Maxon CS-505 Stereo Chorus

2 knobs...obviously easy to operate. Very under-rated chorus pedal in my opinion. All analog.

Les Pauls with EMG's > I have a small pedal board with a Dunlop switchless wah, boss super chorus (set up for a univibe/underwater type sound), 1981 DOD 680 flanger (the bomb!), whammy pedal re-issue, maxon chorus stereo to a Marshall 6100LM (with an Alesis Nanoverb in the loop for an occasional delay on a solo) and also a handmade "hot-rodded" type Marshall/Laney amp (sounds like a Soldano on it's death bed...right before it blows up)....> both heads into 2 cabs with celestions.
This effect (being analog) has slightly more noise than the Boss Super Chorus, but a more round, warmer tone....worth the noise. Both sides of the stereo split seem to have the de-tuned effect...unlike Boss, it has a stereo split that has one dry & one wet (de-tuned).
I'm a big fan of Slash, Randy Rhoads, & Zakk Wylde. This pedal seems to do the job (of getting these chorused tones)....

I sold this pedal to a buddy of mine (like an idiot). I recently borrowed it back ;) and noticed that the 1st knob (speed) spins all the way around. It still works, you just can't adjust the speed (it's permantly set until it gets fixed!). I have managed to find a good setting, regardless. No, I don't know how the accident happened. I'm sure the pot just needs to be replaced. 'Seems to be built solidly, overall.

Never dealt with the company directly...I assume that they back their products.

I play rock music...& have been for the last 19 years. I own 2 Les Pauls, a couple of 100 watt tube heads, a small rack with a Soldano pre-amp & Boogie power amp...a few effects, 3 4x12 cabs, 2 2x12 cabs...all loaded with some type of celestion. My band plays everything from Ozzy, Disturbed, Sabbath, to Aerosmith, Pantera...pretty much anything. I use this effect and leave it on all the time (I actually leave it setting on top of one of my amps, & run 2 short cords to their inputs....& leave it on)...for more of a mild effect. I wish the chorus pedal was a little less noisey...but the tone makes up for it. When I bought the pedal, I test drove it in the store...and bought it. No regrets....only selling it to a friend a few years ago, when I was putting my rack together.

2 control knobs. Speed and Width. Very easy to get the chorus you're looking for. Manual has a few settings which are very nice including one which makes the guitar sound like a 12 string

Setup: 1978 Tokai Les Paul Reborn through a Peavey Classic 50 connected to a 4x12 260W cab. This pedal sounds fantastic through me setup. Always a good sound out of the pedal. Played a lot of other chorus pedals such as all currently available Boss pedals, Small Clone etc and this is a much nicer sound to my ears as its quite versatile. I'd recommend it over the other pedals mentioned. When hooked up in stereo it sounds beautiful which is a real bonus. Has a built in noise gate which makes it very quiet and it doesnt suck tone or volume

This thing is built to last. Solid metal casing. Will be gigging with it no problem without a backup. Up there with Boss for reliability. Knocking off one point because casing is a little thinner and lighter than boss

Never dealt with

Overall I'd highly recommend this pedal. The Maxon CS550 is nicer but more expensive. I wouldnt let the price put you off this pedal though. If you want excellent chorus you can get it in this pedal.

I've been playing 4 years now and I have yet to come across such a fine chorus pedal. Boss CE1 is very close but its limited which just puts this ahead. CS550 is nicer but more expensive. Havent tried an Analog Man or Voodoo Labs so wont comment on those

If stolen I'd buy a CS550 but if I couldnt get hold of a CS550 I'd buy it again without hesitation

This is one of the most straight-forward chorus setups to use: two knobs. One for speed, one for depth.

My setup is as follows: PRS Singlecut or PRS Standard 22 w/ EMGS > ISP Decimator > Engl e530 Tube Preamp > BBE 482 Sonic Maximizer > Mesa/Boogie EL84 20/20 Power Amp (equipped with JJ tubes) > Basson B212 Cabinet. My effects include the CS505, a Line 6 DL4, and an Electro-Harmonix Holy Grail Reverb.

This pedal has a built-in noise gate, and is dead quiet.

This is an amazing sounding, all-analog chorus pedal. HOWEVER, I will say this, it does not come stock with true bypass and there is a drastic increase in volume when the effect is engaged due to the comb filter circuit. Fortunately, Analog.Man was able to modify this pedal to true bypass and installed a volume trim pot so there is no change in volume. If you're serious, I'd recommend checking with him to see if he has time to modify your CS505. Its an $80 mod, but well worth it.

Before the Analog.Man mods, I'd give it a 7 because of the tone-sucking buffer switch and the jump in volume. Now, with those fixed, its a 10. I'll give it a 9 to compare the two.

