Boss CS-2

Not too bad at all. I read some other reviews and got the impression it was going to be really difficult - just reduce the gain on your clean channel and set the level of the compressor and then take it from there - it's well worth the fiddling about.

Once you get the gist of what it does (i.e. trying to make all your notes the same volume) it is fairly simple.

I got it 2nd Hand and there was no manual and I consider myself a bit of a no-hoper with technology, but I managed!

I use a 72 re-issue Telecaster > Boss NS2 > Boss CS2 > Marshall DSL100. The pedal has really sorted out any "dullness" that I was getting with the clean channel. I now get a lovely smooth sound that (dare I say it..) sounds pretty professional.

I use my amp for distortion and the compressor neither adds or detracts from the sound I get and I was kind of hoping it would improve it, but the difference it has made to my clean stuff makes it well worth the money.

GOOD TIP - I use the NS2 to reduce a bit of the noise the pedal creates and it seems to work really well.

I haven't had it that long but it hasn't given me any problems

Never had to ask for any!

I've been playing for about 7 years now and have only just started to really splash out on some decent kit. This pedal has definitely introduced me to the idea of "sculpting" your sound more meticulously. I have always just been the sort who plugs in and turns everything up full but I'm trying to be a bit more professional about my sound and this pedal, along with the NS2 has really helped my sound and tone. I would definetly recommend it to anyone who uses a Marshall for their clean stuff.

I'm italian, sorry for my english. Just three knob, very easy job if you know how a compressor works. I buyed it used, without a manual, not a problem.

Gibson Les Paul and Fender The Twin Red Knob amp. 20 years of playing. I tried a cs-3 and i think it was a waste of money and time; it had a awful "click" anytime i picked a string, it seemed very fake. I find the cs-2 (made in japan) much more natural and musical. It helps sustain, it's no intrusive, gives brilliance and smoothness to sound. I keep it on all the time, attack at 2 o'clock, sustain at 11, level according with the volume of the amp. I don't think it's noisy, considering how noisy a compressor is normally, maybe a bit if you turn up the sustain. I play mostly blues-rock, it helps me on clean solos and gives the right boost in more distorted sound. I give it a 8 because i don't know many others compressor, so maybe there is something better.

I think Boss boxes are very strong and circuitries are good. I go without a back up. (well, i can do it without it, anyway...)

Never dealt with the company.

20 years playing around, i mostly go for guitar and amp, get distortion from saturation of the tubes, with a little help of a TS-9 for more drive, a Proco RAT for different distorted sounds, a cry baby wah. The cs-2 makes my life on stage easier, the guitar with it is more playable the notes just comes more fluids,the bending is more soft, chords more equilibrated. If it were stolen i would get another one. I love its sound, i hate Boss because they now made that cs-3 and no more this box. Don't make mistakes, get one of these old japan pedals, the taiwanese new ones are no good.

Simple enough.

This is not totally useless but it is the worst compressor I ever heard (Ibanez, Yamaha, ADA, homemade, etc.). It doesn't really even sound like compression. You get the attack let through even on minimum setting, and then the compressor kicks in and takes away all the high end. Only if you hold the note does anything sounding like increased sustain come in, the first portion sounds like all attack and no sustain.

Boss does define reliable.

Tried it on bass and guitar. Could get some useful enhancement (mainly using unusual configurations) but not near as good as other compressors.

I see a few people really like it, but I'm guessing most are Strat players (can use some treble reduction) with an amp that can absorb attack transients.

25% simpler than a CS-3 (no tone knob!), just level, attack and sustain. What more do you need for a compressor?

I can't fault it, seriously. Used a CS-3, a Marshall ED-1 and various other rack units over the years. This is the best guitar compressor I have come across. Never tried a CS-1 (heard they are good too), but the CS-2 seems near-perfect to me. Very musical, with more character than the CS-3 but less intrusive than the ED-1 for example. The guitar tone seems be brought to life by the CS-2. OK, it may color the tone slightly, but in a good way! I set all controls to about 2'oclock generally...

Quiet in operation too. If you like a more transparent compression you may prefer the blandness of a CS-3 or a decent rack unit, but I am completely sold on it. I use a Strat and a beat up old tube amp and it helps the whole rig to sing, I have to give it a 10.

20 years old and still going strong. Taken a few knocks without breaking sweat.

