Chorus Hunt

[mmlee]

Hello,
What are your favourite chorus'?  I've had a Tonepad CE-2 with all the mods in the past but it's always on and off the workbench as it was an early build with poor construction and the traces are starting to lift (self-etch), so it's time to think of a new one, also there was just too much stuff with the mods - the more pedals I do, less is more.

Tonepad CE-2
Madbean PorkBarrel CE-2
Little Angel
Celeste Chorus

Anything else worth noting?

Cheers,
Marcus

PS - Happy New Year

[Droogie]

The Madbean CE2 and the Celeste are very worth building, and different enough to justify doing both!

[GrindCustoms]

The Madbean CE2 and the Celeste are very worth building, and different enough to justify doing both!

^^That!

[destro]

Exact same thing with my CE2 I built like five years ago! The ADA Flanger can get some awesome chorus sounds. I also like the small clone. the Ce2 is pretty hard to beat for "classy" chorus sounds, though.

[96ecss]

I really like the Tonepad Small Clone. I have an old Boss CE-2 that I modded a long time ago but I like the Small Clone better. All of my guitar playing friends seem to like the Small Clone better too. I've built a few for my friends and they've all been happy.

So, based on that, I'd recomend the Small Clone.

Dave

[mmlee]

How do the CE-2 and Small Clone compare?

I'm watching some Clone Theory vids now, sounds great, seems more 'intense' than the CE-2 which seemed a bit 'lusher.'...

[96ecss]

The Small Clone was more intense and had the ability for a faster rate while still be able to get that sweet chorus effect that the CE-2 gets. I can't do a side by side comparisson because I loaned my CE-2 to a buddy a couple years ago and still haven't gotten it back.

Dave

[dropanchor812]

I built one of the small clone projects, called the Mini-Me, by GuitarPCB.  He has tested mn3007's that you can buy from him too.  I think the circuit sounds good, and it sounds like it's supposed too, but I think I would prefer the CE-2 for it's reported lushness and subtlety.  If you're looking for just adding a chorus texture than I'd go with a CE-2 project.  I have not built a CE-2 project, but I assume that there's more "usable" tones between the two knobs.  If you want to make crazy noises then the small clone projects might be more your thing.  If you go the small clone route I would think a project with a depth knob over a switch would be more helpful for dialing in those more subtle sounds.   

p.s. I had a little angel built on vero and it was noisier than I like.  I have no idea about the JMK project though.  It was nice for that more subtle sound. 

[RobA]

How do the CE-2 and Small Clone compare?

I'm watching some Clone Theory vids now, sounds great, seems more 'intense' than the CE-2 which seemed a bit 'lusher.'...

I prefer the Small Clone to the CE-2 and one of my primary motivations in starting to DIY pedals was to "get back" the CE-2 I sold years ago. I did build a couple of CE-2 clones and was quite happy with the Pork Barrel. It does sound like my memory of the CE-2. But then I etched and built a Small Clone and realized I liked that more. And then I built the Current Lover (Electric Mistress) and I like that for chorus even more than either of the other two. The Flintlock (A/DA) flanger also does nice chorus but I think it would almost always be dialed to more extreme settings, so having the Current Lover for chorus and softer flanging and the Flintlock for flanging to absolute madness is where I sit now.

[flanagan0718]

I've built a pork barrel before. I wasn't too thrilled with it but i hear it's WORLDS better if you throw a charge pump at it. I personally like the Zombie by John Hollis. I used the sabrotone.com layout and got no ticking. Here is a link to my build

http://www.madbeanpedals.com/forum/index.php?topic=14889.msg139512#msg139512

[juansolo]

CE-2 and Small Clone are the best traditional chorus' IMO. Always have at least one of each.

[selfdestroyer]

I just built Stomptowns PENNEYROYAL Penneyroyal (MN3007 small clone) and it sounds great. For simple "set and go" I would stick with this... but.. if you want to tweak settings a lot and have more range of chorus then I would go with the Celeste Chorus. The Celeste Chorus  sounds so lush.

Cody

[brucer]

I've built a pork barrel before. I wasn't too thrilled with it but i hear it's WORLDS better if you throw a charge pump at it.

I've built a Pork Barrel too (with a charge pump) and I've bought and sold 2 Boss CE-2's that I had modified by Keeley.  I really wanted to like them all, but they've all left me wanting.  None of them gave me that subtle to rich doubling of my dry signal with slight pitch shift effect that I was after.  I also didn't think my Pork Barrel sounded exactly like my Bosses (I get it, they should have and must have ... unless I made a mistake somewhere?).  Maybe it's me.  Probably.  The Pork Barrel's still on my pedalboard because sometimes you just need chorus, but I'm looking forward to building up twin1965's CAYA chorus PCB and trying out that Small Clone flavour.  I've also picked up one of Haberdasher's Flintlock Flanger PCB's because maybe I've been wanting a flanger instead and just didn't know it?  Of course, YMMV!  Good luck in your quest.

[Govmnt_Lacky]

IMHO.....

Little Angel = GARBAGE! Barely usable as a chorus effect.

CE-2: Best at being a "musical" chorus.

Small Clone: Great for the very lush to wishy-washy chorus stuff.

Celeste: No opinion however, the Clone Theory demos I have heard do sound pretty good.

[alanp]

Stomptown's Pennyroyal is pretty good, that said it's the only chorus I've built, other than the Dirtbag and various flanges (which don't cop the chorus sound as well, but can do a hell of a lot more.)