I was looking for an organic, subtle chorus similar to the sounds heard on Rush and Pink Floyd albums. This chorus is exactly what I was looking for. Very clean, very gentle chorus. If you like the in-your-face chorus sounds of the '80s, stay away from this pedal. If you like to use your effects with subtlety and disgression, check out the (now discontinued) CS505.

Old-style solid metal case, AnalogMan-provied 3PDT switch...no worries here.

I had to contact Godlyke about the internal trim pots (I was curious if I could adjust the volume), and I received a cogent email within 2 hours. I've heard this is always the case.

I play everything from avant-garde jazz, to prog rock, to death-metal. I need a chorus that is versatile, but most of all sounds fantastic. I don't use effects much, but I demand hi-fi sound when I do. I've been playing for 11 years, and this is the chorus I've been searching for. I'll admit, I HATED the jump in volume and lack of true bypass, but I bought it on faith that Mike Piera would be able to rectify those gripes, and he did 100%. If this pedal was taken from me, I would probably not be able to find another, so I'd get an AnalogMan Clone Chorus or a Retro-Sonic Chorus Ensemble...but hopefully I won't have to worry about that!

E-Z to use. Twist the two knobs to your liking. If you are running only one amp, try both outputs to see which one you like. Running it in stereo sounds sweet.

IMO the Boss CE-1 sounds better, but if you don't want to lug around that boat anchor this CS-505 will do the job. Sounds similar to the Boss CE-2. More transparent than some other chorus pedals I've tried. Have used this with a 1996 Les Paul Studio and Fender Tele Plus through a Mesa Boogie Studio Caliber or Vox AC-15.

No problems with this pedal.

Never needed to contact support.

I play several styles of music and this pedal covers them all. When I'm not using the Boss CE-1 this is the pedal I turn to. It uses a MXR style case which means you have to remove the bottom plate to change batteries.

Very straight forward with one minor curve-ball. This is a stereo unit, but when using it mono, you have to pay attention to what output jack you use. One is standard, the other inverts the phase of the signal. Generally, you'd want to use the standard one, but try both and judge for yourself. Outside of that, just an intensity and speed dial and that's it. Simple yet effective manual with a good selection of sample settings from which to work from. Even though Chorus pedals are pretty straight forward, take a moment to try these sample settings, you'll be surprised how many different sounds can come out of this pedal.

In a nutshell, this Chorus in my opinion maintains a very good balance between Transparency and Warmth. Reminds me of Alex Lifeson (Rush) and Andy Summers (Police) tones. Your original tone comes through very clearly. I compared to the Voodoo Lab Analog Chorus (too vintage and vibe-like for my taste), the Carl Martin Chorus xII (too sterile), the Guyatone MC3 (colors your sound too much and tends to over-do the low end...introduced a little mud) and the Fulltone CF2. Only the Fulltone was better, but I couldn't swing its price, which is more than 2x that of the Maxon. I run a Strat and a Semi-Hollowbody into a Fulltone Clyde Deluxe Wah -> Carl Martin Compressor -> Tech21 Double Drive -> Voodoo Lab Sparkle Drive -> Maxon CS-505 -> Guyatone MD3 -> Fulltone FatBoost -> Fender Customer Vibrolux Reverb. This is probably the most satisfying and versatile rig I've even owned. If I had to nag on the CS-505, I'd say it sounds as if your tone thins out just a bit - but it could just be the way my ears percieve the effect, and it does add some boost to your volume. This is good and bad, but mostly good...definitely cuts through when engaged and adds dynamics when you use this only in certain passages in a song. Seems quiet, but it will also boost any noise you have going into it - say from single coils etc.

No problems thus far. Built very much like those MXR tanks.

No dealings as of yet.

Overall, this was my favorite Chorus next to the Fulltone CF2. I used to own a CF2, but sold it when I thought I didn't want to use a chorus anymore. Oh well. This pedal sounds great and exemplifies the definition of what a Chorus pedal should sounds like.

Just two knobs control the speed and width of the chorus effect.

Very intense, very organic, natural sounding analog chorus effect. I bought this pedal because its a re-make of the old Ibanez Chorus that I had used back in 1983- I borrowed the Ibanez Chorus from a friend back in 1983 for several weeks, and I wanted that sound back. Now I have it back! Thanks Maxon!

Built very well. Weighs a lot.

Godlyke handles distribution in the U.S.

Great chorus effect pedal. Better than all of the other chorus pedals out there, especially that Jacques chorus which is quite lame. I use this pedal in my new band along with overdrives like the Zinky True Grit, Maxon OD-808 and Boss BD-2 Blues Driver. Check out my band Soul Survivor when you are in New York City! I had bought two of these Maxon 505 Chorus pedals but I sold one to a friend for half-price because my summer tour was cancelled last year. I play a Gibson Les Paul Standard into the new Crate V-15 Class A tube amp- between the guitar and the amp and pedals I have to lug around about 60 pounds of gear to every gig, but its worth it.

