned and tested lots of comps.
this is the top comp; so slick and smooth.
i play rock; loud ear bleeding music.
great for punching out a solo with an over drive
no hum and hiss
i always come back to the cs2. why did boss ever stop making it?

little bit of tweaking but not rocket science

does great country tones and rock tones
david gilmour, vince gill, and the edge all use this pedal
its a classic

we should all know about boss' rep for reliability

would have to replace it if it were lost or stolen.
very little hum and hiss compared to other comps
lots of sustain and squish
gets a little bit gritty and colored, but in a good way
very musical. it really breaths with your playing

yup

perfect. expressive. smooth. great sustain. plenty of head room.

better then analogman comprossor or the keeley ross comps. true bypass makes really loud popping sounds with compressors. and for most people who put a comp first in thier pedal signal chain, a buffered pedal is better to start with because it charges your signal after having just travaled 15-20 feet. the cs2 buffer sounds great.

made in early 1980s

made in early 1980s... what do you want?

best comp out there.
tryed keely, analogman, dynacomp, soulpreacher, maxon, cs3, cs1, mxr super comp, t.c. electronics.
this is the best one.
no wonder so many pros use it.

Boss pedal that is easy to use and gives a lot for the money. Once you dial in your setting, you're all set.

I couple this with my Fasel Crybaby, 2005 LP Standard, modified Marshall AVT 150H full stack. It screams like a choking cat. The treble is awesome and it rips off riffs cleanly with the OD on the Marshall. Very happy with (all of) it.

I've heard some negative about the power supplies. I have a backup. I also carry batteries. I'll see, if one fails, to try to replace the cord with a shielded cable

A good suppression/ sustainer and a good guitar and amp is all you need. All the other effects just aren't necessary. Trust me. I've had the cheap amps, Ibanez, MIM Strat guitars and the only way you pull tone out of them is with an effects array. Trade it in and get what you really want.