No experience. Bought used (and maybe 20 years old) so not gonna happen...

If the CS-2 got broken, lost or stolen I would have to find another one. Would be bad news since used CS-2's are getting more expensive as folk realise they are better than the CS-3.

I love what the CS-2 does for my Strat and I truly don't know how it could be improved, but I'll give it a 9 overall - there must be room for improvement somewhere...

The Boss CS-2 Compression pedal is very easy to use and I found that once I had a good setting I just left it there. Uncomplicated and self-explanatory controls.

I tried many other compressors and nothing compared to this unit, not even rack mount stuff. This is my favorite and must versatile pedal. I was influenced by artists like Talking Heads, Andy Sommmers and Adrian Belew and was trying to achieve that tight compressed, driving kind of sound that could float on top of the band sound. Also, I played many guitar parts written for electric guitar and that used a smaller portion of the guitar's range. These parts sounded thin alone but fit in with the band great and occupied less space. The CS-2 was essential in enabling me to make this approach stand out. In conjunction, I used a wah-wah and a Rat distortion all played on a Strat through a Roland Jazz Chorus 120 (now a Marshall Valvestate). I found that once I had the setting I wanted, I never moved the switches. The CS-2 was also such a part of my sound that I almost never turned it off. The CS-2 can also provide a little bit of distortion which can really give a cool edge to your clean sound if you want it.

The metal case is great and (other than a lost knob) this pedal lasted forever. Boss does not make them anymore so I bought one whenever I saw it. I now have two. I also tried the CS-3 (with one extra knob) once in my life and I was surprised by how poor it was, it did not come close to doing what the CS-2 did for sustain, punchiness and tone enhancement.

Quite easy. Attack nob abit weird...

JCM800, 52 Telecaster, Les Pul Custom, junior, Ibanez. I am a pedal collector. I have ross compressers, Dyna comp, oranger squessers and many more. It is noisey, since it is a comppresser.It is not the nicest comppreser I have but IS the most versitile and the one I use moth. I used to have a cs-3. That was total crap compared to this. This has less sustain BUT it is much more natural, well made and MUCH creamer and smoother than the newer one. If you see one, buy it!! They are cheap! Unfortunately, this alre always 2nd hand because they are not made anymore. I must say although the ross adn orange squeeser sounds better, they are not as practicle and is more for recording than live work. I always have 2 comppressors ready, with different settings. David Gilmour had/has one on his board, along with his Dyna Comp. It is useful for boosting clean signals of Single coil guitars. Works BEST with my telecaster!

It is a boss pedal and they ARE pretty tough, not as tough as some others though. Nobs a remuch better than cs-3. I do have backups though.

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I play alternative stuff. Lots of classic rock too! I collect colorsound pedals and ANYTHING that is good sounding. If it was stolen, I will go and find another one. I love it cause it is sso easy to get a good tone from it and it is so versitile. It is more used live, as I said. The ross and others are harder to set up and I just find them not so comfortable to use live. These are also made in JAPAN, not Taiwan, therefore better made. The values of these will also go up!

3-knobs compressor - the best one.

I use it with my ESP J-5 bass - and it is really good. I put attack and sustain to the maximum and get a slightly distorted and very bright sound which suits my aggressive style. The harded I beat the bass the better the sound. It's almost always on - and the best result is with slap. Nothing to compare with limiters/enhancers. There's a bit of noise out of it, but I used it on two studio albums and in the end it was okay.

It survived more live gigs and studio sessions than any other pedal I've got and I never had any complaints about it. I use it with AC adapter.

never needed one.

If you're a bassist I woul deffinetly recomend this thing. It's more useful with metal, funk or rock than with ethnic or blues stuff. I think I've got this effect for something like 7 years, and it's my favourite pedal. I wish it could have a cool looks - like danelectro or something. But I love it anyway.

Three knobs and a footswitch!

The compression on this pedal is alright. It is almost completely noiseless and has an OK sound. And then you go and turn the sustain level up. This brings on SO MUCH excessive noise and also distorts the tone. It does sustain a hell of a long time, but this brings the sound quality way down.

This pedal was enclosed in strong metal case.

This pedal is fairly good. There a lot of CRAPPY compressors out there on the market, and this one is not that bad. Be careful with that sustain, Ugene.

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.