2 knobs, very easy to use. Manual have few sound suggestions.

Very clear and warm sound, not muddy, not harsh. Also more spacious and 3D than other choruses that I have had. It is reissue from old Ibanez CS505(TS808-series) I haven't heard the original but this one does its job! You can throw your BOSS-pedals to the corner after this one. It has only one minor annoying feature. Sometimes the noise gate "pumps" if your signal gets very weak, but like I said it is minor "error" and it doesn't really bother you. But all in all, very impressive.

Very solid, metal housing. I would gig with it without a backup.

I play all kinds of music but mostly blues, rock, and pop. I have been playing for six years now and this is the best chorus I have had, ever! Well, few old Ibanez come close but it's still a winner.

Very easy to use. Chorus is chorus, y'know?

My rig is this: Fender AmSe "Fat" Texas-Special Strat or Fender AmSe Natural Ash into Vox Wah, Fulltone FD2, Maxon AD-80 Delay and this chorus pedal, then stereo to two Fender HR Deluxe amps.

Yes, yes, I know, I'm violating the effects rules by putting the delay before the chorus. I do this only because the chorus needs to be last in my rig to split the signal effectively to both amps, yet still have delay going to both.

I have a love/hate relationship with this pedal. It sounds really great--extremely analog and warm. Some of the other analog chorus pedals are a little too swirling for me--almost too phaser-like. I didn't care for the Analog-Man "reissue" pedals or the VooDoo Labs pedal, but I absolutely loved the TC SCF, which I foolishly sold a few years ago.

I wanted another great sounding analog chorus, but didn't want to spend the full $300 on the TC again--and the Maxon goes a long way for me on Tone. I also love that it has a type of noise gate in it.

My problems are these: First, when I kick it on, there's actually a boost in volume. This is normally a good idea (and the reason the TC includes a preamp boost knob) because analog chorus as an effect does reduce your output level. It's just that the Maxon seems to go a bit too far, especially if I have overdrive turned on--it becomes way too loud.

You know, it is entirely possible there's a trim pot for that inside--I'll have to look into that.

Also, as a reviewer below noted, there seems to be a bit too much treble boosted when the effect is turned on.

So, I guess, it's the second best chorus pedal I've ever owned, which is saying a lot.

No let downs after 8 months of gigging and daily practice.

Kevin at Godlyke has been a great resource via email. They seem like a great company.

I've said it all above.

Only a knucklehead would have a problem figuring this one out because theres just two knobs. Rate and Speed adjusts the sound from transparent to thick, slow to fast.

Sounds so good I went back to the same store a few days later and bought another one as a back-up just in case Maxon stops making these pedals. Theres a built-in noise gate to keep the effect very quiet even at strong settings.

Its not true by-pass but sounds clean when switched off, and the extra output jack to run your signal in stereo is a great option. Its very well-made, built light but strong.

Havent contacted them.

I dabble in jazz and pop tunes and this pedal doubles the sound of my guitar and and makes me sound like I am playing a 12 string. I love the way this pedal sounds. Its a high quality effect and Maxon should get more credit for their products because everyone rushes out to buy the Analog Man Chorus or the Voodoo Lab Chorus, but this pedal is just as good as those. I cant understand why this pedal is being overlooked.

Very easy to use- two knobs (rate and depth) control the sound.

The sound of this chorus is very good. I do not like Boss chorus pedals (they sound artificial), so this Maxon pedal is a step up in quality in my opinion. The Maxon Chorus has a built in noise-gate to eliminate unwanted noise produced by its own circuit, which is an improvement over the Ibanez Chorus pedal, so it is very quiet. It provides a volume boost when engaged which is noticeable, so it certainly does not decrease your signal- you would not need to use a clean boost pedal in an effects chain after this Maxon Chorus. I use this pedal with a Gibson Les Paul Standard and a Marshall AVT 50 amp. If I use a fuzz pedal then I place it before the chorus pedal. The Maxon Chorus pedal sounds a little bright, but you can roll down the tone on your guitar to suit your treble taste.

Seems well made.

I just contacted Maxon by e-mail with a question and am waiting for their reply, so I have no opinion yet.

I play blues rock and I needed a chorus pedal (everyone needs a chorus pedal), and this Maxon Chorus seemed to be about the best that was available. I have been playing for 20 years, and I remembered that the old Ibanez chorus and phase pedals from the 1970's sounded great, so I figured this Maxon Chorus would also be very good.