Analog Obsession
CE-1 and CE-2 Chorus Pedals
by Will Shanks

Pedals! They're not just for guitar players. Even for the studio engineer, stomp boxes can provide "secret weapon effects" not found any other way. Engineers like Tchad Blake and Mitchell Froom have gained reputations for utilizing high-impedance effects in recording and mixing. Roland and UA have already announced a licensing agreement between their two companies in which UA will develop, market and sell plug-in emulations of classic Roland processors for the UAD-1. One processor to be emulated is the BOSS Chorus Ensemble.

“BOSS originated the Chorus effect, and nobody has come close to matching the CE-1's captivating chorus sound since.”

Origins of The Boss
In 1974, Roland released a stomp box product called "The Boss," which was essentially an acoustic guitar preamp. From this product, Roland founded a subsidiary company dedicated to instrument effects called BOSS. In 1976, BOSS released the CE-1 Chorus Ensemble.

The pedal the started it all-BOSS Chorus Ensemble

The CE-1
This big grey chorus pedal single-handedly catapulted the BOSS brand to the top of the guitar effects game, thanks to its unmistakable warm analog stereo chorus and vibrato sounds. Late-seventies guitar legends like Andy Summers (The Police) and Jeff "Skunk" Baxter (The Doobie Brothers) quickly helped to make the CE-1 a classic. Today, this box goes for upwards of $500 on eBay!

BOSS originated the Chorus effect, and nobody has come close to matching the CE-1's captivating chorus sound since. It's a utilitarian box of sculpted metal with a choice of either chorus or true pitch-shifting vibrato. The CE-1's chorus has a depth of character that truly fuses with your instrument's sound instead of simply sitting on top of it. As for the Vibrato section, many consider it very similar to the highly regarded vibrato of the Magnatone vibrato amps of the late fifties and early sixties. The CE-1 and Magnatone vibratos are some of the few straight pitch-shift vibrato units available. The sound of the CE-1 circuit can also be found on the Roland Jazz Chorus guitar amp line. The CE-1's functionality is enhanced by an internal power supply, and a standard AC connection.

The CE-1 could not be simpler to use. Input gain can be set with a high and low gain switch (12 dB) and the input level control. The vibrato/chorus stomp switch allows for chorus or vibrato effects, while the normal/effect stomp switch bypasses the effect. One knob is dedicated to the chorus intensity, while two knobs allow manipulation of the vibrato depth and rate.

Some users felt the CE-1 was a bit muddy with guitars; therefore, the CE-1 was commonly modified so that the 50k input pot is replaced with a 500k pot to improve the dry signal. There is a rumor that the CE-1 was designed for use with electric pianos, whose output was of different impedance from guitars.

The original BOSS CE-1 cut sheet:

"The BOSS Chorus Ensemble is the originator of the Chorus effect, and in its short lifetime has already become one of the effects industry's most in-demand products. The development of the Chorus effect is a result of our years in time-delay technology, and the effect has yet to be duplicated by any other manufacturer.

A worthy follow-up-the CE-2

"The CE-1 produces lush and intense tonal textures that give a solo instrument a thicker, deeper sound, reminiscent of a double-voice, or chorus of voices. In addition to the Chorus effect, the CE-1 also produces a Vibrato effect. Switching of the two effects is achieved by means of two silent FET footswitches. One switches the effect in or out of signal; the other switches between Chorus and Vibrato modes. All functions are indicated by LEDs for immediate status indication. A single intensity control adjusts the Chorus effect. The vibrato section features controls over both depth and rate. A level control serves to adjust both effects' balance with the normal signal. The CE-1 features a stereo output, which greatly increases the Chorus effect with an even more intense feeling of motion."

CE-2
Released in 1979 as the world's first compact chorus pedal, the CE-2 Chorus Ensemble was practically irresistible to guitar players. This pedal gave users a greater range of control, from subtle vibrato sounds to thick, syrupy chorus. The CE-1 is as much beloved as the CE-1 in terms of its musicality. The CE-2 sports only two controls: rate and depth. The CE-2 essentially combines the chorus and vibrato controls found on the CE-1. The CE-2 is powered by 9-volt battery or wall-wart. Unlike the CE-1, the CE-2 is limited by the fact that it is mono in, mono out only.

Overall, this is still one of best stomp box chorus units built. The CE-2 is one of the most sought-after BOSS pedals on the used market. Word on the street is that the Japanese CE-2 models sound a little better than their Taiwanese counterparts.