Boss CE-3 Chorus

When talking about the greatest chorus effects pedals to ever grace the planet, you always hear about the CE-2 from Boss, arguably the best one ever made. I own one and it is fantastic, no bones about it, but it’s little brother sometimes gets overlooked in the mix. The CE-3 might not carry all the prestige of the CE-2, but it has some great tones, as well as a couple tricks up it’s sleeve that you can’t get with it’s older sibling.

The Rate knob begins our journey into the CE-3, and it controls the overall speed of the chorus effect, as you might expect. The Depth knob is up next, which adjusts the intensity or presence of the effect, from a slight, mild chorus effect to a shimmery, watery, liquid tone. Adjust these two to taste as you see fit, and exploring the wide range of sounds available will truly be music to your ears.

One aspect of the CE-3 that gives it a different sound and feel than the CE-2 is a 3rd control knob, which controls what comes out of the Stereo Outputs, a feature you won’t get with that other chorus pedal. Mode I makes the chorus effect come out of BOTH outputs, while Mode II allows the effect to come through Output A, while your instrument’s regular, dry signal comes shining out of Output B. Mode II should only be used if you are running a stereo (2 amp) setup, otherwise the chorus effect will not be present. This give an entirely new dimension of sound to the CE-3, one that some may find to be more important than the hype surrounding other choruses.

Tone-wise, the CE-2 might sound a hair smoother and a little more analog, but the CE-3 can definitely hold its own. Plus, you have the option of running it in stereo, which is always fun, and a nice trick to have should you need it. Built like a tank and made to last, these pedals are Boss through and through – no need to worry about it breaking or falling apart here. These are fun to A/B with the CE-2, just for a comparison, as everyone’s ears are different. If you want that classic sound without the big price tag, the CE-3 might just be what you’re looking for.