Boss CS-2

three knobs, not much to it.

I bought this to replace the comp I was using on a korg multi-unit.
Mainly to get more sustain from my g&l strat which it does very well.
I tried it next to an old (pink) ibanez comp and also the boss cs-3.
The ibanez seemed hotter, but the cs-2 seemed to be warmer. Both
really made string sqeaking annoying.The cs-3 has a tone circuit/pot
which I didn't like and one I tried was clicking and pumping to beat
the band.Of the three the beat-up old cs-2 was my fav although it's not
quite as snappy as what I was using.I play through a silver Twin and I
also might mention this pedal does wonders for the ps-2; ts-10;
makes my strat almost as smooth as the jr/P90's.

Seems if it ain't dead yet-by the looks of it, it can't be killed. I put a new battery clip on it directly.

Good for any true-tone sustain improvement, recommended for strat players.

Very easy to use.It takes about two minutes without the manual to figure it out.3 knobs:Level,Attack and Sustain.

I'm a country player primarily.I run my Fender Esquire with Seymour Duncan Nashville Studio pickups through the compressor and various other pedals(TubeScreamer,Delay ect.) and into a Fender Hot Rod DeVille(4x10).This pedal sounds great!Although it doesn't seem to have as much gain as the newer CS-3,it's much quieter and doesn't squash your tone as much.It makes your notes pop out while adding a warmth to the tone that I like.Since I'm into chicken pickin' I keep the attack cranked,the sustain halfway and adjust the level accordingly.The only thing bad is this pedal may be hard to find and repairs might be a problem since Boss quit making this pedal in the '80s.

Very reliable but it's getting older.I carry a CS-3 for backup.

It might be hard to get support or repairs since Boss doesn't make this one anymore.

I've been touring proffesionaly for over a year with this pedal.The only problem I had was a dirty switch that was easily cured with some contact cleaner.I'd buy another one if I lost it.

Fairly self-explanatory knobs. The fact that you have to plug in the input jack to test it can be a hassle.

Well I tried running an acoustic guitar through it the other night and it sounded very distorted at medium sustain and level settings. A really awful sound. But I've gotten good sounds out of it with electrics and bass guitar in the past. Not the most natural sounding pedal though.

Well I have ALWAYS had a problem with the switch. When I step on it I never knew if it would catch or not.
The thing's more than 10 years old. Now every time I go to a gig I can't get the thing to work at all. I can get it to work at home sometimes. And yes I am plugging into it first.
In both aspect, my Ibanez delay pedal seems more reassuring, though it's not as old.

n/a

Overall, it's hard to me to guarantee getting a good sound out of this thing in a live situation, due to noise and due to my problems getting it to work now.

Simple. 3 knobs for Level, Attack, and Sustain. The effects of the knobs are pretty obvious.

Good overall tone. Not too noisy unless you crank up the level or the Sustain. I've owned both the CS-2 and the CS-3. I find the CS-3 a little more flexible (it seems to offer more sustain too), but the CS-2 is a little more musical. It doesn't "kick" on like the CS-3 does at high sustain settings. The level can be tough to set b/c what is good for single note lines makes chords too soft, and if you set it right for chords, it's way too loud for solo stuff.

I've owned a bunch of Boss pedals and never had a problem.

Overall a good compressor. As I said, the CS-2 and CS-3 are similar but each has advantages over the other. I only like to use compressors on an occassional basis, especially for clean country-like stuff. For chord work, etc. it feels like you're playing a marshmallow...

There are three knobs; level, attack, and sustain. You just need a couple of minutes to get acquinted with what the sustain and attack controls do, after that it's a breeze

I just got it and I use it first in the signal chain going from a Fender Strat through an old Thomas Organ Crybaby, Danelectro Cool Cat, a modified TS-5 in boost position, and a Yardbox into a Mesa Subway Blues. The pedal definately made my overall sound better - better sustain on lead work and more clarity when playing cords. All compressors are a little bit noisy, but this one is on the less-noise end of the spectrum.

I am not a big fan of Boss pedals, but I do know they are reliable. This is probably a mid-eighties model and it still holds up. Hell, it even looks like new. I would certainly gig it without backup (be sure to bring batteries).

The padal is at least 10 years old and was made in Japan. Roland does not manufacture its pedals there anymore. I really doubt that they would respond to a specific problem related to this unit.

I love playing a mixture of blues, jazz, and progressive rock, and the compressor surely adds to my tone. It gets more defined. I compared it to the newer CS-3 and to me the CS-2 sounded clearer, the sustain was smoother, and it was overall more balanced. I like the MXR Dynacomp as well as the Ibanez CP-9. This one will be a part of my rig, but it might be complemented with any of the two other pedals mentioned. I would probably buy it again if it was stolen. It doesn't really matter to me, but David Gilmour has one of these in his rig.

The pedal is easy to use. The trick is to to think about how you want to incorporate the pedal into your sound. It has 3 knobs- level, sustain, and attack. It work in your advantage if you do not like to to be "over e-qeud".

I use it with 5 other boss pedal going through a Tele or Les Paul into a JC-120 or a Fender Twin reverb. It is not a very noisy pedal. If you have your levels set right and you have correct gounding. I tend to like a hard compressed sound of English bands. The main purpuse I have for the pedal is to balance the volume of the strings because i tend to arpeggiate alot like say Johnny Marr of the Smiths. This pedal also makes flanges, phases and choruses thicher.

The thing has not konked out on me. I also would go with out a backup. The only thing I am afraid of going wrong is say the battery going out on me.

I cannot stand dealing with Roland. That's why I would rather buy their used stuff--In my right mind, if I can help it , I couldn't give them another dollar for the way they have treated me and one of my friends.

I heard David Gilmour used one. That was almost evidence enough for me to check it out. I would buy it again if it was stolen. The only other compressor that I like was the old MXR dyna comp. those are the best old compressors, in my opinion.