Boss CS-3 Compressor Sustainer

The CS-3 is very easy to use. It has 4 knobs, level, tone, attack, sustain. The manual details some sample settings.

I use the CS-3 before a SansAmp, with a Fender Strat, into a Fender Deluxe Reverb. It is noisy when the sustain knob is rotated fully clockwise. This pedal really sounds great. It's a simple sound, very minimalistic. I wish this pedal had no tone control. It should sound a little more transparent. It would be perfect with just an "attack" and "sustain" knob. I assume BOSS made a CS-2 and a CS-1, they might be worth checking into.

This pedal is very reliable, and built like a tank. There is no need for a backup.

I've heard that BOSS/Roland can be a very difficult company to deal with, but since I've never had to deal with them myself, I can't comment.

I use this pedal to increase sustain when playing with my SansAmp pedal. They work very well together and I occasionally use the CS-3 right into my amp with no other effects. A great sounding pedal, overall. If it were stolen, I would try to buy another BOSS compressor, not necessarily the same unit.

4 knobs - got to tweak for a while to get it where you want it

all compressors are noisy - this one is on the quiet side. i only use a compressor at extremely low settings. if it colors my tone at all, it's up too high. it took some fooling around to reach optimum settings - for me, fairly high attack and fairly low sustain. i don't like the tone knob because it has a DRASTIC effect on your eq in general, not just the effect. the level knob would let me use it for a boost if i didn't leave it on all time anyway.

it's a boss. i don't carry a backup, but i should, and if i did it wouldn't have to be this unit

bought used

this pedal does what i want it to do just fine, but there's nothing about it (besides boss reliability and indestructibility) that would make me choose this box over any other good compressor. i don't ask much from it, it does it, and that's all i want.

There are four knobs: Level, Tone, Attack, Sustain. Level, is volume; Tone, is tone; Attack, is how fast the compression acts on the note(s); Sustain, is the lenth of the note. Once you understand what these knobs do then it is easy to get a good sound. What makes it even easier about this pedal is that you really only change two knobs, level and sustain. Because you automatically have the attack way up and the tone somewhere in the middle. And what I love about Boss pedals is that the whole faceplate is the button, so if your singing and you need to press a pedal, whatever the reason may be, but you have no time to look down; there is a lot better chance that you will hit it, so it goes on. And if you need to press two Boss's at the same time it's really easy because the buttons are so close together. I mean, have you ever tried to press a metal-switch and a Boss-type-pedal at the same time?

This is a great pedal because it has great sound quality and it is very versitile. In fact, there are three ways you can use this pedal. One, is as a screaming, gut-wrenching, lead pedal. Just pick your favorite fairly dirty boost pedal, preferrably a another Boss pedal because you have to press them at the same time. (My favorite is the Boss Blues Driver). Set the level 1/4 to 1/3 the way up; then the sustain 3/4 to way up. With that, you can replicate the classic overdriven tube-like sound that come out of cranked-up Marshall stacks. The second use of this pedal is for a good tone when playing slide. This time, you need a clean boost pedal that is also Boss-like-shape because once again you need to press it the same time as the clean boost. (I prefer a Boss Equalizer). Set the level 1/3 the way up and the sustain 1/2 to 2/3 the way up. And now you have a good lead slide tone. The third use of this pedal is just a mild clean boost. I have never actually used for this reason, but you can. Just set the level all the way up and the sustain really low. Now, this is a very noisy pedal, but that what's cool about this pedal. But if you don't like a lot of noise then must remember that when you play you can't hear the extra noise. So the trick is, is to turn it on, right when you start playing. Then also remember to turn it off right when you stop playing. Plus, you'll get a lot of guitar feedback when adding it to a distortion pedal, which I like if I want it.

Boss pedals are probably the most reliable pedals out there. This is why I invest my money on Boss pedals. Would you buy a pedal that is not reliable?

I would buy this pedal again. It gives great tone in several situations. Works a lot better with other pedals because if you have the sustain turned up when using it alone; it sounds horrible! Especially the loud thump noise you get when picking. But this is not a problem because if you have a pedal at all, you're gonna have some type of distortion. It's as simple as combining the two for a screaming, warm, lead tone. So it's great for distorted lead and slide.

Like any Boss pedal this one is easy to use.

This is my biggest gripe. I was told that this pedal would work for bass compression, but the noise it created was far too much. This was mainly due to the sustain effect, which by the way is amazing, but for bass players this isn't the pedal to buy.

Very dependable metal casing.NA

I probably wouldn't buy this effect again mainly due to the noise it produces. I could see it being handy for a guitar player though.

Has 4 knobs. Level, Tone, Attack, and Sustain. Still not sure what the attack knob does. However, it was quite easy for me to get the sound I was looking for.

Sounds very good with my Strat. Brings out better (warmer, tubelike) tone out of my solid state amplifier. It does add quite a bit of noise, of the lever or sustain is adjusted high. Better if kept at unity gain. This unit also works magic if used as a limitor before an overdrive or distortion pedal. Added tons of sustain to my Strat, and near infinite sustain to my Explorer, when in this manner. Can also be used as a mild booster for playing clean.

BOSS -- No comment necessary

see reliablity comment

I would but it again. Love--What it does as a pre to an overdrive hate--A little too noisy Definitely helps make my sound

Four knobs, turn them, doesnt get easier then that. The new knob from cs-2 is the addition of a tone knob. I find this rather useless. I mean, if you cant get the tone you want from your guitar, amp, eq if you have one etc, on lil tone knob wont do it.

This is great for adding noise. Pay $100 more and get a nice alesis rackmount compressor, it will be worth it.

I bought it new, and it broke down on me a couple months back. I recently got it to work again, but I havent a clue why (wasnt plugs, power etc). I generally use Boss pedals, this is the only one I have ever had trouble with, so I assume this might be a bad egg.

I wouldnt buy it again, I find a better alesis rackmount compressor to do the job easier with better flexibility. I dont really need a compressor right in my pedal chain.

Easy to use - just set the amount of sustain, tone (trebly or not), attack (whether it compresses the pick sound or lets some thru) and output level.

Good sustain, very clean, only slight level flutter but not obtrusive Great with strat(oid) guitars where sustain can be lacking - really brings the guitar tone out.

Can't fault it - bought it second hand and it is still works like new.

Just what I needed to beef up my ZOOM 2020 which is a good all-rounder but a bit lacking in compression. I used to use a home made sustain pedal but this wins hands down.

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